What’s Happening?: Google will deprecate all Universal Analytics properties in Google Analytics in 2023. Universal Analytics properties will stop recording new data effective July 1st, 2023. Previously processed data in Universal Analytics will be stored for at least six months after the deprecation dates listed above. GA4 will become the new standard for web analytics and measurement.
Why is Google making the switch?: Universal Analytics was built for a generation of online measurement that was anchored in independent sessions, and more easily observable data from cookies. With privacy changes impacting every browser, device, and platform, GA4 doesn’t rely on cookies and uses event-based data modeling for measurement. In line with other privacy changes, GA4 will also not store IP addresses.
Why is this important?: GA4 properties are the way of the future for website performance measurement. Despite having until July 1st, 2023 to make the switch, you’ll want to start configuring it now to start tracking the foundational metrics that will be critical as the baseline for YoY performance come this time next year. Any settings that are in place from Universal Analytics will not transfer over to the new version.
What should be done to prepare?:
- Start building up historical data in GA4 for historical analysis by having a discovery session, identifying goals and objectives, and adding the GA4 tracking code to your website to run in tandem with Universal Analytics
- Audit and transfer Universal Analytics settings and tags to your new GA4 property as baseline data is being collected across both versions
- Feed both Universal Analytics and GA4 into your Infinity web analytics dashboard with a combined data set that will align the new measurement framework with prior settings
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