There are many options when considering which platform to track your website’s analytics. Google Analytics is an option most of our clients use and many still have Universal Analytics properties in addition to the new Google Analytics 4 properties.
Why Consider An Alternative To Google Analytics?
Google Analytics is a widely used resource that is helpful in many ways; however, there are some reasons to find an alternative. The alternative analytics platform we have chosen to explore as a company and within this blog is Fathom Analytics.
Just a few of the reasons why we chose this alternative involve its capability for cookieless tracking, the opportunity for you to own your data, and its capacity to expel spam.
Some other analytics alternatives include:
What Is Fathom Analytics?
Fathom Analytics was started in 2018 as a simpler and privacy-first alternative to Google Analytics. Fathom’s primary focus is privacy which means personal identification, as well as spammers, is kept out of the data. Fathom first became an open-source project, then on to a paid and hosted product.
As a software company, they pride themselves on never collecting personal visitor information while providing simple, fast, and reliable data. They are comprised of a small team and, from personal experience, maintain a customer-first atmosphere.
We have had the pleasure of working with the Fathom support team on client-related, knowledge-based, and data-related questions that have been thoroughly and kindly answered within a quick turnaround time.
Check out this article to learn more about Fathom Analytics.
What Are The Differences Between Google Analytics & Fathom Analytics?
Fathom has a simpler interface with far fewer metrics and reports up front. In comparison, Google Analytics offers various reports with various metrics and could easily confuse a data newbie.
As with everything, there are pros and cons to both. The multiple reports and metrics provided by Google Analytics offer more in-depth insight into client data. However, the simplicity of Fathom Analytics provides digestible data analyses for anyone of any skill level to review.
Implementing new data metrics within Google Analytics, like form fills, phone calls, or email clicks, can be a nuisance mainly because tags from Google Tag Manager need to be created and connected to Google Analytics. On the other hand, creating new metrics within Fathom Analytics seems simpler due to their easy implementation with snippets of code added directly to a site.
Check out these articles below to review the unique features of GA4 & Fathom:
- Google Analytics 4: What We Know & Think So Far
- Transitioning to Google Analytics 4
- Fathom Analytics Events
When To Move Over Your Universal Analytics Data To Fathom
On July 1st, 2024, Google will turn off Universal Analytics historical data, meaning the Universal Analytics properties will not be accessible through Google Analytics. Users can download or export their current Universal Analytics data now via a Google Analytics Help Center method to maintain access to the historical properties.
Additionally, an alternative method to saving UA historical data is to import it into Fathom Analytics. Adding a site to Fathom and importing data from Universal Analytics and GA4 require minimal time and stress.
How To Move To Fathom Analytics
We have covered what Fathom Analytics is, what the differences are between Fathom and Google Analytics, and when it would be a good time to move from Google Analytics if keeping your Universal Analytics data is important. To conclude, let’s discuss how to move over to Fathom Analytics.
Fathom offers two main paths for implementing its analytics onto your site: embed the provided code into your site’s header, use the WordPress plugin, or explore a different path. Setting up your new Fathom Analytics can be done in three steps, and importing your historical Universal Analytics can be accomplished in six simple steps.
If you are unsure where to start, are flustered with this thought while running a business, or need more guidance, GreenMellen is happy to assist you with all your data needs.
