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How to manage deletion of historical data from Universal Analytics?
The digital analytics landscape is about to change significantly. With the deprecation of historical Universal Analytics data scheduled for July 1, 2024 , businesses are faced with the challenge of preserving years of valuable data. This forced transition underscores the importance of migrating to Google Analytics 4 (GA4) and adjusting analytics and marketing strategies accordingly. In this article, we’ll explore what this deprecation entails, how it will impact your paid media campaigns, and what steps you should take to ensure a successful migration to GA4 .
Marina Vicente Hierro, Analytics Specialist
Fernanda Bassi , Paid Media Team Lead
What does deleting Universal Analytics data mean?
On July 1, 2024, Google will permanently delete historical data from Universal Analytics. This means that unless proactive measures are taken, all information collected over the years will be gone. Universal Analytics data cannot be transferred directly to Google Analytics 4 (GA4) , so it is essential to export it manually. This data is crucial for year-over-year comparisons and to have it available for future reference.
Impact on Paid Media Campaigns
The history of a website's activity is an invaluable resource for designing an effective and coherent digital strategy. Year-over-year comparisons allow you to identify key moments for each client, aligned with the seasonality of their business. These comparisons are essential both for measuring the efficiency of digital campaigns and for planning the necessary adaptations to the strategy .
Furthermore, considering recent limitations in data collection and changes in attribution models in the paid media environment, maintaining historical data for future analysis is imperative. Without this data, paid media campaigns can lose effectiveness, as strategic decisions are based on patterns and trends identified over time.
Steps to manage the deletion of historical data
- Export your current Universal Analytics data : Use Google Analytics export tools or third-party services that specialize in managing large volumes of data.
- Migrate to Google Analytics 4 : Make sure your GA4 account is set up correctly and start collecting data as soon as possible to minimize data loss. Migrating to Google Analytics 4 is crucial to maintaining continuity in data collection and analysis.
- Data Integration and Storage : Use platforms that allow the integration and storage of historical data exported from Universal Analytics with new GA4 data.
- Data analysis and visualization : Implement tools that make it easy to view and analyze historical data alongside current data to maintain continuity in your analysis and comparisons. Make sure to use GA4 UTM parameters for better attribution and tracking of your campaigns.
- Review and adjust paid media strategies : With historical data at your disposal, review and adjust your paid media strategies to adapt to new market trends and behaviors.
Deleting historical data from Universal Analytics is both a significant challenge and an opportunity to improve your digital marketing and analytics strategies.
At Rocket Digital, our experts use advanced tools to ensure that valuable insights are not lost and that your campaigns remain effective. Contact us for more information and get ready for the future of digital analytics.
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