What is Google Analytics?
Google Analytics (GA) is the world's most used web analytics tool. The current version GA4 (Google Analytics 4) replaced Universal Analytics in 2023 and is based on an event-based tracking model. GA4 tracks by default: page views, scroll depth, outbound clicks, searches, video engagement, and file downloads. Important metrics are: Users, Sessions, Engagement Rate, Bounce Rate, average session duration, and Conversions. GA4 also offers machine learning features for predictions and anomaly detection. For GDPR compliance, consent management and IP anonymization must be correctly implemented.
Key Points
- GA4 is event-based instead of session-based
- GDPR compliance requires cookie consent
- Integration with Google Ads and Search Console possible
- Custom events and conversions can be defined
- Audiences usable for remarketing
- Explorations for deeper analysis
Practical Example
“According to Google Analytics, 60% of our visitors come from organic search with a conversion rate of 3.2%.”