Google Analytics alternatives: Matomo or other tools?
Posted: Wed Dec 04, 2024 10:00 am
Many companies have not yet set up the new Google Analytics 4 in a way that makes sense and are still working with the old version. This is despite the fact that the current Google Analytics will be shut down in a few weeks and will no longer collect data from July 1st. Google Analytics helps companies focus their marketing spend on the measures that have the greatest impact on their business goals by offering a range of features and tools that help measure and optimize the effectiveness of marketing campaigns.
If you want to gain a better understanding of customer and prospect behavior, you can't avoid tools like Google Analytics . These tools not only help improve the performance of a website and marketing, they also help increase sales or at least generate more leads. They are also important for identifying trends and finding innovative business ideas (see also How Web Analytics Helps You Achieve Your Goals ).
optimizationAutomatic migration to Google Analytics 4 is not enough
Because Google noticed how many people had not yet taken care of the fact that the old Google Analytics would no longer receive data from the beginning of July, Google pushed the change more and more. Many people use the option of an automatic migration. However, there are many reasons why an automatic migration does not work. Most of them are due to the fact that the previous Google Analytics and the new Google Analytics 4 are based on completely different data models. Simply transferring the settings is not enough, as some settings are not configured correctly .
We find that many companies will continue to work in the old Google Analytics until the last moment and will only then discover that previous campaigns and measures can no longer be managed after they are forced to use Google Analytics 4 due to the shutdown. Data that is not recorded at this time will therefore be lost forever .
web analyticsGoogle Analytics alternatives: Matomo or less common tools?
Companies that want to win customers in the EU are faced with a possible ban on Google Analytics (see also Is Google Analytics illegal? ). Nevertheless, a large number of companies still rely on the Google tool:
Google Analytics still has 84% market share in Switzerland in May 2023
One advantage of Google Analytics was its widespread use. Almost every company has employees who can use it. Since using Google Analytics 4 is completely different to the old version, this advantage is no longer valid . However, the proportion of companies that have looked for alternatives is still relatively small.
Matomo is number 2 worldwide, as well as in Switzerland . As a favorite of data protection authorities, the tool is also used by the Swiss federal administration and most public bodies. It can also be operated on a private Algeria Phone Number Resource server in Switzerland and offers extensive analysis options. As an open source solution, there are no direct costs apart from hosting fees. See also Matomo: Good alternative to Google Analytics .
In addition to the two big players in the market, there are countless other tools. We started actively using analytics solutions in 1999 and used and advised on many tools with good approaches, which then disappeared . Not because they weren't good, but because the user base was too small. Even more than with accounting software, it makes a difference whether a software is used by 100 or hundreds of thousands of companies.
When an analytics tool is widely used, there is a higher likelihood that the vendor (or the open source community) is continuously working to develop and improve the tool. Vendors receive regular feedback from a large user base and can respond to user needs and requirements . This can lead to regular updates, new features, and better performance of the tool.
There are big players like Adobe, who have a high market share among corporations with Adobe Analytics . With costs of over 100,000 Swiss francs per year, however, they are only potential customers for larger companies. There are also providers who offer advantages in individual countries (such as Baidu Analytics or Yandex Analytics, see also Web Analytics in China: Google Analytics vs. Baidu Tongji/Baidu Analytics) .
The less common tools can quickly become very expensive, and there is a wide range. Here are some of the tools used (in descending order of popularity):
If you want to gain a better understanding of customer and prospect behavior, you can't avoid tools like Google Analytics . These tools not only help improve the performance of a website and marketing, they also help increase sales or at least generate more leads. They are also important for identifying trends and finding innovative business ideas (see also How Web Analytics Helps You Achieve Your Goals ).
optimizationAutomatic migration to Google Analytics 4 is not enough
Because Google noticed how many people had not yet taken care of the fact that the old Google Analytics would no longer receive data from the beginning of July, Google pushed the change more and more. Many people use the option of an automatic migration. However, there are many reasons why an automatic migration does not work. Most of them are due to the fact that the previous Google Analytics and the new Google Analytics 4 are based on completely different data models. Simply transferring the settings is not enough, as some settings are not configured correctly .
We find that many companies will continue to work in the old Google Analytics until the last moment and will only then discover that previous campaigns and measures can no longer be managed after they are forced to use Google Analytics 4 due to the shutdown. Data that is not recorded at this time will therefore be lost forever .
web analyticsGoogle Analytics alternatives: Matomo or less common tools?
Companies that want to win customers in the EU are faced with a possible ban on Google Analytics (see also Is Google Analytics illegal? ). Nevertheless, a large number of companies still rely on the Google tool:
Google Analytics still has 84% market share in Switzerland in May 2023
One advantage of Google Analytics was its widespread use. Almost every company has employees who can use it. Since using Google Analytics 4 is completely different to the old version, this advantage is no longer valid . However, the proportion of companies that have looked for alternatives is still relatively small.
Matomo is number 2 worldwide, as well as in Switzerland . As a favorite of data protection authorities, the tool is also used by the Swiss federal administration and most public bodies. It can also be operated on a private Algeria Phone Number Resource server in Switzerland and offers extensive analysis options. As an open source solution, there are no direct costs apart from hosting fees. See also Matomo: Good alternative to Google Analytics .
In addition to the two big players in the market, there are countless other tools. We started actively using analytics solutions in 1999 and used and advised on many tools with good approaches, which then disappeared . Not because they weren't good, but because the user base was too small. Even more than with accounting software, it makes a difference whether a software is used by 100 or hundreds of thousands of companies.
When an analytics tool is widely used, there is a higher likelihood that the vendor (or the open source community) is continuously working to develop and improve the tool. Vendors receive regular feedback from a large user base and can respond to user needs and requirements . This can lead to regular updates, new features, and better performance of the tool.
There are big players like Adobe, who have a high market share among corporations with Adobe Analytics . With costs of over 100,000 Swiss francs per year, however, they are only potential customers for larger companies. There are also providers who offer advantages in individual countries (such as Baidu Analytics or Yandex Analytics, see also Web Analytics in China: Google Analytics vs. Baidu Tongji/Baidu Analytics) .
The less common tools can quickly become very expensive, and there is a wide range. Here are some of the tools used (in descending order of popularity):