Google Analytics 4 (GA4) uses an event-based data model. This reference explains every core metric and dimension marketers need — with links to setup guides and the marketing metrics hub.
Setup guide: GA4 + GTM Conversion Tracking Recipes · Analytics service Nepal
User metrics
| Metric |
Definition |
| Users |
Distinct individuals (Total Users, New Users, Active Users) |
| New Users |
First-time visitors in the selected period |
| Active Users |
Users with engaged sessions (1-day, 7-day, 28-day) |
| Returning Users |
Users who visited before the current period |
→ Session · Google Analytics
Session & engagement metrics
| Metric |
Definition |
| Sessions |
Periods of user activity (timeout after 30 min inactivity) |
| Engaged Sessions |
Sessions ≥10 sec, or with conversion, or ≥2 pageviews |
| Engagement Rate |
Engaged Sessions ÷ Sessions |
| Average Engagement Time |
Average active time per session |
| Bounce Rate |
Non-engaged sessions ÷ Sessions (inverse of engagement rate) |
| Views |
Screen/page views (replaces pageviews in app+web) |
→ Bounce Rate · Engagement Rate
Event metrics
| Metric |
Definition |
| Event Count |
Total times an event fired |
| Conversions |
Events marked as conversion actions |
| Event Value |
Numeric value attached to events |
Recommended events
page_view, session_start, first_visit, click, scroll, view_item, add_to_cart, purchase, generate_lead
Conversion metrics
| Metric |
Definition |
| Conversion Rate |
Conversions ÷ Sessions (or Users) |
| Total Revenue |
Sum of purchase event values |
| Purchase Revenue |
E-commerce transaction revenue |
| Transactions |
Completed purchase events |
→ Conversion Rate
Acquisition dimensions
| Dimension |
Definition |
| Session Source / Medium |
Where traffic came from (google/organic, facebook/cpc) |
| Session Campaign |
UTM campaign name |
| First User Source / Medium |
Acquisition source for new users |
| Default Channel Group |
Organic Search, Paid Search, Social, Direct, etc. |
→ Set up UTMs consistently — see marketing metrics hub
E-commerce metrics
| Metric |
Definition |
| Items Viewed |
Product detail page views |
| Add to Carts |
add_to_cart events |
| Checkouts |
begin_checkout events |
| E-commerce Purchases |
purchase events |
| Item Revenue |
Revenue per product |
Attribution
GA4 offers multiple attribution models in Advertising reports:
| Model |
Logic |
| Data-driven |
ML-based credit distribution (default where available) |
| Last click |
100% to final touchpoint |
| First click |
100% to first touchpoint |
| Linear |
Equal credit across touchpoints |
| Position-based |
40% first, 40% last, 20% middle |
→ Attribution Model
| Exploration |
Use Case |
| Free Form |
Custom tables and pivot reports |
| Funnel |
Step-by-step conversion drop-off |
| Path |
User navigation sequences |
| Segment Overlap |
Audience intersection analysis |
| Cohort |
Retention by acquisition date |
→ Cohort Analysis
Privacy & consent
| Term |
Definition |
Dictionary |
| Consent Mode |
Tag behavior based on user consent |
Consent Mode |
| Data Retention |
How long GA4 stores user-level data (2 or 14 months) |
— |
| Google Signals |
Cross-device tracking (requires consent in EEA) |
— |
GA4 vs Universal Analytics
| UA (deprecated) |
GA4 equivalent |
| Pageviews |
Views (page_view event) |
| Bounce Rate |
Engagement Rate (inverse) |
| Goals |
Conversion events |
| Sessions |
Sessions (event-based) |
Nepal setup checklist
- Create GA4 property + web data stream
- Install via Google Tag Manager
- Mark key events as conversions (form_submit, purchase, phone_click)
- Link Google Ads account for import
- Configure Looker Studio dashboard for client reporting
