Google Analytics 4 (GA4)
Google Analytics 4 is Google's event-based analytics platform for website and app traffic, successor to Universal Analytics since July 2023.
GA4 introduced a fundamental shift: everything is an event (page_view, click, scroll, etc.) instead of session + pageview. Benefits: better mobile app integration, GDPR-friendlier via optional IP anonymisation, and cross-device user tracking. Drawbacks: steeper learning curve. BigQuery export (free) unlocks powerful analysis.
Example
An agency tracks AI referrals by creating a custom segment 'AI Traffic' filtering source on perplexity.ai, chat.openai.com and copilot.microsoft.com. Monthly reports show GEO growth separate from classic SEO.
Frequently asked questions
Does GA4 work without consent?
In EU: consent-mode v2 is required. Without consent, events are modelled anonymously — less precision but GDPR-compliant.
Related terms
Further reading
- → Our service: SEO
- → Blog: Measuring GEO in GA4: ChatGPT & Perplexity tracking