Introduction to GA4 dashboard training

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Transitioning to Google Analytics 4 (GA4)

As Universal Analytics winds down, the shift to GA4 is essential. New measurements in GA4 include:

• Engaged Sessions: Sessions over 10 seconds or with multiple conversion events.

• Engagement Rate: Supersedes the older bounce rate metric.

• Average Engagement Time: Measures the time a user actively engages with a page or app.

Understanding GA4

• Universal Analytics (Google Analytics 3) focuses on hits: page, event, ecommerce, etc. Google will discontinue Universal Analytics in July 2023. Users are advised to download historical data before this date.

• GA4's Event-Based Model simplifies interactions, categorising them as events such as page views, transactions, and user testing.

Accessing Vic.gov.au Analytics Dashboards

• Legacy Dashboard: Universal Analytics ceases new hits from 1 July 2023.

• GA4 Dashboard: Includes new metrics and enhanced data insights.

Key GA4 metrics

• Engaged Sessions vs. Sessions: Distinguishing active from passive engagement.

• Engagement Rate: Calculated as engaged sessions divided by total sessions.

• Average Engagement Time: Focuses on active page or app engagement.

• Page Path + Query String: Merges app screens and web pages in reports.

• Unique User Scrolls: Tracks users who scroll 90% of a page.

• First User Medium vs. Session Medium: Differentiates initial referral sources from session-specific ones.

Utilising the Vic.gov.au Dashboard

• Overview Page: Quick performance insights.

• Pages, Downloads, Interactions: Engagement metrics.

• Feedback Analysis: Measures content usefulness.

• Form Submissions and Abandonments: Tracks form engagement.

• Audience, Software, and Technology: Demographic and tech insights.

• Campaigns and Referrals: Source and channel analytics.

Dashboard for data insights

The vic.gov.au GA4 dashboard presents key performance indicators with in-depth filters. Note: Universal Analytics will stop processing new hits from 1 July 2024, but the legacy dashboard remains accessible. Learn More

Glossary of terms

• CMS (Content Management System): Software for managing digital content.

• Engagement Rate: Evaluates user interaction during visits.

• Event-Driven Model: Focuses on user interactions.

• SEO (Search Engine Optimisation): Enhances website visibility in search results.

• Universal Analytics: The predecessor of GA4.