Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is centered around "Users." At first glance, you might think "users" simply refers to the visitors who use or visit your site.
However, Google's definition of users is not as straightforward as it might seem.
Google Analytics 4 recognizes that not all visitors contribute equally to your site's success.
So, to help us gauge the quality of traffic more accurately, GA4 categorizes visitors into four core user metrics.
These metrics provide a detailed view of the traffic on our sites or apps, helping us understand not just the volume, but the nature of our visitors.
The four core user metrics are:
Let’s understand each one of these metrics one by one.
1. New Users in GA4
Google Analytics 4 or GA4 automatically identifies and tracks new users when they visit your site or app for the first time.
This process is facilitated by the first_visit event for websites and the first_open event for apps.
For websites, if a user lands on your site and a GA4 tracking cookie is not already present in their browser, GA4 labels this as a visit from a new user and tracks the session accordingly.
Similarly, for apps, a new installation followed by the first app opening is recorded as a new user interaction.
How to Find New Users in GA4:
You can see the new users of your website in GA4 by
Go to Report
Click on Acquisition
And select Overview
You will see the New User alongside Users (more on this later).
Additionally, it's helpful to see new users alongside the channel through which they are arriving on the website.
This way, you will get a more comprehensive understanding of new user traffic, allowing for more informed decision-making and strategy adjustments based on the channels driving new users to your site or app.
How to Find the Channel Source of New Users in GA4:
To see the channel through which these new users are arriving on our website in your GA4:
Click on the report section on the left.
Go to Acquisition > User Acquisition. By default, you will see the information by the default channel group.
Caution Note:
It's important to note, however, that this method of identifying new users isn't foolproof.
Situations such as users clearing their browser cookies, using incognito/private browsing modes, or accessing your site from different devices can affect the accuracy of this tracking.
In these cases, even regular visitors might be counted as new users by GA4 because the tracking mechanism relies on the presence of a unique identifier that is reset or missing under these conditions.
This potential for misclassification should be considered when analyzing your new user metrics.
2. Users or Active Users in GA4
In Google Analytics 4 (GA4), the terms "Users" and "Active Users" are used interchangeably.
To put it simply, one is just another name for the other. However, it's crucial to note that not all visitors qualify as users.
A helpful mantra to remember is: "Visitors visit; (Active) Users engage."
Google's official documentation defines Active Users (or "Users") as:
An active user is any user who has an engaged session. Google defines an engaged session as
The number of sessions that lasted 10 seconds or longer
or had 1 or more conversion events
or 2 or more page or screen views.
Or when Analytics collects:
the first_visit event or engagement_time_msec parameter from a website
the first_open event or engagement_time_msec parameter from an Android app
the first_open or user_engagement event from an iOS app
Confused? To clarify these definitions, let's break down the specific conditions that qualify a visitor as an Active User, separated into categories for website visitors and app users:
For Website Visitors
Criteria | Counts as an Active User? |
|---|---|
Visited the site for the first time (triggered first_visit event) | Yes |
The session lasted 10 seconds or longer | Yes |
Had 1 or more conversion events | Yes |
2 or more page or screen views | Yes |
Engagement time measured (engagement_time_msec parameter collected) | Yes |
For App Visitors
Criteria | Counts as an Active User? |
|---|---|
Opened the app for the first time (triggered first_open event on Android/iOS) | Yes |
Had an engaged session as defined for websites | Yes |
Triggered user_engagement event (iOS) | Yes |
Honestly, I'm not entirely sure why Google chooses to classify someone who visits your site for the first time (triggering the first_visit or first_open events) as both New Users and Users or Active Users.
Perhaps it's to emphasize the importance of that initial engagement, recognizing that the very act of visiting for the first time is a form of active participation (who knows?🤷🏻♂️).
To view your Active Users in your GA4 account, follow these steps:
Go to Reports in the left-hand menu.
Click on acquisition.
Then, select Traffic acquisition
Tip: When you hover your mouse over Users, you will see a little popup that says “The total number of active users”. Try the same for New Users under User acquisition.
3. Total Users in GA4
"Total Users" represents the count of unique users who have triggered any event on your site or app during the selected period.
This includes everyone who visited your site, whether they left immediately (bounced) or stayed to explore further, make a purchase, or subscribe. Each of these individuals is counted as a Total User.
How to Find Total Users in GA4:
To view your Total Users in your GA4 account, follow these steps:
Go to Reports in the left-hand menu.
Click on Engagement.
Then, select Events.
In this section, you will find the Total Users metric alongside other key user engagement metrics.
Important Note:
New Users and Active Users/Users are subsets of Total Users.
Therefore, the count of New Users and Active Users will never exceed the Total number of Users.
This hierarchy is essential for understanding the relationship between these metrics and interpreting your audience data accurately.
4. Returning Users in GA4
"Returning Users" are those who have initiated at least one previous session on your site or app, regardless of whether that previous session was considered an "engaged" session.
Meaning, that as long as they have visited your site or app before, even for a second, GA4 will recognize them as Returning Users (provided they have not deleted the cookies from their browser).
It is an important metric that helps you understand the loyalty and retention aspects of your audience.
How to Find Returning Users in GA4:
To view an overview of your Returning Users in GA4:
Click on Reports in the left-hand menu.
Navigate to Retention.
Start by comparing new vs. returning users within a specific period.
Case Study
Now that we've explored the different user metrics in GA4,
Let's apply these concepts to a real-world scenario to see how they manifest in both a website and app context over a specific period.
Launch Day Scenario
On the launch day, your website receives 1,000 visitors, and your app gets 500 downloads. Here's how their interactions break down:
Website Engagement:
800 visitors browse the homepage briefly and then leave.
200 visitors engage more deeply by exploring multiple pages, reading blog posts for over 10 seconds, and some sign up for your newsletter.
App Engagement:
300 users open the app, glance through the introductory content, and close it quickly.
200 users actively engage with the app by exploring its features for more than 10 seconds. Of these, 50 sign up for a premium account, and 150 trigger the user_engagement event.
Applying GA4 Criteria
For the Website:
1,000 visitors on the website are considered Active Users. This includes:
The 800 visitors who briefly visited the homepage. Since it's their first visit, they trigger the first_visit event, making them Active Users.
The 200 visitors who engaged more deeply also count as Active Users, not just for triggering the first_visit event but also for their engagement actions (e.g., reading for over 10 seconds, signing up for newsletters).
For the App:
500 app downloads translate to 500 Active Users for similar reasons:
The 300 users who briefly opened the app are counted as Active Users because their action of opening the app for the first time triggers the first_open event.
The 200 users who explored the app for an extended period are also Active Users. Their deeper engagement, including sign-ups and triggering user_engagement events, further qualifies them as such.
Clarification
This scenario underlines a key point about GA4's approach to measuring engagement: all first-time interactions, whether brief or deep, qualify a visitor as an Active User.
This is because GA4 values the initiation of interaction with your site or app, marking the start of the user's journey and potential for future engagement.
For the website, every first-time visitor is an Active User because their visit signals an initial engagement.
For the app, every download that leads to opening the app counts as active engagement, again marking all such users as Active Users.
Metric | Website | App |
|---|---|---|
New Users | 1,000 | 500 |
Active Users | 1,000 | 500 |
Returning Users | 0 | 0 |
Total Users | 1,000 | 500 |
Extending the launch day example to one week allows us to explore how user engagement metrics evolve over time in Google Analytics 4 (GA4).
Let's consider the ongoing interactions on both the website and the app after the initial launch.
One Week After Launch:
Website Engagement Over the Week:
4,000 additional visitors come to the website, with 1,000 being repeat visitors from the launch day and 3,000 new visitors.
1,200 of these visitors engage deeply (reading content, signing up for newsletters, etc.), including 400 from the initial launch day visitors returning and engaging more.
App Engagement Over the Week:
2,000 additional downloads occur, with 800 being repeat users opening the app again and 1,200 new downloads.
800 of these users engage significantly (using features, signing up for accounts, etc.), including 300 from the initial launch day users returning and engaging more.
Applying GA4 Criteria Over One Week:
For the Website:
Total Active Users: The initial 1,000 visitors from the launch day are now joined by an additional 3,000 new visitors, totaling 4,000 unique Active Users for the week. Repeat engagements from returning visitors enhance engagement metrics but don't increase the unique Active User count.
Engaged Users: The 1,200 visitors who engaged deeply across the week include both new and returning users, highlighting increased engagement from a subset of the total user base.
For the App:
Total Active Users: The initial 500 app users from the launch day have now increased by an additional 1,200 new users from the downloads throughout the week, totaling 1,700 unique Active Users. As with the website, repeat usage by the initial users contributes to engagement but not to the count of unique Active Users.
Engaged Users: The 800 users who demonstrated significant engagement during the week showcase the app's ability to retain interest and encourage interaction, which is crucial for long-term app success.
Summary for One Week:
Website: By the end of the week, there are a total of 4,000 unique Active Users on the website, with increased engagement demonstrated by both new and returning visitors.
App: The app sees a total of 1,700 unique Active Users, with a notable portion of users engaging deeply with the app's features.
Metric | Website | App |
|---|---|---|
New Users | 3,000 | 1,200 |
Active Users | 4,000 | 1,700 |
Returning Users | 1,000 | 800 |
Total Users | 4,000 | 1,700 |
Conclusion
While it might seem confusing at first, understanding the nuances of Google Analytics 4 (GA4) metrics such as Users, Total Users, Active Users, New Users, and Returning Users is crucial for you and your business looking to gauge the success of your online presence.
Breaking down these metrics into simple terms and applying them to real-world scenarios can help you make informed decisions to enhance your digital strategy.
Remember, it's not just about the numbers; it's about understanding the story they tell about your audience's journey and how you can optimize their experience on your site or app.
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