Will Universal Analytics Data Be Deleted? What to Do About Your Data
It seems like just yesterday we were navigating the transition from Universal Analytics to Google Analytics 4. At Online Optimism, we shared a free Google Looker Studio template that would recreate UA reports as a dashboard using GA4 data for those who begrudged the shift. Of course, we also got GA4 certified, set up new reporting with GA4 for ourselves and our clients, and offered GA4 setup and integration as a service to those who didn’t already work with us.
But through it all, we’ve wondered, will Universal Analytics data be deleted at some point? Now that it’s time, we’re here once again to help businesses deal with the latest changes to Google Analytics and make the most of their website data.
When Will Universal Analytics Data Be Deleted?
According to Google, Universal Analytics data will be permanently deleted on July 1, 2024. Google first announced this deadline in June 2024, giving organizations a little over a year to download their data. As July 1 has drawn nearer, Google has sent email reminders and included notices when you log into Analytics.
What will actually happen remains to be seen. I believe Google may offer an extended grace period, using the July 1 deadline to spur people to action but then giving them a little extra time if they encountered unforeseen issues.
Why? Because that’s exactly what they did with the deadline to move from UA to GA4.
A Quick Review of the GA4 Transition
Although GA4 was initially released as a beta version in July 2019, it wasn’t until October 2020 that Google announced it would replace Universal Analytics. In June 2022, Google started advising users to switch from UA to GA4. This would give them time not only to get set up before UA stopped processing data, but also to start building historical data in GA4 that could be used for comparison purposes (such as month-over-month data).
Google stated that users had until July 1, 2023 to make the switch to Google Analytics 4. At that time, Universal Analytics would allegedly cease to work. But I found that data for both ourselves and our clients continued to appear in UA until October 4, 2023.
Why Would You Preserve UA Data?
I’m of the opinion that it’s always better to have something and not need it, than to not have it and wish you did. But if you’re looking for specific instances in which having UA data available would be beneficial, here are a few main ones to consider:
- Historical Data: First and foremost, if you want to be able to set benchmarks for your performance over time, it’s necessary to understand how your website and efforts have performed previously. For seasonal businesses in particular, it’s often important to be able to look at comparisons year-over-year, rather than month-over-month. If you’re running long-term strategies, you may also need data from before you adopted GA4.
- Business Reporting: Stakeholders, investors, and even internal teams rely on data on past performance and growth. To maintain the reporting you need, it may be necessary to maintain access to older data only available in UA.
- Compliance and Auditing: For certain industries, robust reporting is required to be in compliance. If there’s a chance you’ll need historical data from UA for an audit, be sure to download it before Universal Analytics data is deleted.
- Data Migration and Integration: As most users are already aware, the presentation of data in GA4 is far different than it was in UA. Many of us have adapted to GA4 reporting by now, but if there is anything that you are still struggling to find an equivalent for in GA4, keeping your UA data can provide you with useful comparisons.
What Should You Do About Your Data?
Even if it’s after July 1, I recommend going into Google Analytics right now to see if you might still be able to download your Universal Analytics data, as it’s possible that Google will give you a grace period.
Google provides these options for exporting your data:
- Export individual UA reports as CSV, TSV, TSV for Excel, Excel (XLSX), Google Sheets, or PDF files.
- Use the Google Analytics Reporting API to export your data into the cloud and connect it to Looker Studio.
- Download the Google Sheets add-on for Analytics and use Google’s instructions for archiving the data.
The right method for you will depend on your unique needs. I recommend thinking about the different ways that you use Analytics data:
- When do you need data from before you set up GA4?
- In these instances, which reports are you using? What are the timeframes that you need? Would separately downloading each month of data for a particular report satisfy your needs, for example?
- In these instances, how are you using the data? Does it need to be integrated with other tools or reporting, such as Looker Studio?
If you’re not sure what you’ll need, try as many of the options above as seem potentially relevant to you to help cover your bases.
Work with an Agency to Make the Most of Your Data
Tired of dealing with Google Analytics yourself? Want to make more of your Analytics data and use it to drive effective marketing campaigns?
At Online Optimism, we offer a wide range of digital marketing services, including social media, PPC, SEO, content marketing, branding, web design, and more. Our data-driven campaigns include thorough monthly reporting from Analytics to help show our progress and continually guide our strategy.
Contact us if you’d like to learn more about working with our agency!
