transition sites to Matomo

[derekeder]

Description

We have tested out matomo and are using it for a few sites already (datamade.us, CRP, block builder, housingstudies.org) and we like it.

• let's start using it on new projects
• identify existing projects we want to port
• make the switch for the sites we want before the Google end date for Universal Analytics on July 1, 2023

Related to #266

[derekeder]

Started tracking the sites I want to transition and their status here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1TlMi5in683Gxfs0bFmiHM6TpaKWRBXqnW35As_hfddw/edit#gid=0

[derekeder]

it looks like on or after July 1, 2023, Google automatically created GA4 accounts for all of our existing Universal Analyitics. No code changes were required on our end to get the new analytics to provide data. Even older sites that I haven't touched in a while are working:

Based on this, there's really no urgency for porting to Matomo, but we should still use it for new sites going forward.

[derekeder]

it looks like action is needed after all. Google had a grace period after the July 1 deadline where Universal Analytics data was flowing into GA4 properties. It has, however, recently stopped.

It looks like the easiest action to take is to re-enable UA data to flow into the new GA4 property: https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/9973999?hl=en&utm_id=ad

I will test this out on a few sites and confirm it works. Then I'll go through the remaining GA4 sites and make the conversion. Hopefully this means no code changes will be required.