Understanding User Acquisition by Source/Medium in Google Analytics 4
Tracking where your users come from is fundamental to understanding your digital marketing effectiveness. By analyzing users by source/medium in Google Analytics 4, you can identify which marketing channels are driving the most valuable traffic to your website. This insight is crucial for optimizing marketing spend and focusing efforts on the most effective channels. We'll show you how to create this essential report in GA4.Basic Report Structure
- Report Type: Free Form Exploration
- Primary Dimension: Source/Medium
- Metrics: Users, Engaged Sessions, Average Engagement Time
- Visualization: Table format with optional bar chart
- Time Period: Last 28 days (adjustable)
Steps to Create the Report
- Open GA4 and navigate to Explore section
- Click the Blank template to start a new exploration
- Under the Dimensions tab, click the + button and search for Session source/medium, check the checkbox and click Import
- Under the Metrics tab, click the + button and search for Total users, Engaged sessions, and Average engagement time, check their checkboxes and click Import
- Drag Session source/medium to the Rows section
- Drag Total users, Engaged sessions, and Average engagement time to the Values section
- Click the Settings icon and set your desired date range
- Optional: Add a filter to exclude internal traffic by clicking the + in the Filters section
- Click Save in the top right corner to name and save your exploration
Important Dimensions and Metrics
- Session source/medium: Shows the origin of your traffic (e.g., google/organic, facebook/cpc)
- Total users: Count of unique visitors from each source
- Engaged sessions: Sessions that lasted longer than 10 seconds or had a conversion
- Average engagement time: How long users from each source typically engage with your site
Actionable Insights
- Identify your top-performing traffic sources and increase investment in these channels
- Compare engagement metrics across different sources to optimize marketing spend
- Detect underperforming channels that might need strategy adjustments
- Use the data to make informed decisions about budget allocation across marketing channels
- Monitor changes in traffic patterns to quickly identify and respond to channel performance shifts
Answers Similar Questions
- How to track traffic sources in Google Analytics 4
- GA4 source/medium report setup guide
- Track marketing channel performance in GA4
- Google Analytics 4 traffic source analysis
- How to see where website visitors come from in GA4
