As marketers, we crave data.
Every day, our analytics platforms help us define who our target audience is, measure how well we are pursuing them, and what strategies we should pursue next.
And if using an analytics platform is free or affordable, this is an even bigger bonus for teams in SMBs or startups.
Because of this, many marketers were surprised when Facebook announced that it would be retiring its free Facebook Analytics tool on June 30th.
While Facebook’s announcement may seem a little scary, it could only affect a small number of businesses.
“Even if this tool is discontinued, we will continue to invest in measurement products that offer insights and data analysis functions,” said the brief Facebook announcement.
Below we explain why Facebook is removing its analytics feature, why you might not need to panic, and what alternatives you can use to get similar data about your audiences.
Why Facebook has discontinued Analytics
Facebook Analytics was launched in 2018 as a free alternative to platforms like Google Analytics (GA). Not only can users track all of your Facebook business page data in one place, but they can also create and embed Facebook tracking pixels on their websites to see how target audiences are behaving and what their customer journey is like.
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Facebook Analytics could also give brands insight into the details of your Facebook Page and the demographics of your target audience to help brands better inform their strategies.
Because much of the information displayed on Facebook Analytics can now be found through other competitive and affordable data platforms – such as Facebook’s Insights, Business Suite, Ads Manager, and Events Manager – Facebook decided to discontinue Analytics to consolidate its tools.
While Facebook didn’t say whether online privacy trends were a factor in its decision, the pivot comes at a time when Google and Apple have already started restricting data tracking through the planned elimination of third-party cookies and Apple’s latest iOS 14.5 Mobile app tracking opt-in requirements.
Due to the ongoing steps towards data protection, Facebook also seems to be avoiding future data problems by optimizing almost superfluous analytics tools.
How marketers can prepare
Through June 30th, brands can still access Facebook Analytics and download reports with whatever data they may need.
To export data from Facebook Analytics on your desktop to a CSV file, click the [share icon] in the top right corner of every chart or table, “advises Facebook.
Aside from downloading data, brands who have used the tool should also consider alternatives that can highlight similar data. While Facebook Analytics has been a helpful tool for some companies looking for free or cheap platforms, there are affordable alternatives that can help you track your customers’ journey from social media to on-site conversion.
Below is just a short list of Facebook Analytics alternatives that you should consider.
Facebook Analytics alternatives
Free tools
Facebook business suite
Once Facebook Analytics is gone, Facebook will encourage corporate page administrators to use its Business Suite, which allows users to connect and track multiple Instagram and Facebook corporate pages at the same time.
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The Facebook Business Suite is currently still being rolled out and may not yet be available for some administrators. However, the following tools can help you fill in your data gaps while you wait.
Facebook insights
Facebook Insights is an analytics dashboard that enables you to track business page user behavior and post performance. You can also see insights like page views, post reach for paid and organic posts, and data on competitor pages.
If you have a Facebook business page, chances are you’ve used Facebook Insights to gather data that can power your social media tactics. Fortunately, Facebook says that removing Facebook Analytics won’t affect Insights.
To learn more about Facebook Insights if you’ve never used it before, check out this blog post.
Facebook advertising and event manager
The Facebook Advertising Manager and Facebook Event Manager will help you launch and track ads and website conversion events attached to your Facebook business page.
While the Ad Manager allows you to view, edit and track your Facebook campaigns, ads and ad sets, the Event Manager lets you use Facebook’s Pixel and Conversions API to track the actions of visitors to your website, app or even in your store to track and report. Business. To use the event manager, you’ll need to add the Facebook pixel code to your website so it can be tracked. You can find instructions on how to do this in the Facebook Business Knowledge Base.
Paid tools
HubSpot
HubSpot’s social media management software Not only does it allow you to link and share posts on your Facebook account, but you can also track conversions and other interactions.
HubSpot’s social media tools can help you understand which of your marketing tactics will work best with your audience, how your marketing efforts are affecting your bottom line, whether your campaigns target more paid or organic social media. Conduct sessions and learn more about your search ROI related to Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
If your website is built on the HubSpot CMS or a HubSpot tracking code is installed, you can also track website conversions, traffic and traffic sources to find out more about where your target groups come from and what they are interacting with.
Google Analytics
While Google Analytics is often viewed as a high-end analytics tool, it certainly has many great features that have helped marketers around the world change their strategy.
While it will likely take a little onboarding and training for your team, GA can help you see traffic patterns, traffic sources, visitor demographics, and visitor behavior, along with a host of other helpful insights.
For a crash course on Google Analytics with photos, check out this Ultimate Guide.
Navigate data software layers
As the world moves towards more online privacy and better technology, Facebook is likely not the only platform that will change or evolve in the years to come.
As a modern marketer, it is important to know when to invest in new analytics platforms, alternatives, or workarounds if the tools you are using are no longer relevant.
Download the free resource below for tips on developing effective data-driven strategies.