How To View Users By Source

Understanding User Acquisition Sources in Google Analytics 4

Knowing where your users come from is fundamental to understanding your marketing effectiveness and allocating resources efficiently. We'll show you how to create a detailed report in Google Analytics 4 that breaks down your user base by their traffic sources, helping you identify which channels are bringing in the most users and deserve more attention or optimization.

Basic Report Structure

  • Report Type: Free Form Exploration
  • Primary Dimension: Session source / medium
  • Secondary Dimension: Session campaign
  • Metrics: Total users, New users, Engaged sessions
  • Visualization: Table format with optional bar chart

Steps to Create the Report

  1. Open GA4 and navigate to Explore section
  2. Click the Blank template to start a new exploration
  3. Under the Dimensions click the + button and search for Session source / medium and Session campaign, check the checkbox beside them and click Confirm
  4. Under the Metrics click the + button and search for Total users, New users, and Engaged sessions, check the checkbox beside them and click Confirm
  5. Drag Session source / medium to the Rows section of your report
  6. Drag Total users, New users, and Engaged sessions to the Values section
  7. Optional: Add Session campaign as a secondary dimension by dragging it below Session source / medium in the Rows section
  8. Set your desired date range in the report settings
  9. Add a filter if you want to focus on specific sources

Important Dimensions and Metrics

  • Session source / medium: Shows where users came from (e.g., google/organic, facebook/cpc)
  • Session campaign: Identifies specific marketing campaigns driving traffic
  • Total users: The total number of users from each source
  • New users: First-time visitors from each source
  • Engaged sessions: Sessions that lasted longer than 10 seconds or had a conversion

Actionable Insights

  1. Identify your top-performing traffic sources and increase investment in these channels
  2. Compare engagement rates between different sources to optimize marketing spend
  3. Analyze which sources bring in the most new users vs. returning users
  4. Use the data to adjust your marketing mix and budget allocation
  5. Monitor campaign performance across different sources to optimize messaging

Answers Similar Questions

  1. How to track traffic sources in GA4
  2. Google Analytics 4 user acquisition report
  3. GA4 source/medium analysis
  4. Track marketing channels in Google Analytics
  5. GA4 traffic source dashboard setup

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