Your Google Analytics will be shut down in a few months! - What you need to know now.

Really! An expiration date has been set for Google Analytics. In this article you will find all the information you need to know now.

When will Google Universal Analytics be turned off?

Google has announced that Universal Analytics will stop collecting new data for free customers on July 1, 2023. That means you have about 15 months to prepare.

A few months after that date, you'll still be able to access your Universal Analytics data, but no new data will be added to your UA views. And a few months after that, Google will stop providing access to Universal Analytics altogether.

Now that Universal Analytics is officially being phased out (July 1, 2023!), it's time to get serious about what's next.

This is where Google Analytics 4 comes into play. GA4 is the new Analytics property type from Google that will replace Universal Analytics.

How will the transition to Google Analytics 4 work?

However, there will be no smooth transition with the old tracking code, as was the case with Classic Analytics to Universal Analytics. Now there is an acute need for action for you! Tracking codes must be adapted in the source code of your website so that they can continue to function and collect data.

The transition to GA4 requires a complete rethink of your tracking strategy and setup.
That's because the data model itself is completely different! Instead of a session-based data model like Universal Analytics, GA4 is based on events and parameters.
Everything in GA4 is an event, even a page view is an event!

How long do I have for the changeover?

You have about 15 months to make this change.

But that does NOT mean you can wait 15 months to move to GA4.
Rather, it means that you need to start preparing TODAY.

Why today? A good analytics implementation can take several months of planning, preparation, and implementation. In addition, there will likely be several rounds of QA to make sure you can properly track the data in GA4 and generate all the reports you want and need.

That means you have a little over 3 months to prepare your entire GA4 setup if you want to have an entire year's worth of data available in reports in GA4!

You may be thinking, "Oh #$*&^@, what am I going to do?"

You are not alone with this thought! Universal Analytics has been the primary analytics solution for millions of websites since 2012. The look and feel of Google Analytics has changed over the years, but the data schema, reports, and how they are used have remained largely the same. This is now about to change.

Now take a deep breath. IT'S ALL GOING TO BE OKAY!

Is Google Analytics 4 really better?

GA4 is actually a much better and more future-proof tool than Universal Analytics, based on modern technology (and not 15+ years old) and based on a well thought-out, logical and structured data schema.

Getting rid of Universal Analytics is a big deal for pretty much every website owner, analyst and digital marketer.

It's time to start now! So don't wait to get started with GA4. If you're not already using GA4 alongside Universal Analytics, now is the time to set it up.

You need time to set it up, time to collect data, and time to get used to it. GA4 looks and feels very different from Universal Analytics.
You'll only be ready to fully switch over on July 1, 2023, if you've been using it for a while.

Talk to a professional Tracking Agencythat specializes in Google Analytics 4. If you don't have a contact yet or need help with the migration, you are also welcome to schedule a free consultation with us. With over 10 years of experience and multiple Google certifications, we can definitely help you.

Your Golden Web Age Team