How to create source/medium reports in Google Analytics 4
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Google Analytics 4
When you're looking for ways to measure the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns, you need to be tracking your website's source/medium data.
This stat is essential for getting an accurate measurement of marketing attribution—but with the changes to Google Analytics 4, it can be a tricky one to nail down reporting for.
But don't worry—we've got you covered with a video walkthrough on exactly how to build this report as part of our GA4 courses series .
We'll show you how to create source/medium reports in Google Analytics and provide some tips on how to use this data to improve your marketing efforts.
How to build source/medium reports in GA4
As we've mentioned in past editions of our GA4 courses series —and you've no doubt seen if you have a GA4 property already set up —Google Analytics 4 takes a totally different approach to display your store's metrics than the old Universal Analytics.
While things like customer behavior reports and sales performance reports rely on the new explorations feature to let users build custom reports, source medium reports don't need as much work.
The out-of-the-box traffic acquisition report works as your base, and from there you'll add "source / medium" as a custom dimension to the report and remove the default dimensions. After that, all you need to do is save the report and you can view it in your GA4 library of reports.
Check out the full video below to see step-by-step how to build the source/medium report yourself:
Tip: Prefer to have an expert set your store up on GA4? Book a demo with one of our team members and they'll show you how to get GA4 reports up and running for your store in minutes.
How to use "source/medium" reports in GA4
When you're determining marketing attribution and calculating your ROI on marketing campaigns, the source/medium report comes in handy as a guide to your most effective traffic sources.
Being able to pinpoint which sources send the most visits to your store allows you to focus more narrowly on winning campaigns, and by using UTM parameters in your marketing efforts you can determine the mediums that drive the highest traffic as well.
Put it all together and you have a nice picture of which channels to focus on, which strategies in your promotion mix work best, and where you can cut costs and maximize ROI and return on ad spend.
Dive deeper into GA4
Getting old Google Analytics reports to work in GA4 is one key piece of making the move to the new Analytics, but it's not the only thing you need to check off your list.
We have plenty of resources to help you make sure you've covered everything you need to not only start using GA4, but make sure you keep historical data for your store and get the same reports you've always relied on.
How to create sales performance reports in Google Analytics 4
Greg
Greg is Littledata's Content Marketing Manager. His passions include basketball, Japanese food, and helping e-commerce businesses think smarter about their data.
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How to create sales performance reports in Google Analytics 4
Knowing your sales performance is a key piece of information when making decisions about many aspects of your ecommerce store. It's the best way to see everything from key high-level metrics like conversion rate, average order value, and total revenue to more detailed sales reports for different items and sales over a period of time. As you might already know, Google Analytics 4 comes equipped with a whole different layout than what we've gotten used to in Universal Analytics. But that doesn't mean you can't build the same sales reports you need to get vital revenue stats about your business. In this edition of our Google Analytics 4 courses series, we'll show you step-by-step how to build sales performance reports in GA4. [note]This is the latest in a series of how-to videos we've shared on creating reports in Google analytics 4. You can view the whole playlist on our YouTube channel.[/note] How to build the sales performance report in GA4 As we mentioned in our GA4 how to course on building customer behavior reports in GA4, the new version of GA relies on a feature called "explorations." This is going to be your hub for many reports in GA4, as the tool has shifted from pre-built reports to allowing users to customize what they're looking for and build reports from the ground up. When it comes to sales performance reports, you'll be adding actions that customers have taken specifically to craft the full report. The video below provides a quick walkthrough on each step you need to follow to add every parameter and event into your sales performance report. [tip]Want help from an expert as you get used to the new GA? Book a demo with one of our team members and they'll show you how to get GA4 reports up and running for your store in minutes.[/tip] Learn more about GA4 The sales performance report is just one of the many helpful reports you can build in GA4. check out our full GA4 courses series on YouTube to see the others, or follow the helpful links below to prep for GA4 and make sure you're ready for the new era of Google Analytics. How to build customer behavior reports in Google Analytics 4 Lunch with Littledata: Jumping into GA4 with Google Analytics Expert Krista Seiden The rise of Google Analytics 4 and sunsetting of Universal Analytics How to start off on the right foot with GA4 [Podcast] 10 reasons to move to GA4 for ecommerce analytics Google Analytics 4: Ready to make the switch?
How to build customer behavior reports in Google Analytics 4
Of all the changes Google is rolling out in Google Analytics 4, one that's getting extra attention is the change to behavior reports. Those used to the old Universal Analytics dashboard might be a bit lost at first looking at the new "explorations-driven" setup in GA4 and panic. Can you still get the same behavior reports in GA4 that you came to know and love in Universal Aanalytics? Yes, you can! You'll have to do a little manual report building first to see it though. To help you hit each step in the report-building process and get those vital customer shopping and checkout behavior reports up and running in GA4, we put together two detailed how-to videos that will walk you through the process step by step. [tip]Need help making the switch to GA4? Hear an expert's take on how to make the switch.[/tip] How to see customer shopping behavior reports in GA4 The shopping behavior report is the snapshot of your customers' activity as they browse your store. It's a crucial report not only for seeing where customers drop off and what product pages perform best but also for answering detailed questions about customer behavior from different referral channels. In the past, this report required the implementation of Google's Enhanced Ecommerce reporting, which adds features on top of standard ecommerce reporting like adds to cart, checkout initiation, and purchase completion. In GA4, everything you need to build the report comes automatically included out of the box. Building the shopping behavior report in GA4 leverages the new events feature, so once you've manually added the right parameters your report will be up and running! Follow the video below for a step-by-step walkthrough of the report building process: How to see customer checkout behavior reports in GA4 The checkout behavior report in GA4, like the shopping behavior report, requires building through a series of events added into an exploration report. You'll set up this report as a funnel, which will allow you to see each step where a customer might drop off before purchase. The checkout behavior report is perhaps the strongest tool you have in identifying cart abandonment and making the right decisions to minimize drop offs before purchase completion. Follow the video below to create the report in minutes for GA4: Get more on GA4 Building customer behavior reports is a key piece in your overall strategy for moving to GA4, but it's only part of the puzzle. We've got everything you need to demystify this new analytics platform, ensure you're prepared to make the move, and get the most out of GA4 from day one. Check out these helpful resources for more of everything you need to know about GA4: Lunch with Littledata: Jumping into GA4 with Google Analytics Expert Krista Seiden The rise of Google Analytics 4 and sunsetting of Universal Analytics How to start off on the right foot with GA4 [Podcast] 10 reasons to move to GA4 for ecommerce analytics Google Analytics 4: Ready to make the switch? [subscribe]