If you run ads across Facebook or Instagram, Facebook Analytics can be a useful way of seeing how customers interact with your company. Not only that, but it can be used to optimize the customer journey too.

However, from 30 June 2021, Facebook Analytics will no longer be available. This was quietly announced at the start of April, which resulted in some marketers starting to panic!

If you use Facebook ads, you may be wondering why it is going away and how you can track your performance when it does.

Here’s what we know about the changes so far.

Why is Facebook Analytics closing down?

Facebook has been noticeably quiet about why it is closing its analytics system, providing no details on its Facebook for Business site.

However, with third-party cookies being shunned by many browsers and changes in data protection regulations, Facebook is likely to be protecting itself from future data breach issues.

There are also rumors that the release of IOS 14, which will allow users to opt out of Facebook tracking, is behind the changes. Allowing Apple users to say no to tracking will significantly impact the data that Facebook can provide customers.

What can I use instead of Facebook Analytics?

The good news is that there are still tools available to help you manage your PPC Facebook and Instagram campaigns when Facebook Analytics closes. These include:

• Facebook Business Suite – this lets you manage your Facebook and Instagram accounts at the top level. Facebook Business Suite is only available to small businesses at the moment, but Facebook says that it intends to roll it out to all businesses by the end of 2021
• Ads Manager – this will let you view, make changes, and see statistics for Facebook and Instagram ads
• Events Manager – if you use the Facebook pixel functionality, this tool will let you set up and manage it

Although no one tool replicates the effectiveness of Facebook Analytics, using these three tools should help you determine the information you need to run your campaigns successfully.

If you prefer to use third-party tools, there are many SaaS providers who provide their own analytics tools. However, how effective these will be in the light of the release of IOS14 and third-party cookie changes is up for debate at the moment.

Is there anything else you recommend?

After 30 June, you won’t be able to access any of your previous data in Facebook Analytics. We’d advise downloading this information in CSV format now while you can.

Export your data, and you can store it safely just in case, you need to refer back to it in the future.

In summary

The loss of Facebook Analytics isn’t the end of the world, but there will be some marketers who will really miss it for monitoring their PPC campaigns.

Thankfully there are a range of alternative tools you can use to make sure your Facebook and Instagram campaigns continue to impress customers.