Migration guide · 2026

How to switch from Google Analytics to Small Business Analytics

Last updated: May 19, 2026 · Reading time: ~5 minutes

Short version: Add SBA's one-line tracking snippet to your site, leave Google Analytics installed alongside for 2–4 weeks to compare numbers, then remove GA4 when you trust the new data. Total active work: about 5 minutes. No data is lost — historic GA4 data stays in your GA4 account indefinitely.

5 minutesNo data lossRun both in parallel

Before you start

You need:

Step 1 — Sign up for SBA (1 minute)

Go to app.smallbusinessanalytics.io and start your 14-day free trial. The trial includes every Pro feature so you can try Alfred, social media tracking, and the weekly email summary before deciding what to keep.

Step 2 — Copy your tracking snippet (10 seconds)

After signup, the onboarding screen shows you a single line of code:

<script src="https://app.smallbusinessanalytics.io/tracker.js?tid=YOUR_ID" async></script>

It's the same snippet you'd find in Google Analytics 4 — just shorter. Click the "Copy" button.

Step 3 — Paste it into your site (2–3 minutes)

Where you paste depends on your platform. Detailed instructions:

Step 4 — Verify the install (30 seconds)

SBA's setup screen has a "Run a test visit" button that confirms the tracker is working. It actually visits your site as a friendly bot, finds the script tag, and pulls in a real page title to seed your first session. If something's wrong, Alfred walks you through fixing it.

Step 5 — Run both in parallel for 2–4 weeks

Leave Google Analytics installed. Use SBA as your primary dashboard but check GA4 occasionally to make sure the numbers roughly agree.

Expected difference: SBA will typically show 5–30% fewer visits than GA4. That's not because SBA is wrong — it's because SBA is more aggressive about filtering datacenter bot traffic that GA4 includes by default. Some small business owners have told us SBA's numbers feel more accurate than GA4's because they match what they intuitively know about their site.

Step 6 — Remove the GA4 tag (optional, when ready)

When you trust SBA, delete the gtag.js script from your site (same place you pasted SBA's snippet). Your historic GA4 data stays in your GA4 account — Google keeps it free indefinitely. You can log back in any time.

Many small businesses leave GA4 installed permanently as a backup. They don't interfere with each other.

FAQ

Common migration questions

Will I lose my historic Google Analytics data?
No. GA4 data stays in your GA4 account, which Google keeps free indefinitely. You can log back in any time to see historic data even after removing the tag.
Do my numbers have to match exactly?
No — and they won't. GA4 counts bots, sampling, and cross-device sessions differently. Expect 5–30% differences. Both are "right" in their own way; SBA's numbers are typically cleaner because we filter datacenter bots more aggressively.
How long should I run both in parallel?
2–4 weeks is plenty. Some businesses leave GA4 installed forever as a backup. They don't conflict.
Will removing GA4 hurt my SEO?
No. Google Analytics is not a ranking signal — Google has stated this publicly. Search Console is the Google product that affects rankings; keep that one.
Do I need to do anything in Google Analytics first?
No. You're just adding SBA alongside. When you're ready, delete the gtag.js script — that's it.
What about my custom events / conversions in GA4?
SBA auto-detects the most common conversions (email clicks, phone clicks, checkout/signup links) without setup. For custom events, you add a one-line sba('track', 'event_name') call on your page — same pattern as gtag.
Will the cookie banner go away if I remove GA4?
If GA4 was the only cookie-using script on your site, yes — SBA uses no cookies and requires no banner. If you have other cookie-using tools (Facebook Pixel, hotjar, etc.) you'll still need a banner for those.

Ready to make the switch?

14-day free trial. No data loss. About 5 minutes of work.

Start free trial