Google Analytics Roadmap for Tracking Web and Mobile App

Google has been pushing users to adopt its new analytics products based on Firebase, and in the process has decided to sunset its existing Google Analytics services for mobile.

This has created a lot of confusion in the community in regards to what action we should take and when, and whether it impacts GA360 clients or not.

With the help from my team at Sparkline, I came up with some overview diagrams and simple takeaway notes.

The Old

Notes:

• This mobile app workflow is deprecated
• [SDK] Will stop working on o̶n̶ ̶3̶1̶s̶t̶ ̶M̶a̶r̶c̶h̶ sometime after 30th June 2020
• [GTM] You can no longer create new legacy container
• [GTM] Existing legacy containers will be deleted o̶n̶ ̶3̶1̶s̶t̶ ̶M̶a̶r̶c̶h̶ sometime after 30th June 2020
• [GA] You can no longer create new Mobile property
• [GA] For non-GA360 clients, Mobile properties will be deleted in Feb 2020
• [GA] No news so far regarding if/when 360 Mobile properties will be deprecated. We think it will only happen 1–2 years after the new GA App+Web property reaches use-case parity and Google introduces 360-tier for it with SLA

In the next diagram, we are going to address the legacy mobile app workflow.

The Current

This is our currently recommended workflow.

Notes:

• Now the mobile app workflow is replaced with the new GTM SDK v5 and container (built on Firebase)
• This means you have to transition from the old data layer codes to the new Firebase event-based data collection process
• This setup requires you to connect Google Analytics for Firebase (GA4F)
• For companies already using GA fully. We recommend to record both to GA and GA4F so that they can (a) Use full reporting capabilities of GA and (b) Hands-on with the future measurement model for mobile app (as well as web)
• Because GA Mobile property is deprecated, here we have to use Web property. However, we can create Mobile views in it.
• For NEW GA4F data stream, it appears that you must now also create GA App+Web property
• That means if you want to look at mobile app data, you can either use GA4F or GA App+Web
• Unlike traditional GA property, App+Web has no concept of Views. That means data is recorded in the property rather than the views

In the next diagram, we will introduce GA App+Web property to the web workflow.

The Near Future

Google is now starting to push the new workflow for the web.

Notes:

• Google Analytics (existing and new properties) should still be used as the source of truth for web analytics
• Companies with web needs ca dual-implement their websites to try GA App+Web properties to test out the capabilities including cross-platform reporting, new analysis techniques, and more
• Notice that both the web and mobile app workflows have dual streams now. This is to aid companies in slowly transitioning to the future using only GA App+Web

In the next diagram, we will look at the future by removing all GA properties.

The Future

The future lies solely with the new GA App+Web property.

The future is based on the simple model of:

• User and Properties
• Event and Parameters

I hope this article helps you have a better understanding of the Google Analytics roadmap.

Sparkline aims to provide data accuracy, comprehension and consolidation, and most importantly, tangible insights for businesses. Get in touch if you’d like to learn more.