Transitioning from GA3 to GA4: Your Complete Guide to Mastering Google Analytics Updates
The Google Analytics Team notified users earlier in April that Google Analytics 4 will fully replace Universal Analytics properties on July 1, 2024. After this date, all Universal Analytics services and APIs will be discontinued, making these properties inaccessible. GA3 users are urged to migrate to Google Analytics 4 by following the provided migration guide. Exporting any data from Universal Analytics properties soon is also recommended, as it will be permanently deleted and unrecoverable after the service ends. Product integrations using Universal Analytics data will also cease to function, affecting things like ad campaigns and API requests. Users with Universal Analytics 360 properties should use the BigQuery integration to export historical data by June 30, 2024. Lastly, any projects within the Attribution (beta) will be deleted.
Export your GA3 data
- Manual Export Method: The initial step involves manually exporting data from GA3. This process includes navigating to critical reports such as Acquisition or Audience reports within GA3. Customize these reports based on requirements like geographic segmentation, page groupings, or dimensions like landing pages. Click ‘EXPORT’ at the top right corner and choose an appropriate file format (PDF, Google Sheets, Excel, or CSV). It’s vital to methodically repeat this process for each report within your GA3 property you deem essential to your business.
- Utilizing Export Tools: Leverage tools for bulk data export to enhance efficiency. Google Analytics Dev Tools, for example, offers a straightforward interface for this purpose. For an integrated approach to data analysis, the Google Analytics Sheets Add-On can be used to directly connect GA data with Google Sheets, streamlining the data management process.
- Data Storage and Organization: Post-export, the focus shifts to systematic data storage. Organize the exported data in a structured manner, ensuring it’s easily navigable and understandable for future use. Label each file descriptively, categorizing them by year, data type, or other relevant metrics. This organization is crucial in ensuring that historical data is stored, readily accessible, and usable for future analysis and decision-making.
Google Analytics 4 has significant implications for marketers
Data Access and Management: As Universal Analytics services are shut down, marketers can only access historical data if exported before the discontinuation date. This loss of historical data could impact trend analysis and year-over-year comparisons, which are crucial for strategic planning and performance measurement.
Campaign Optimization: Universal Analytics goals and e-commerce transactions will stop tracking new conversions, which could directly affect ad campaign performance, especially for campaigns that rely on Smart Bidding strategies. With these conversions no longer being tracked, the optimization algorithms might perform less effectively, potentially leading to less efficient ad spend.
Audience Targeting: The closure of Universal Analytics audience lists will disrupt how marketers target and re-target audiences through advertising campaigns. This might necessitate rebuilding audience lists in Google Analytics 4, which could delay campaign launches and affect media activation and performance.
Integration and Automation: Marketers relying on API integrations for pulling data into other platforms (like CRM systems, custom dashboards, or marketing automation tools) will need to update their systems to work with Google Analytics 4 APIs. Failure to do so will result in broken integrations and potential loss of functionality in connected tools.
Reporting and Analytics Tools: Tools that are dependent on Universal Analytics data, such as Looker Studio (formerly Google Data Studio), will need adjustments or updates to their configurations to incorporate data from Google Analytics 4 properties.
Compliance and Data Management: API requests for deletion of Universal Analytics data, including compliance-related requests through the User Deletion API, will no longer function. Marketers must ensure that data management processes comply with regulations like GDPR using new tools and processes provided in Google Analytics 4.
Conclusion & Alembic's Solution
Marketers must promptly migrate to Google Analytics 4 to avoid disruptions in their data-driven marketing activities. They should familiarize themselves with the new features and differences of Google Analytics 4 to leverage its capabilities fully. This transition might also be an opportunity to revisit and optimize data collection and analysis strategies to better align with evolving business goals and technological landscapes.
With Alembic’s solution, we can utilize our AI, backfill four years of your Google Analytics data, and connect with your GA4 instance to help extract any insights and optimizations. Our customers are prepared for the GA3 to GA4 transition, and our team also provides “white-glove” service for properly transitioning your GA3 to GA4.
