Universal Analytics’ Ride Into the Sunset: Saying good-bye to your old Google Analytics data

It may seem like we were just talking about the big changes happening around Google Analytics, but here we are again, almost a year later, with another critical deadline on the horizon. Not too long ago, we helped many of our clients migrate from Universal Analytics to Google Analytics 4.

But this time, your data is actually scheduled to be deleted on July 1, 2024. That means you have until the end of June to save your historical website performance data.

First, don’t panic! We’ll walk you through what you need to do to make sure no data is left behind. And if you haven’t done so yet, we’ll revisit our advice on migrating to Google Analytics 4.

But first, let’s not lose your data!

What happens next

Starting the week of July 1, 2024, you won’t be able to access any Universal Analytics properties or the API (not even with read-only access), and all data will be deleted.

Seems kind of dramatic, huh? While the sunset has actually been in the works since July 2023, the full Universal Analytics shutdown will happen within a week, while we’re all watching fireworks and gorging ourselves on too much barbecue.

But your data is just as important as reapplying your sunblock. Having a history of it is vital for understanding your website’s performance journey; it protects institutional memory and helps you make informed decisions. So we recommend that you export your previously processed data before the time clock runs out.

How to save your data

There are several ways to export data from your Universal Analytics property, depending on your technical know-how and budget.

The DIY Method

For those among us who know enough to be dangerous, this option is perfect. Simply identify the data you need (Good choices: year over year site content, including all pages, landing pages, and user acquisitions), grab screenshots of those records, and save them to your local computer.

If you’re feeling extra fancy, you can also export those same reports into the following formats:

• CSV
• TSV
• TSV for Excel
• Excel (XLSX)
• Google Sheets
• PDF

Then you can install the Google Sheets add-on for Analytics and follow these instructions to archive your data.

The Google BigQuery Method

For the real tech savvy among us, you can connect to Google’s BigQuery and export your records that way. This requires a Google Analytics 360 account or Supermetrics BigQuery subscription ($$). But it offers powerful cloud-based storage and data analysis tools.

Find a Vendor

The third and final option is to find a third party vendor who can handle your data export for you. We recommend Association Analytics, if that’s the route you decide to go.

Whatever you decide, though, it’s important to choose wisely and act now to save valuable website data before it’s lost forever to Al Gore’s Internet.

And if you need a refresher on migrating to Google Analytics 4, keep reading!

(You might be thinking, “Didn’t this happen already?” Well a number of organizations didn’t do anything last year and despite what Google said, they did do an automatic migration from UA to GA4 if you didn’t do anything. So your old UA code is still sitting in the website but is recording GA4 data. It works, but I wouldn’t trust it for long. It’s better to start with a fresh GA4 setup.)

Here’s a breakdown of necessary steps for a seamless transition.

Step 1: Assess Your Current Analytics Setup

Before diving into any transition, start with a quick audit of your current setup. Check your tracking codes, any special configurations, and data collection methods to ensure they’re in good shape. Identifying your key metrics will be essential for decision-making as this will be your roadmap for configuring GA4.

Step 2: Set Up to Google Analytics 4

Now comes the fun part. Start by exploring the new features of GA4, like enhanced tracking and deeper insights into user behavior and their digital experiences. It’s like a data nerd’s dream! We’ve written a blog post about it to make this part easy. When you’re done geeking out on all the cool new features, it’s time to migrate your data.

Step 3: Migrate Your Info

Don’t leave your usr info behind! Use Google’s tools to migrate your existing data from Universal Analytics to GA4, ensuring it’s all accounted for. Again, we wrote another blog post to guide you smoothly through this step!

Step 4: Configure Event Tracking and Update Tracking Codes

Configure event tracking in GA4 to capture all the juicy data you need and update any tracking codes and integrations to keep the data flowing. Once everything’s updated, test, test, test!

Step 5: Testing and Quality Assurance

Before going live with GA4, make sure everything’s running like a well-oiled machine. We highly recommend using Debug Mode in GA4 to test your setup and make sure everything is recording properly. (Analytics Mania has an excellent overview of how to use Deub Mode in GA4). If you spot any discrepancies or issues, address them now to ensure a smooth transition.

Step 6: Monitoring and Optimization

Just because Universal Analytics has ridden into the sunset doesn’t mean you can! Set up ongoing monitoring to track performance and identify areas for improvement. Doing so means your analytics strategy will be stronger than ever.

Step 7: Finalizing the Transition

Double-check your setup to make sure everything is ready to go. Use validation tools, comparison reports, and manual checks to verify that data collected in GA4 aligns with your expectations and business requirements.

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With the transition complete, you’re ready to take on the world with GA4.

If you have any questions or need further assistance along the way, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’re here to help you unlock the full potential of your analytics!

 

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Psst…. If you’re reading this before ASAE’s Membership, Marketing, Communications + Technology Conference on May 30 and 31, 2024, come see me in person as I’ll be presenting a session titled “Google Analytics 4: Everything You Need to Know (or Should Know)”