What Is a Dimension in Google Analytics 4?

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

Dimensions present context that makes your information significant. Like within the picture under:

For instance, the “Nation” dimension signifies the place an internet site customer is positioned. Which suggests you possibly can see what number of guests got here from totally different nations. 

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

Examples of dimensions are:

• System class: The kind of machine consumer 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 consumer (e.g., United States)
• Language: The language the consumer’s browser or machine makes use of (e.g., English)
• Marketing campaign / Marketing campaign ID: The title of a advertising and marketing marketing campaign that led to a conversion (e.g., “Spring2023_Sale”)
• Web page location: The URL of a webpage the consumer 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 aren’t the identical as metrics. Dimensions are qualitative facets of your information. 

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

Listed below are a couple of widespread metrics you will note inside GA4:

• Periods: The visits when your web site or app is the consumer’s main focus
• Common session period: The imply time (in seconds) of customers’ classes
• Views per session: The common variety of pages considered in a session
• Bounce charge: The portion of classes 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 below “Reviews” > “Life cycle” > “Acquisition” > “Person Acquisition” inside Google Analytics 4.

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

Why Are Google Analytics Dimensions Essential?

Dimensions aid you perceive your information higher. And aid you achieve insights you wouldn’t in any other case be capable of.

Right here’s an instance of how dimensions work: 

Say you’ve gotten two views in your web site. One is from a 30-year-old girl from Mississippi who obtained to your web site from X (previously Twitter) utilizing her desktop laptop. The opposite is a 50-year-old man from Yishun, Singapore, who landed in your web site 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 web site obtained two views. 

However dimensions aid you see far more:

Go to #1

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

Go to #2

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

What Are the Varieties of Dimensions in Google Analytics 4?

Google Analytics dimensions might 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: Contains all dimensions that present details about how customers arrived at your web site
  • 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: Gives particulars about particular occasions and their conversion values and statuses
• Gaming: Pertains to dimensions related to in-game occasions and achievements
• Common: Contains common metrics that will not match into different classes, like file data and search phrases
• Geography: Contains dimensions pertaining to consumer’s geographical location
• Hyperlink: Encompasses dimensions associated to hyperlinks and outbound actions
• Web page / display: Covers dimensions concerning content material in your web site
• Platform / machine: Presents particulars about customers’ units, browsers, and working techniques

• Writer: Contains dimensions related to advert codecs and sources
• Time: Comprises dimensions associated to particular instances and dates of occasions
• Site visitors supply: Pertains to the origin of the consumer’s journey
  • Person-scoped: Focuses on the consumer’s first interplay sources and campaigns
  • Session-scoped: Comprises dimensions associated to session sources and campaigns

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

Additional studying: Verify the total listing of dimensions right here.

Customized dimensions (which we’ll focus on extra later) are totally 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 “Reviews” tab inside GA4, you’ll see experiences categorized into broader collections like “Life cycle,” “Person,” and so forth. 

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

The column names on the appropriate aspect are metrics. And might be acknowledged by their numerical values. As you possibly can see, metrics quantify the dimension values. 

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

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

What Is a Main Dimension in Google Analytics 4?

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

Like this:

You can even change the dimension for some experiences by clicking the drop-down menu over the dimension title. And selecting one other one.

This lets you change how the information is displayed. So you possibly can 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 permits you to discover information primarily based on what you discover most dear. And provides extra context and depth to the information 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” main dimension to see the place your site visitors is coming from within the “Site 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 search out out which particular marketing campaign drove essentially the most site 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 information (attributes) on consumer interactions.

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

Customized dimensions fulfill these wants by permitting every enterprise to create dimensions that present helpful data particular to them. They usually will let you create custom-made experiences that present much more data.

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

Understanding Customized Dimensions

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

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

An occasion is a consumer interplay on the positioning. It may be a scroll, a click on, a view, and so forth. 

Each occasion incorporates parameters—bits of data that present extra context concerning the consumer 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 forth. 

While you group consumer properties or occasion parameters, they turn into dimensions.

The right way to Add Customized Dimensions in Google Analytics 4

Earlier than utilizing the customized dimensions inside Google Analytics 4, you must create them first. 

Additionally, understand that the reporting on customized dimensions will not be retroactive inside GA4. Which means you must set them up earlier than you possibly can start analyzing the information.

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

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

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

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

You’ll be able to add customized occasions and parameters by way of Google Tag Supervisor or immediately in Google Analytics by way of “Admin” > “Occasions.”

Whereas the latter is handy, it’s additionally restricted. So, it’s often 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’ll be able to be taught extra about this in our information to Google Tag Supervisor—simply ensure you choose “Google Analytics: GA4 Occasion” as your tag sort.

When you’ve printed your modifications to begin monitoring the occasion, you possibly can 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 along 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 title: You’ll be able to enter any title you need—one thing that resembles the parameter’s title (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 possibly can. But it surely’s not required. 
• Occasion parameter: Select the parameter you need to acquire the information on. In the event you used Google Tag Supervisor to arrange your occasion, this parameter title 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 below are a couple of greatest practices for choosing the proper customized dimension parameters:

Guarantee They’re Related to Enterprise Targets 

Decide what information issues most to what you are promoting. To make sure you’re creating dimensions which can be really helpful.

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

And also you would possibly create one known as “Content material format” you probably have a portal with articles, movies, podcasts, and different varieties of content material. 

Your small business targets determine what information you will acquire, figuring out your customized dimensions. 

Apply Significant Property Values 

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

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

Do you must 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 called excessive cardinality and applies within the case of consumer IDs, session IDs, order IDs, timestamps, and so forth. 

Until you’ve gotten an internet site that calls for in any other case, keep away from customized dimensions with excessive cardinality. It would mess along with your experiences and combination information below an “different” row. 

Use Constant Naming Conventions 

You do not need to title one customized dimension “my_plugin_url” and one other “My Plugin Title.” 

Look how the default dimensions observe a constant naming sample. 

Whereas it will not pose any actual situation, it’d turn into baffling and time-consuming for brand spanking new customers in your GA4 account. 

Stop Information Duplication at All Prices 

Say the collected information already comes with a typical parameter that works for you. 

In the event you create a replica one, it negatively impacts the space for storing and complicates information evaluation.

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

Completely different Use Circumstances for Customized Dimensions

How do customized dimensions play out in actual life? 

Let’s discover a couple of attention-grabbing use instances. 

Monitoring Variations Amongst Person Varieties

A customized dimension centered on totally different classes of customers might be useful for seeing variations in how these teams work together with a web site.

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

You’ll be able to create a customized dimension primarily based on consumer 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 can assist you establish which content material format works greatest to your viewers: how-to articles, infographics, information updates, and op-ed items. 

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

Uncover Your Prime-Promoting Seasonal Merchandise

In the event you run an ecommerce web site, customized dimensions can assist you confirm which merchandise carry out greatest throughout which seasons. 

With a customized dimension like “Season,” each buy transaction will get recorded with extra context. So, you possibly can filter the information for the customized dimension and discover the successful merchandise. 

The right way to Analyze Information with Customized Dimensions

You’ll be able to entry the customized dimension information in each present experiences and ones you create your self.

For instance, you possibly can go to “Reviews” > “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 possibly can add to the report.

You can even 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 ready to “2,” you click on the “Add filter” button beside the title of the report. 

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

Final however not least, you can too create customized experiences that use your customized dimensions by way of “Discover” > “Free kind.” 

The Explorations characteristic of Google Analytics 4 permits you to create customized experiences primarily based on superior information segmentation. Which is beneficial when there are a number of customized dimensions to take care of.

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 appropriate dimensions, your information turns into a dependable supply of intelligence to financial institution on.

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

Natural Site visitors Insights can assist. As a result of it compiles all of your information from Google Analytics, Google Search Console and Semrush in a single place. 

Simply observe the Natural Site visitors Insights configuration directions to arrange your mission and join your accounts. And click on “Go to Natural Site visitors Insights” within the setup wizard.

You’ll then be capable of see a complete report with information in your key phrase rankings, site visitors, conversions, and far more.