This document provides a summary of the evolution of Google Analytics tools over time. It begins with Urchin, an early website tracking tool from the 1990s. It then discusses the progression of Google Analytics scripts and interfaces from ga.js to analytics.js to gtag.js and the transition from Classic to Universal Analytics to GA4. The document also highlights various features and capabilities that have been added and removed over the years. It concludes by emphasizing the importance of the analytics community in supporting the transition away from Universal Analytics.

1. UA Greatest Hits
UA Greatest Hits
June 21, 2023
#UAgreatestHits

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Analytics Nerd / Consultant
Sara Hoffman (they/she)
Grew up in Web Dev
Trained by Lunametrics*
DAA Board Member
*HS2 Solutions Acquires LunaMetrics in 2017/18 and rebranded to Bounteous in 2018
"You are a full stack of awesomeness."
- Jim Sterne
Sara Hoffman

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Standard GA360
July 1, 2023 July 1, 2024
Universal Analytics will no longer
process data and reports will stop
populating.
Export by July 1, 2024
ICYMI: Universal Analytics is Going Away

4. And you may ask yourself,
"Well, how did I get here?"

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This little friend started website tracking
in the 1990s.
Urchin

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Since then, we've grown up a whole bunch
Since then, we've grown up a whole bunch

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Since then, we've grown up a whole bunch
This one was my favorite
Since then, we've grown up a whole bunch

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The scripting progression of Google Analytics
ga.js analytics.js gtag.js

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The title progression of Google Analytics
ga.js analytics.js gtag.js
Classic Universal Analytics GA4

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We don't talk about App+Web
ga.js analytics.js gtag.js
Classic Universal Analytics GA4
We don't talk about App+Web
Someone please write a song!

11. Letting the days go by,
let the clock wind down

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ICYMI: Universal Analytics is Going Away

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All Web Site Data
Even the AP Stylebook decided that
"website" was one word.

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All sorts of strange platforms
and cross domain challenges
to solve for

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What were they testing in an unfiltered view?!

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Who is Sid? What were they testing?

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Change History!

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Change History!
Maybe now we can figure out who Sid is
and what they were testing?

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RIP Gallery of Wonders
RIP Gallery of
Wonders
Largely, these
features have moved
from individual usage
to Property Level
Ability to import from the Solutions Gallery

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Leaving a Company and *Poof*

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Behavior Flow
Import Gallery
Pretend Path Analysis

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Calculations we got tired of explaining

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PIE CHARTS

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PIE CHARTS
Why does Referral
traffic change from
green to orange to
green?

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Tree Maps! Word Clouds!

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Tree Maps! Word Clouds!

27. Time isn't holding up, time isn't after us

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Administration and Settings Matter EVEN More
Behind the scenes
magical coding stuff!

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UTM lives on and expands
utm_source_platform
utm_creative_format
utm_marketing_tactic
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/10917952?hl=en#zippy=%2Cin-this-article

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Measurement Protocol
GA4 Addition:
API Secrets Key
to prevent Ghost
Spam!
https://developers.google.com/analytics/devguides/collection/protocol/ga4

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BigQuery For All
We need to make sure
Standard/Free GA4 folks
understand the value of
using BigQuery with their
digital behavior data from
GA4.
BigQuery For All

32. And you may ask yourself,
"Am I right, am I wrong?"

33. This is not my beautiful report

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Sharing is Caring
GA4 can't do this yet


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Audiences
Analysts
saying
"Segments"
Marketers
saying
"Audiences"
Sweet Spot
groups your users who share the same attributes
Audiences

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Comparisons, Segments, Audiences – OH MY!
Comparison
Segment Audience

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Also Audiences?
Comparison
Segment Audience
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/12799087
groups your users who share
the same attributes

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RIP Context with Annotation
https://www.bounteous.com/insights/2010/06/17/how-use-ga-annotations-keep-track-your-sites-history

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RegEx when you want it

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Easy Site Search Reporting

41. And you may ask yourself,
"How do I work this?"

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Google+ (RIP)
Twitter #measure
Facebook Groups
Measure Slack
Google's own support forums
Discord (New)
Community
Stack Overflow
LinkedIn
… and many more.
Community

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We need to define, create, and socialize best
practices that aren't exclusive to GA360.
What do we need to do AS a Community?
What do we need to do as a community?

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Where do we start?
Guide Users on Exporting their UA data
Generate How To Content
Event Naming Conventions – common agreements
Help Where You Can
• Stack Overflow
• Discord
• Measure Slack
• LinkedIn

45. Same as it ever was, same as it ever was
Maintain your actual analytics implementation and
measurement strategies

46. Thank you.
Sara Hoffman (they/she)
sarahoffman.me
@salsus on the twitters or instagram sara.hoffman@bounteous.com

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We are the
Co-Innovation Partner
For more than 20 years, Bounteous has co-innovated with the world's most
ambitious brands to create transformative digital experiences. We elevate
brand experiences through industry-leading technology partnerships and
unparalleled platform expertise.
People choose us because we are a strategic partner and thought leader: we
tailor our expertise to your business and environment because we're not
afraid to do the hard-to-do – creating solutions that deliver brilliant results.
We are a founder-led company with a passionate and visionary leadership
team. Our culture has allowed us to build a talented team of client-focused
problem solvers, design thinkers, and educators. We work with integrity,
excellence, and heart.​
Our deeply integrated teams bring their rich experience to every project: our
high employee retention rate ensures you reap the benefit of people who
have worked together before, across a variety of projects and disciplines,
who you can count on to tackle complex projects and adapt with your needs.

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Who We Are
Bounteous brings together engineers, data scientists, marketers, analysts, strategists, and design thinkers, whose
combined expertise, ideas, and innovation enable us to succeed where others fail. We are a privately-owned, private equity
backed company with Collaboration Centers across North America.
20+
years of content, commerce, creative, and conversion
1,700+
collaborative team members
85%+
employee retention rate
1,000+
analytical and advertising minds trained annually
500+
industry and partner certifications​
60+
awards for work and culture and partners

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