Google Universal Analytics – what does it mean to you?

Google Universal Analytics

We want to make all our customers and clients aware of Google’s latest Analytics upgrade – Universal Analytics.
This is important as Google with be retiring the current analytics by the end of this year and everyone using Analytics will be required to migrate to the latest version.

If you currently use Analytics, especially for tracking sales, conversions and visits to your ecommerce website, then you had better be aware of the upcoming changes.

First, however, let me cover some of the reasons and benefits for this change Google are enforcing on you.

Benefits of Universal Analytics (from Google)
Get a new and more flexible tracking code that lets you collect data from any digital device.

Universal Analytics introduces three new versions of the tracking code that you can implement to meet your specific technical needs. Use the analytics.js JavaScript library for websites, the Google Analytics SDKs (v2.x or higher) for mobile app tracking and the Measurement Protocol for other digital devices, like game consoles and information kiosks.

All of the new collection methods are developer friendly, so you can set up and customise your tracking code more easily. Cross domain tracking for websites, in particular, is dramatically simpler and more accurate.

Use simplified and more accessible configuration options.

Universal Analytics gives you more configuration options that you can control from your account Admin page:

•     Organic search sources
•     Session and campaign timeout handling
•     Referral exclusions
•     Search term exclusions

Create custom dimensions & custom metrics to collect data that’s unique to your business.

Custom dimensions and custom metrics are like default dimensions and metrics, except that you create them yourself. Use them to collect data that Google Analytics doesn’t automatically track. Learn more about custom dimensions and metrics.

Stay up to date with new features and updates.

With Universal Analytics, you can use all of the standard Google Analytics reports and tools, but you also get access to new features.

New features and product updates are only available to Universal Analytics properties. Classic Google Analytics properties, or Universal Analytics properties using an older collection method like the ga.js JavaScript library, will not receive access to all future product changes

What do you need to do?
If you tracking ecommerce sales, revenue, transactions and conversions using Analytics you will need to change the Google Analytics tracking within your ecommerce software.

teclan’s Digital Marketing customers will receive free assistance and support with implementing these new changes, however we can also offer an additional service to Ecommerce platform users (SellerDeck, Magento, BigCommerce etc) with advice and technical assistance to implement the new analytics scripts and code as required.

Please feel free to get in touch with any of the teclan team with any queries or questions you may have.