After having Paul Jarvis and Jack Ellis (co-founders of Fathom analytics) on the show, it’s clear to me that I want to get all my clients off of Google Analytics and onto Fathom.
While the switch itself is simple (seriously, Fathom makes it super easy to install their tracking code), I realized I was also going to have to inform my customers about the move.
I imagine many of my customers won’t ever know the difference, as I don’t think they’ve ever even bothered looking at their analytics, there are some who are going to want to understand why, and perhaps some that even object.
I’ve decided to announce this via email to all of my customers, and after asking in the group, it sounds like there are lots of folks who would like a solid email script to take and tweak for themselves.
Well — you got it!
Not only do I have one email script for you, I have two!
The first script is meant for your existing care plan clients, informing them of the move, hyping them up about Fathom, and giving them an opportunity to opt out if they want to stick with Google Analytics.
The second email is for past clients — the ones who didn’t opt for your care plan. It never hurts to reach back out (especially when you’re adding something awesome and new!) and see if you can spark any interest.
There are a few parts of the email you’ll need to be sure to adjust by linking to appropriate pages on your website or including some of the benefits of your care plan services. Make sure to read through everything carefully and make adjustments as need (which should all be encapsulated in square brackets).
Lastly, these email scripts are being provided free of charge for you to take, tweak, and use as intended (by emailing your client). They are not meant to be republished on your website, blog, or social media channels.
If you want to say thanks for these free resources and haven’t signed up for Fathom yet, consider using our affiliate link. Not only will we earn a couple bucks for sending you to Fathom, but you’ll save $10 off your first invoice (win win!).
Switching to Fathom Email Script (for existing care plan customers)
Subject: Why I’m moving your website to a privacy-focused analytics solution.
Hey [Name],
I’m writing to inform you of important recent developments in the data privacy landscape because they affect you and your website.
On December 22, 2021, the Austrian Data Protection Authority determined that Google Analytics violates GDPR, making it illegal to use (details are here.) In early February, the French Data Protection Authority (CNIL) agreed. Experts believe other authorities will follow.
Google Analytics provides traffic and website usage data for over 28 million websites worldwide, including yours. The issue is that Google sends the analytics data collected back to US servers and the data protections used here do not comply with GDPR.
This means if you use Google Analytics on your site, you violate GDPR, too.
I feel it’s my responsibility to not only help protect, advise, and guide my clients — but to be a good custodian of any internet real estate I manage.
I’ve decided to move from Google Analytics to Fathom — a privacy-first and fully GDPR-compliant analytics solution.
[If you’re curious to know more about what went into this decision, [link to article] read the full article [/link] I wrote which covers everything.]
How you benefit:
- No action is required on your part.
- Although Fathom is a paid analytics solution and Google Analytics is free, there will be no change to the pricing of your ongoing website maintenance.
- You will lose none of your historical data. It will still be available in Google Analytics and eventually migrated into Fathom (once that option becomes available).
- Besides data privacy compliance, Fathom provides several outstanding features, including a simple-to-use dashboard and fantastic email reports.
I think you’re really going to appreciate just how easy it is to learn how people are using your website with Fathom!
Migrations will begin in [number] [days/weeks] and be complete within [number] [days/weeks].
If you’d like to opt-out and continue to use Google Analytics, let me know as soon as possible. I will send you the waiver form for your signature.
If you have questions before I migrate your website to Fathom, just hit reply!
All the best,
[Your Name]
Switching to Fathom Email Script (past clients who are not on a care plan)
Subject: NEW! A huge benefit of having a care plan for your website
Hey [Name],
Important recent developments in the data privacy landscape that affect you and your website make it an even smarter decision to have a [link to your care plan page] care plan for your website [/link].
On December 22, 2021, the Austrian Data Protection Authority determined that Google Analytics violates GDPR, making it illegal to use (details are here.) In early February, the French Data Protection Authority (CNIL) agreed. Experts believe other authorities will follow.
Google Analytics provides traffic and website usage data for over 28 million websites worldwide. It’s very likely your site uses it, too. The issue is that Google sends the analytics data collected back to US servers and the data protections used here do not comply with GDPR.
This means if you use Google Analytics on your site, you violate GDPR, too.
Google became the de facto standard for web analytics because it is both comprehensive and FREE to use. But it’s not really free. The price we pay is our data. And that data is far more valuable to Google than any amount of our money.
So, it’s no surprise that viable GDPR-compliant alternatives DO cost money.
That’s why getting a care plan is an even smarter decision now. Through their care plans, my clients get [benefit], [benefit], and [benefit], and now they are getting Fathom — a privacy-first and fully GDPR-compliant analytics solution included at no additional charge.
Making the switch to Fathom will not mean the loss of your historical data. It will still be available in Google Analytics and eventually migrated into Fathom (once that option becomes available).
Besides data privacy compliance, Fathom provides several outstanding features, including a simple-to-use dashboard and fantastic email reports. I think you’ll really appreciate just how easy it is to learn how people are using your website with Fathom!
I take seriously my responsibility to protect, advise, and guide you — and to be a good custodian of the websites I manage. [link to contact page] Let’s talk [/link] about how to keep you compliant while arming you with the data you need to make great decisions for your business.
All the best,
[Your Name]
Kyle Van Deusen
After spending 15 years as a graphic designer and earning a business degree, I launched my agency, OGAL Web Design, in 2017. A year later, after finding the amazing community around WordPress, I co-found The Admin Bar, which has grown to become the #1 community for WordPress professionals. I'm a husband and proud father of three, and a new resident of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
