What You Need to Know

What Is a Dimension in Google Analytics 4?

In Google Analytics 4 (GA4), dimensions are knowledge attributes or traits that present further details about your web site’s customers and the way they work together together with your web site. 

Dimensions present context that makes your knowledge significant. Like within the picture beneath:

For instance, the “Nation” dimension signifies the place an internet site customer is situated. Which implies you’ll be able to see what number of guests got here from completely different international locations. 

Or it might be the “Gadget Class” dimension. Which reveals which sorts of units your guests use to entry your website.

Examples of dimensions are:

• Gadget class: The kind of gadget person exercise originated from (e.g., desktop)
• Supply / medium: The referring web site/platform (e.g., Fb) and the broader channel class that refers the go to (e.g., “e-mail”)
• Browser: The browser used to entry content material (e.g., Chrome)
• Nation: Geographical location of the person (e.g., United States)
• Language: The language the person’s browser or gadget makes use of (e.g., English)
• Marketing campaign / Marketing campaign ID: The identify of a advertising marketing campaign that led to a conversion (e.g., “Spring2023_Sale”)
• Web page location: The URL of a webpage the person visited (e.g., “https://www.yourwebsite.com/weblog/how-to-train-a-puppy”)
• Customized dimensions: The scale you create your self to trace particular details about your customers

Google Analytics Dimensions vs. Google Analytics Metrics

Observe that dimensions will not be the identical as metrics. Dimensions are qualitative features of your knowledge. 

Metrics are the quantitative features of information—measurements. In different phrases, metrics are concrete numbers.

Listed here are a number of widespread metrics you will notice inside GA4:

• Periods: The visits when your web site or app is the person’s major focus
• Common session period: The imply time (in seconds) of customers’ periods
• Views per session: The common variety of pages seen in a session
• Bounce price: The portion of periods that weren’t engaged
• Transactions: The variety of accomplished purchases 
• Complete income: The income generated from purchases, subscriptions, and adverts

You’ll discover metrics like these beneath “Experiences” > “Life cycle” > “Acquisition” > “Consumer Acquisition” inside Google Analytics 4.

Additional studying: What Is a Metric in Google Analytics? [Explained]

Why Are Google Analytics Dimensions Essential?

Dimensions assist you to perceive your knowledge higher. And assist you to achieve insights you wouldn’t in any other case be capable to.

Right here’s an instance of how dimensions work: 

Say you will have two views in your web site. One is from a 30-year-old girl from Mississippi who received to your website from X (previously Twitter) utilizing her desktop pc. The opposite is a 50-year-old man from Yishun, Singapore, who landed in your website from a Google search engine outcomes web page (SERP) utilizing his cell phone. 

If dimensions didn’t exist, all you’ll know is that your website received two views. 

However dimensions assist you to see way more:

Go to #1

• Session supply: X (previously Twitter)
• Age: 25-34
• Nation: United States
• Gadget class: Desktop

Go to #2

• Session supply: Google
• Age: 45-54
• Nation: Singapore
• Gadget class: Cellular

What Are the Forms of Dimensions in Google Analytics 4?

Google Analytics dimensions will be divided into two subcategories: predefined and customized. 

Predefined dimensions are constructed into Google Analytics experiences and are prepared to make use of. 

These are the principle teams that every one have particular, predefined dimensions inside them: 

• Attribution: Consists of all dimensions that present details about how customers arrived at your website
  • Google Adverts: Covers dimensions associated to Google Adverts
  • Search Adverts 360: Focuses on dimensions related to Search Adverts 360
• Demographics: Comprises dimensions describing customers’ age, gender, and pursuits

• Ecommerce: Encompasses dimensions regarding transactions, merchandise, promotions, and ecommerce-related attributes
• Occasion: Supplies particulars about particular occasions and their conversion values and statuses
• Gaming: Pertains to dimensions related to in-game occasions and achievements
• Common: Consists of normal metrics that will not match into different classes, like file data and search phrases
• Geography: Consists of dimensions pertaining to person’s geographical location
• Hyperlink: Encompasses dimensions associated to hyperlinks and outbound actions
• Web page / display screen: Covers dimensions concerning content material in your web site
• Platform / gadget: Affords particulars about customers’ units, browsers, and working techniques

• Writer: Includes dimensions related to advert codecs and sources
• Time: Comprises dimensions associated to particular instances and dates of occasions
• Visitors supply: Pertains to the origin of the person’s journey
  • Consumer-scoped: Focuses on the person’s first interplay sources and campaigns
  • Session-scoped: Comprises dimensions associated to session sources and campaigns

• ​​​​Consumer: Includes dimensions describing particular person statuses and traits
• Consumer lifetime: Focuses on the person’s historic interactions and purchases
• Video: Covers dimensions related to video content material and suppliers

Additional studying: Check the full list of dimensions here.

Customized dimensions (which we’ll focus on extra later) are completely different from predefined dimensions in that they aren’t robotically collected by Google Analytics. 

How Do You View Dimensions in Google Analytics 4?

Dimensions seem all all through Google Analytics.

While you go to the “Experiences” tab inside GA4, you’ll see experiences categorized into broader collections like “Life cycle,” “Consumer,” and so on. 

Inside particular person experiences, the dimension seems on the high of the desk on the left facet. The dimension values are listed beneath.

The column names on the fitting facet are metrics. And will be acknowledged by their numerical values. As you’ll be able to see, metrics quantify the dimension values. 

For instance, let’s say the highest row in your “Visitors acquisition” report reveals you bought 10,000 periods from natural visitors. That very same report additionally reveals you ways lengthy customers from natural search stayed in your website (common engagement time per session) and what number of conversions they drove (conversions).

Additional studying: What Are Google Analytics Sessions & How Are They Measured?

What Is a Major Dimension in Google Analytics 4?

Major dimensions are the default dimensions {that a} Google Analytics report is sorted by. And seem on the left-hand facet on the high of tables.

Like this:

You may as well change the dimension for some experiences by clicking the drop-down menu over the dimension identify. And selecting one other one.

This lets you change how the info is displayed. So you’ll be able to be taught extra about what pursuits you. 

What Is a Secondary Dimension in Google Analytics 4?

Whereas the first dimension offers you with the place to begin, a secondary dimension lets you discover knowledge based mostly on what you discover most beneficial. And provides further context and depth to the info storytelling. 

So as to add a secondary dimension inside GA4’s experiences, click on on the ‘+’ signal beside the first dimension dropdown.

Think about this: 

You choose the “Session supply / medium” major dimension to see the place your visitors is coming from within the “Visitors acquisition” report. And spot that a lot of it’s coming from Google Adverts.

Then, you add the “Session marketing campaign” secondary dimension to seek out out which particular marketing campaign drove probably the most visitors. 

This offers you a clearer image.

What Are Customized Dimensions in Google Analytics 4?

Customized dimensions are dimensions you configure your self to gather particular knowledge (attributes) on person interactions.

Not each enterprise is alike—so all of them have completely different wants. 

Customized dimensions fulfill these wants by permitting every enterprise to create dimensions that present helpful data particular to them. And so they permit you to create personalized experiences that present much more data.

However you don’t have to make use of customized dimensions. In sure circumstances, they won’t add a lot worth past what’s already offered by Google Analytics. 

Understanding Customized Dimensions

It’s essential to grasp the connection between all the weather that go into dimensions earlier than creating customized dimensions. 

A person represents a novel IP handle visiting your web site. And there are completely different properties that describe them (like the place they dwell and what they do for work. 

An occasion is a person interplay on the location. It may be a scroll, a click on, a view, and so on. 

Each occasion incorporates parameters—bits of knowledge that present extra context in regards to the person or occasion. For instance, a click on occasion will comprise parameters that present details about the URL that was clicked, the hyperlink’s location, and so on. 

While you group person properties or occasion parameters, they change into dimensions.

The way to Add Customized Dimensions in Google Analytics 4

Earlier than utilizing the customized dimensions inside Google Analytics 4, it is advisable create them first. 

Additionally, remember that the reporting on customized dimensions just isn’t retroactive inside GA4. That means it is advisable set them up earlier than you’ll be able to start analyzing the info.

So, how do you add customized dimensions in Google Analytics? 

It relies upon a bit on which kind of dimension you’re creating (event-scoped, user-scoped, or item-scoped). However we’ll go over methods to create an event-scoped customized dimension.

Step one is to create a customized occasion and parameter in GA4.

The occasion fires when a particular situation is met (e.g., somebody stuffed out an data request kind). And this occasion incorporates customized parameters (e.g., the shape was situated on a touchdown web page). 

You may add customized occasions and parameters by way of Google Tag Supervisor or straight in Google Analytics by way of “Admin” > “Occasions.”

Whereas the latter is handy, it’s additionally restricted. So, it’s normally greatest to make use of Google Tag Supervisor.

Get began by logging into your Google Tag Supervisor account. Then, you’ll have to allow the suitable variable and configure your occasion. 

You may be taught extra about this in our guide to Google Tag Manager—simply be sure you choose “Google Analytics: GA4 Occasion” as your tag kind.

When you’ve revealed your adjustments to start out monitoring the occasion, you’ll be able to head to your Google Analytics account. 

Inside GA4, go to “Admin” > “Customized definitions.”

You’ll be redirected to a web page the place you could find all of the customized dimensions registered together with your property. 

Then, click on the “Create customized dimension” button within the high proper. 

The subsequent step is to fill out the next fields: 

• Dimension identify: You may enter any identify you need—one thing that resembles the parameter’s identify (e.g., “custom_plugin_text”) or a descriptive one (e.g., “Customized plugin textual content”).
• Scope: For an event-scoped dimension, choose “Occasion.”
• Description: If you wish to add an outline, you’ll be able to. Nevertheless it’s not required. 
• Occasion parameter: Select the parameter you wish to acquire the info on. In case you used Google Tag Supervisor to arrange your occasion, this parameter identify ought to be the identical as that one. 

While you’re accomplished, click on the “Save” button. 

The customized dimension ought to seem contained in the GA4 after 24-48 hours. 

Finest Practices for Efficient Customized Dimension Implementation

Listed here are a number of greatest practices for choosing the proper customized dimension parameters:

Guarantee They’re Related to Enterprise Targets 

Decide what knowledge issues most to your corporation. To make sure you’re creating dimensions which are truly beneficial.

For instance, making a “Membership degree” customized dimension may be a good suggestion should you run a subscription-based enterprise. 

And also you would possibly create one referred to as “Content material format” in case you have a portal with articles, movies, podcasts, and different kinds of content material. 

Your online business objectives determine what knowledge you’ll acquire, figuring out your customized dimensions. 

Apply Significant Property Values 

Make the values distinct and descriptive in order that they’re clear to everybody. 

If the customized dimension was “Membership degree,” the values may be “bronze,” “silver,” “gold,” and “platinum.”

Do it is advisable add the “free” worth? Not if you do not have a free membership tier.

Keep away from Dimensions with Too Many Distinctive Values

For some dimensions, there’s a likelihood of a excessive variety of distinctive values. 

This is named excessive cardinality and applies within the case of person IDs, session IDs, order IDs, timestamps, and so on. 

Until you will have an internet site that calls for in any other case, keep away from customized dimensions with excessive cardinality. It would mess together with your experiences and mixture knowledge beneath an “different” row. 

Use Constant Naming Conventions 

You don’t wish to identify one customized dimension “my_plugin_url” and one other “My Plugin Title.” 

Look how the default dimensions observe a constant naming sample. 

Whereas it gained’t pose any actual problem, it’d change into baffling and time-consuming for brand new customers in your GA4 account. 

Forestall Knowledge Duplication at All Prices 

Say the collected knowledge already comes with an ordinary parameter that works for you. 

In case you create a reproduction one, it negatively impacts the cupboard space and complicates knowledge evaluation.

Thus, verify for an obtainable one earlier than making a brand new one. 

Totally different Use Circumstances for Customized Dimensions

How do customized dimensions play out in actual life? 

Let’s discover a number of attention-grabbing use circumstances. 

Monitoring Variations Amongst Consumer Sorts

A customized dimension targeted on completely different classes of customers will be useful for seeing variations in how these teams work together with a website.

Let’s say your website is utilized by college students, lecturers, and directors.

You may create a customized dimension based mostly on person attributes to distinguish between them. After which use it to dig into specifics about these teams. 

Seeing Which Content material Format Performs Finest

Customized dimensions will help you identify which content material format works greatest to your viewers: how-to articles, infographics, information updates, and op-ed items. 

You may add a “Content material format” customized dimension for this. As soon as registered, you’ll be able to verify for the customized dimension individually, and determine the place to double down sooner or later.

Uncover Your High-Promoting Seasonal Merchandise

In case you run an ecommerce website, customized dimensions will help you confirm which merchandise carry out greatest throughout which seasons. 

With a customized dimension like “Season,” each buy transaction will get recorded with further context. So, you’ll be able to filter the info for the customized dimension and discover the successful merchandise. 

The way to Analyze Knowledge with Customized Dimensions

You may entry the customized dimension knowledge in each current experiences and ones you create your self.

For instance, you’ll be able to go to “Experiences” > “Life cycle” > “Engagement” > “Occasions.”

Click on on the “+” icon within the desk so as to add a customized dimension as a secondary dimension. Within the drop-down menu, click on the arrow subsequent to “Customized” to see all of the customized dimensions you’ll be able to add to the report.

You may as well filter the general report by a customized dimension. 

For instance, if you wish to see solely the occasions the place the “ad_frequency” customized dimension is about to “2,” you click on the “Add filter” button beside the identify of the report. 

Fill out the fields to align together with your specs. And click on “Apply.”

Final however not least, it’s also possible to create customized experiences that use your customized dimensions by way of “Discover” > “Free kind.” 

The Explorations function of Google Analytics 4 lets you create customized experiences based mostly on superior knowledge segmentation. Which is helpful when there are a number of customized dimensions to cope with.

Try Google’s documentation on explorations to be taught extra.

Empower Selections with GA4 Dimensions

Google Analytics dimensions are foundational for data-driven evaluation and decision-making. 

And with the fitting dimensions, your knowledge turns into a dependable supply of intelligence to financial institution on.

However you continue to want further instruments to realize a holistic understanding of your web site’s efficiency.

Organic Traffic Insights will help. As a result of it compiles all of your knowledge from Google Analytics, Google Search Console and Semrush in a single place. 

Simply observe the Organic Traffic Insights configuration instructions to arrange your venture and join your accounts. And click on “Go to Natural Visitors Insights” within the setup wizard.

You’ll then be capable to see a complete report with knowledge in your key phrase rankings, visitors, conversions, and way more.