Live Session on Understanding GA4
This live session is focused on giving students hands-on exposure to Google Analytics 4 (GA4)—Google’s next-generation analytics platform that replaces Universal Analytics. The goal of this session is to help students become familiar with the GA4 interface, learn how to track user behavior effectively, and understand how GA4 supports modern marketing analysis with its event-based model.
Key Concepts Covered in the Live Session
GA4 Interface Walkthrough
- Introduction to the GA4 dashboard layout and navigation.
- Explanation of key sections: Reports, Explore, Advertising, and Admin.
- Highlighting differences between GA4 and Universal Analytics.
Understanding the Event-Based Model
- How GA4 tracks user interactions using events instead of session-based tracking.
- Overview of automatically collected events (scrolls, clicks, video plays), enhanced measurement, and custom events.
Setting Up GA4 Properties
- Step-by-step demonstration of creating a GA4 property.
- Linking with a website via Google Tag Manager or directly via gtag.js.
- Configuration of data streams and user ID tracking.
Real-Time Reporting
- Interpreting real-time data: active users, locations, pages viewed, and events happening live.
- Use-cases for real-time analysis, like monitoring the effect of campaign launches.
Exploring Standard Reports
- Acquisition: Where your users are coming from.
- Engagement: What users are doing on your site.
- Monetization: How your website generates revenue.
- Retention: Whether users return to your website.
Custom Reporting & Explorations
- Using the “Explore” tab to build funnel reports, path analysis, and segment-based charts.
- Example: Creating a report to track users who visit a product page and then complete a contact form.
Event and Conversion Tracking Setup
- How to mark events as conversions.
- Creating new events based on user actions.
- Understanding the difference between event parameters and user properties.
Integrations and GA4 in the Marketing Ecosystem
- Connecting GA4 with Google Ads and Google Search Console.
- Using data from GA4 to inform ad targeting and keyword performance.
- Exporting data to Google BigQuery for advanced analysis.
