What is the new Google Analytics 4?
In 2019, Google introduced their plan to evolve measurement standards with Google Analytics 4, which prioritizes user privacy and introduces new machine learning technology to measure user interactions across app and website platforms (no longer just cookies across websites). And, as expected, enhances integrations with Google’s advertising platforms. It’s the way the future is headed, and the standard Universal Analytics is quickly becoming obsolete. The new Google Analytics 4 is ready to use now.
Why should I upgrade to Google Analytics 4? Is it required?
Google is forcing the switch. If you want to keep using Google for your website analytics tracking, we recommend making the change as soon as possible to build historical data in the new version before that data goes away.
Is there a deadline? Will I lose my data?
Yes, there’s a deadline. All standard Universal Analytics properties will stop processing data on July 1, 2023. If your site is on Universal Analytics 360, you get an extra three months, data will stop processing on October 1, 2023. After these dates, you will only be able to access your historical data in Universal Analytics for the next six months. For this reason, we recommend starting to build as much data as you can in a new Google Analytics 4 property now.
Will you lose your data? Well, that depends on your actions. Upgrade now and you will retain the data collected in the new property from the time you make the switch. Google will allow you to export older historical data, but you will need to do this before it goes away (6 months after the July 1 or Oct 1, 2023 deadline).
Helpful Resources
Google’s help center for switching to Google Analytics 4: Google’s Help Center
Google put out a series of videos, Getting Started with Google Analytics 4: View Video Series
Exporting your historical data from Universal Analytics: How to Export Your Data
Hire Cinch to Upgrade Your Google Analytics
Not comfortable implementing the changes on your own? Cinch can help. We are charging a $100 base fee to make the switch (additional fees may apply for sites and properties that require a more extensive setup).
How to upgrade depends on the way your Google Analytics is currently setup to track. If you are running Google Ads, tracking goals, tracking events, collecting audience data, or other more sophisticated setups of Google Ads, more effort will be needed to migrate this data.
