| 📊 View Lecture Slides | Full-screen presentation with navigation |
Learning Objectives
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
- Distinguish between vanity and sanity metrics
- Understand key GA4 concepts (sessions, users, events)
- Navigate the Google Analytics 4 interface
- Create basic reports and insights
- Use AI to analyze data and identify trends
1. Why Analytics Matter
The Data-Driven Advantage
Without data:
- “I think this is working”
- “We should try this”
- “My gut says…”
With data:
- “This campaign drove 150 leads”
- “Mobile users convert 2x better”
- “Tuesday posts get 40% more engagement”
The Analytics Mindset
- Measure what matters
- Analyze patterns and trends
- Act on insights
- Repeat the cycle
2. Vanity vs. Sanity Metrics
Understanding the Difference
| Vanity Metrics | Sanity Metrics |
|---|---|
| Look impressive | Drive decisions |
| Feel good | Measure progress |
| Hard to act on | Actionable |
| Example: Page views | Example: Conversion rate |
Common Vanity Metrics (Be Careful!)
| Metric | Why It’s Vanity | Better Alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Total page views | Doesn’t show quality | Pages per session |
| Social followers | Can be bought | Engagement rate |
| Email list size | Quality matters | Open/click rate |
| Total traffic | Not all traffic converts | Traffic → conversions |
Sanity Metrics That Matter
| Business Goal | Key Metric | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Brand awareness | Reach, impressions, SOV | Top of funnel |
| Engagement | Comments, shares, time on site | Quality interaction |
| Lead generation | Conversion rate, CPL | Business outcomes |
| Sales | Revenue, ROAS, AOV | Bottom line |
| Retention | Return rate, LTV | Long-term value |
3. Google Analytics 4 Fundamentals
What is GA4?
Google Analytics 4 is Google’s latest analytics platform, designed for:
- Cross-platform tracking (web + app)
- Event-based measurement
- Privacy-first approach
- AI-powered insights
Key GA4 Concepts
| Concept | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| User | Unique visitor | One person = one user |
| Session | Visit to your site | User comes, browses, leaves |
| Event | Any interaction | Page view, click, purchase |
| Conversion | Goal completion | Form submit, purchase |
| Engagement | Meaningful interaction | 10+ seconds, 2+ pages |
Sessions vs. Users
USER A visits twice today → 1 User, 2 Sessions
USER B visits once → 1 User, 1 Session
USER C visits from phone and laptop → 1-2 Users (depends on login)
Total: 2-3 Users, 4 Sessions
Event-Based Model
Everything is an event in GA4:
page_view- Someone views a pagescroll- Someone scrolls 90%+click- Someone clicks a linkpurchase- Someone completes purchasecustom_event- Anything you define
4. Navigating GA4 Interface
Main Sections
GA4 DASHBOARD
┌────────────────────────────────────┐
│ HOME │
│ Overview of key metrics │
├────────────────────────────────────┤
│ REPORTS │
│ • Life cycle (Acquisition, │
│ Engagement, Monetization) │
│ • User (Demographics, Tech) │
├────────────────────────────────────┤
│ EXPLORE │
│ Custom analysis and reports │
├────────────────────────────────────┤
│ ADVERTISING │
│ Ad campaign performance │
├────────────────────────────────────┤
│ CONFIGURE │
│ Events, conversions, audiences │
└────────────────────────────────────┘
Key Reports to Know
| Report | What It Shows | Use It For |
|---|---|---|
| Acquisition overview | How users find you | Channel performance |
| Traffic acquisition | Traffic sources | SEO vs. paid vs. social |
| Pages and screens | Popular content | Content strategy |
| Landing page | Entry points | Page optimization |
| Events | User interactions | Behavior analysis |
| Conversions | Goal completions | ROI tracking |
Setting Up GA4
Step 1: Create GA4 Property
- Go to analytics.google.com
- Admin → Create Property
- Enter property name and details
Step 2: Add Data Stream
- Select “Web”
- Enter your website URL
- Copy the Measurement ID (G-XXXXXXXX)
Step 3: Install Tracking Code
<!-- Google tag (gtag.js) -->
<script
async
src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-XXXXXXXX"
></script>
<script>
window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];
function gtag() {
dataLayer.push(arguments);
}
gtag('js', new Date());
gtag('config', 'G-XXXXXXXX');
</script>
5. Essential Metrics Deep Dive
Traffic Metrics
| Metric | Definition | Good Benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| Users | Unique visitors | Context-dependent |
| Sessions | Total visits | Growth over time |
| Avg. session duration | Time spent | 2+ minutes |
| Bounce rate | Single-page visits | Under 60% |
| Pages/session | Content consumed | 2+ pages |
Engagement Metrics
| Metric | Definition | What It Tells You |
|---|---|---|
| Engaged sessions | 10+ sec OR 2+ pages | Quality visits |
| Engagement rate | Engaged/Total | Content quality |
| Views per user | Content depth | Interest level |
| Event count | Actions taken | Interaction level |
Conversion Metrics
| Metric | Definition | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Conversion rate | Conversions/Sessions | Effectiveness |
| Conversions | Goal completions | Business outcomes |
| Revenue | Money generated | ROI |
| ROAS | Revenue/Ad spend | Ad efficiency |
6. AI-Powered Analytics
Using AI to Analyze Data
The “Data Analyst” Approach: Export data → Paste into AI → Get insights
🤖 AI Integration: Data Analysis
Prompt Template:
Analyze this website data and provide insights:
[Paste your data - traffic, conversions, etc.]
Please:
1. Identify the top 3 trends
2. Highlight any concerning patterns
3. Compare to typical benchmarks
4. Suggest 3 actionable improvements
5. Predict potential outcomes if trends continue
Format as a brief executive summary.
Sample Data Analysis Prompt
Here's my website data for the last 30 days:
Users: 1,500 (+20% from last month)
Sessions: 2,100
Avg. Session Duration: 1:45
Bounce Rate: 65%
Top Traffic Sources: Organic (45%), Direct (30%), Social (25%)
Conversions: 45 (3% conversion rate)
Top Pages: Home (40%), About (20%), Services (15%)
Analyze this data and tell me:
1. What's working well?
2. What needs improvement?
3. What should I focus on next?
7. Creating Custom Reports
Using Explorations
GA4 Explorations allow custom analysis:
- Free-form: Flexible tables and charts
- Funnel exploration: Conversion paths
- Path exploration: User journeys
- Segment overlap: Audience analysis
- Cohort exploration: User behavior over time
Building a Basic Report
Step-by-step:
- Go to Explore → Blank
- Add dimensions (e.g., Source/Medium)
- Add metrics (e.g., Sessions, Conversions)
- Apply date range
- Drag to canvas
Key Questions to Answer
| Question | Report Type | Metrics |
|---|---|---|
| Where do visitors come from? | Traffic acquisition | Source/Medium, Sessions |
| What content is popular? | Pages and screens | Views, Engagement |
| Are visitors converting? | Conversions | Conversion rate, Events |
| Who are my visitors? | Demographics | Country, Age, Gender |
Hands-on Activity: “The Dashboard”
Duration: 45 minutes
Objective: Set up Google Analytics 4 and create a basic dashboard
Part 1: GA4 Setup (15 min)
- Create a GA4 property (or use GA4 Demo Account)
- Configure a web data stream
- Verify real-time data (visit your site)
Part 2: Report Exploration (15 min)
- Navigate to Reports → Life cycle
- View Traffic acquisition report
- Check Pages and screens report
- Explore Demographics
Part 3: Custom Analysis (15 min)
- Export data from a report (CSV)
- Paste into AI tool with analysis prompt
- Document 3 key insights
- Identify 2 action items
Template: Weekly Analytics Review
WEEKLY ANALYTICS REVIEW
Date Range: _____________ to _____________
TRAFFIC OVERVIEW
- Total Users: _____ (vs. last week: ____%)
- Sessions: _____ (vs. last week: ____%)
- Avg. Session Duration: _____
- Bounce Rate: _____%
TOP TRAFFIC SOURCES
1. _____________ : _____ sessions (_____%)
2. _____________ : _____ sessions (_____%)
3. _____________ : _____ sessions (_____%)
TOP PAGES
1. _____________ : _____ views
2. _____________ : _____ views
3. _____________ : _____ views
CONVERSIONS
- Total: _____
- Conversion Rate: _____%
KEY INSIGHTS
1. _________________________________
2. _________________________________
3. _________________________________
ACTION ITEMS
1. _________________________________
2. _________________________________
Deliverables
- GA4 property created and configured (or Demo Account explored)
- Screenshot of real-time report showing activity
- Export of one report (CSV)
- AI-generated analysis of your data
- Weekly analytics template filled out
Key Takeaways
- Measure what matters: Sanity metrics over vanity metrics
- GA4 is event-based: Everything is an event
- Sessions ≠ Users: Understand the difference
- Reports tell stories: Use them to make decisions
- AI accelerates analysis: Feed it data, get insights
Additional Resources
- GA4 Demo Account - Practice without your own data
- Google Analytics Academy - Free courses
- GA4 Documentation - Official guide
- Measure What Matters (OKRs) - Goal-setting framework
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