As marketers, we rely heavily on data to better understand how audiences interact with our work, including our communication channels—website, social platforms, etc.

For website information, Google Analytics has proven to be an insightful and user-friendly tool for understanding the state of a website and its components, and it is a tool our clients’ sites use.

Over the past few years, Google has been preparing for a digital space where cookies are no longer the way for sites to track and retarget users. They are working on completely moving away from their Universal Analytics property and into Google Analytics 4 (GA4) by July 1, 2023.

 

According to Google:

“Universal Analytics was built for a generation of online measurement that was anchored in the desktop web, independent sessions and more easily observable data from cookies… And though Universal Analytics offers a variety of privacy controls, Google Analytics 4 is designed with privacy at its core to provide a better experience for both our customers and their users. It helps businesses meet evolving needs and user expectations, with more comprehensive and granular controls for data collection and usage. Importantly, Google Analytics 4 will also no longer store IP addresses.”

(Read more here)

Google’s announcement only applies to entities using the Universal Analytics property that have not updated to the new GA4. If you are a current Mopdog Client on our Quarterly Maintenance plan, there’s no need to worry! This transition is already included as a part of our services.

If Mopdog provides your website hosting, our IT department will be reaching out with further instructions.

Keep reading below for more information about the upcoming Google Analytics updates, including frequently asked questions.

How do you know which property you are using?

• If you created your property before October 14, 2020, you’re likely using a Universal Analytics property.
• If you created your property after October 14, 2020, you’re likely using a Google Analytics 4 property already, and no action is required.

What does it mean if you are using a Universal Analytics Property?

• On July 1, 2023, Universal Analytics Property will no longer collect data.
• After July 1, 2023, you will only have six months of access to previously processed data through Universal Analytics.

What should you do?

• Make the switch to Google Analytics 4 property ASAP to build the necessary historical data and usage in the new property for a smooth transition.
• Export your historical data from Universal Analytics before the 6 months are up.

It is recommended to add a Google Analytics 4 property to your existing Universal Analytics property and replace your current tracking properties with your new tracking code. Your Google Analytics 4 property will collect data alongside your existing Universal Analytics property until July 1, 2023. Once Universal Analytics stops processing new data, you will already have the necessary historical data and usage to ensure a smooth transition.

If you or your organization need assistance with this transition, contact us at [email protected].