If you’re reading this, you probably noticed something wrong with your Google Analytics. Data stopped flowing, reports show nothing, or someone told you Universal Analytics “went away.” Here’s what happened and what to do about it.
What Actually Happened
Google’s Universal Analytics (UA) officially stopped processing data on July 1, 2023. This wasn’t a bug—it was announced years in advance:
- October 2020: GA4 released
- March 2022: UA sunset announced
- July 2023: UA stopped processing new data
- July 2024: UA properties deleted entirely
If your tracking still points to a UA property (ID starting with UA-), you’re collecting zero data.
How to Check If You’re Affected
Check Your Tracking Code
Look at your website’s source code. Search for UA-:
<!-- If you see this, you have a problem -->
ga('create', 'UA-XXXXXX-X', 'auto');
<!-- Or this in GTM -->
gtag('config', 'UA-XXXXXX-X');Check Google Tag Manager
- Open GTM
- Look at your tags
- Any tag type “Universal Analytics” or with a
UA-tracking ID is dead
Check Google Analytics
Try logging into analytics.google.com:
- If you’re sent to a UA property and see no data, that’s your problem
- You need a GA4 property (measurement ID starts with
G-)
What You’ve Lost
If you haven’t migrated to GA4:
- All new data since July 2023: Gone. Not recoverable.
- Historical UA data: Accessible until July 2024, then deleted forever.
- Conversion tracking: If ads platforms are optimizing against UA goals, they’re optimizing against nothing.
The Quick Fix (Get Data Flowing Today)
Step 1: Create a GA4 Property
- Go to analytics.google.com
- Admin → Create Property
- Follow the setup wizard
- Get your Measurement ID (starts with
G-)
Step 2: Install GA4 Tag
Option A: Direct installation
Add this to your <head>:
<!-- Google tag (gtag.js) -->
<script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-XXXXXXXXXX"></script>
<script>
window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];
function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);}
gtag('js', new Date());
gtag('config', 'G-XXXXXXXXXX');
</script>Option B: Through GTM
- Create new tag → Google Analytics: GA4 Configuration
- Enter your Measurement ID
- Trigger: All Pages
- Publish
Step 3: Verify It’s Working
- Visit your site
- Go to GA4 → Realtime report
- You should see yourself
After Basic Setup: What’s Next
Getting GA4 installed is just step one. GA4 is fundamentally different from UA:
Event-Based vs Session-Based
UA tracked sessions and pageviews. GA4 tracks events. Every interaction is an event:
page_view(automatic)scroll(automatic)click(needs setup)form_submit(needs setup)- Custom events (needs setup)
Conversions Work Differently
UA had “Goals.” GA4 has events marked as conversions.
- Set up the event (via GTM or GA4’s interface)
- Mark it as a conversion in GA4 Admin → Events
Reports Look Different
The entire GA4 interface is different. You’ll need to relearn:
- Reports are in different places
- Metrics have different names
- Some UA metrics don’t exist in GA4
What About Your Ads Platforms?
If you had Google Ads, Meta, or other platforms linked to UA:
Google Ads
- Link your GA4 property to Google Ads
- Import new GA4 conversions
- Update campaign bidding to use GA4 conversions
- Remove old UA conversion actions
Meta Ads
Meta Pixel isn’t affected by UA sunset—it’s separate. But if you were using GA4/UA for reporting, you need to switch your reporting source.
Other Platforms
Most other platforms were likely using their own pixels (TikTok, LinkedIn, etc.) and aren’t directly affected.
The Full Migration vs Quick Fix
What we covered above is a “quick fix” to start collecting data. A full migration includes:
- Event mapping: Recreating all your custom UA events in GA4
- E-commerce setup: Enhanced e-commerce tracking is completely different in GA4
- Custom dimensions/metrics: These work differently and need reconfiguration
- Audiences: Rebuild your audiences using GA4’s audience builder
- Reports: Recreate custom reports and dashboards
- Goals→Conversions: Map your UA goals to GA4 conversion events
How Long Does Full Migration Take?
| Site Complexity | DIY Time | Professional Time |
|---|---|---|
| Simple blog/brochure | 2-4 hours | 1-2 hours |
| Lead gen with forms | 4-8 hours | 2-4 hours |
| E-commerce basic | 8-20 hours | 4-8 hours |
| E-commerce complex | 20-40+ hours | 8-16 hours |
Common Migration Mistakes
- Only installing basic tracking: You get pageviews but miss all the events that matter
- Not setting up conversions: GA4 doesn’t automatically import your UA goals
- Forgetting enhanced e-commerce: Product views, add to cart, checkout steps—all need manual setup
- Not linking to ads platforms: Your campaigns can’t optimize without proper linking
- Ignoring consent mode: GDPR/CCPA compliance requirements haven’t gone away
Don’t Know Where to Start?
If you’re overwhelmed by the migration or not sure what you had in UA that needs recreating:
Get a free GTM scan and we’ll tell you exactly what tracking you have, what’s broken, and what needs to be set up in GA4 to match your old capabilities.