Deciphering Your Website's Journey: How to See Page Views by Path and Query String in GA4
Google Analytics 4 (GA4) has revolutionized website analytics with its focus on user behavior. But for some seasoned analysts, the transition from Universal Analytics (UA) can be tricky, particularly when it comes to understanding how GA4 presents data. One common point of confusion is the lack of a readily available report showing page views by path and query string, a feature that was prominently displayed in UA.
This article aims to guide you through the workaround for accessing this valuable data in GA4, focusing on the "Page path and screen class" dimension.
Scenario: You're interested in analyzing the performance of specific URLs on your website, including those with varying query string parameters. For example, you might want to see how the "product=shoes" and "product=bags" query strings perform on the "/shop" page.
Problem: GA4's "Page path and screen class" report only shows the page path, not the query string.
Solution: While GA4 doesn't offer a direct report combining path and query string, you can leverage the "Page path and screen class" report to achieve a similar result. Here's how:
- Navigate to the "Engagement" report in GA4.
- Select "Page path and screen class" as the primary dimension.
- In the "Secondary dimension" dropdown, choose "Event name." This allows you to filter for specific events that might be associated with the query strings you are interested in. For instance, if you are tracking "product view" events with the product name in the event parameter, you can use this to filter the data.
- Optionally, use "Filter" to further narrow down the data based on other criteria.
Example: Let's assume you want to analyze the "/shop" page with different product query strings. You can:
- Filter the "Page path and screen class" report for "/shop"
- Select "product view" as the secondary dimension
- Filter the "product view" event for "product=shoes" and "product=bags"
Key Insights:
- Understanding Event Tracking: This approach highlights the importance of robust event tracking in GA4. If you are tracking meaningful events with relevant parameters, you can gain insights into the variations within your website's traffic.
- Data Visualization: GA4 offers powerful data visualization tools. Use charts and graphs to explore the performance of different page paths and query strings for a comprehensive understanding of your website's journey.
- Experimentation: Don't be afraid to experiment with different event names and secondary dimensions to discover the best way to analyze your specific use case.
Additional Considerations:
- If your website uses query strings for user-specific data (e.g., session IDs), you might need to utilize other techniques like custom dimensions or custom metrics for analysis.
- Consider using regular expressions in the "Filter" option for advanced filtering based on specific patterns in the query string.
By combining the "Page path and screen class" dimension with strategic event tracking and filtering, you can effectively analyze the performance of your website's pages and query strings, providing valuable insights for optimization and improvement.
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Remember: The key to unlocking valuable insights from your data is to be creative and proactive. Experiment with different approaches, explore the GA4 interface, and leverage its powerful features to gain a deeper understanding of your users' interactions with your website.
