How to Create and Use GA4 Audiences

Power of GA4:

What if I told you that Google Analytics (GA4) is more than just about numbers, graphs, and charts? It is about unknotting the unique insights of your website visitors. GA4 audiences are the key players in this digital age. Want to know how can you control the audience in GA4 for success?

Here is the guide for you!

GA4 gives businesses and website owners insights into user behavior, performance, and other key metrics. GA4 audiences aren’t just segments; they’re the keys to decoding user preferences and behaviors.

It allows you to create and define audiences to analyze and target specific groups of users on your website or app.

What are GA4 Audiences?

GA4 audience refers to a group of users who share common characteristics or behaviors. Creating audiences allows you to analyze and target specific segments of your website visitors. These audiences can be based on various criteria such as demographics, interests, behavior, and more.

For example, you can create an audience of users who visited a specific page on your website, completed a certain action (like making a purchase), or belong to a particular demographic group.

Analyzing these audiences can help you understand your user base better and tailor your marketing efforts accordingly.

Why do we create GA4 Audiences? 

Audiences in GA4  are a powerful tool for understanding user behavior, personalizing user experiences, and optimizing marketing strategies.

The ability to create custom segments, integrate with advertising platforms, and leverage predictive metrics makes audiences a central feature in gaining actionable insights from your analytics data.

It is used for filtering and comparison in GA4, quickly and easily accessing data relevant to rare audiences in Google Ads and sharing it for remarketing purposes. 

Audience Vs Segments:

Audience	Segments
In GA4, an audience refers to a group of users who share certain characteristics or exhibit specific behaviors on your website or app.  Audiences are dynamic and can be based on a variety of factors such as events, user properties, and conditions.	In GA4, a segment is a subset of your data that is created by applying one or more conditions to your reports. Segments can be based on a wide range of criteria, including demographics, technology, user behavior, and traffic sources.
Audiences are often created to target specific user groups with personalized content, analyze the behavior of particular segments, and optimize marketing efforts.  GA4 audiences are integral to creating a more user-centric view of your data.	Segments are useful for isolating and analyzing specific subsets of your overall data.  For example, you might create a segment to view the behavior of users from a particular geographic location or those who accessed your site from a specific traffic source.  Segments are applied to standard reports to filter and focus the displayed data.

Types of Audience in GA4:

There are two main types of audiences:

1.  Predictive Audiences.
2.  Custom Audiences.

1. Predictive Audiences:

Predictive Audiences in GA4 are automatically generated by the platform based on predictive metrics that forecast user behavior. These metrics are derived from data analysis, helping identify users likely to perform certain actions, such as making a purchase or churning.

General: Automatically generated, e.g., “Non-purchasers.”

Templates: Pre-defined conditions for specific categories like Technology.

Predictive: Based on forecasting user behavior using predictive metrics.

If you want to learn more about Predictive Audience, Click here: https://www.analytico.ca/blog/predictive-audiences-in-ga4

2. Custom Audiences:

Building Process: User-defined audiences with specific conditions.

Membership Duration: Specifies how long users are included.

Triggers: Optional refinements based on user actions.

Non-Retroactive: Audiences start collecting data from setup, not retroactively.

Creating Audience in Google Analytics 4 (GA4)

GA4 Audience can be created in two ways 

1. By Custom Audience. 
2. By Segments Feature.

Pre Guide! Log in to your Google Analytics account and navigate to the property for which you want to create a custom audience.

1. By Custom Audience:

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to create a custom GA4 Audience. 

• Step 1: Access the Audience Builder

In the left-hand menu, click on “Audiences” 

Click on the “+ New Audience” button to begin creating a custom audience.

Then create a custom audience by clicking on the new Audience 

• Step 2: Define Audience Details

Enter a name and description for your audience. This information will help you identify and understand the purpose of the audience in the future.

Click on “Add new condition” to start defining the criteria for your audience.

• Step 3: Set Conditions Based on Dimensions, Metrics, and Events

Dimensions:

Choose the dimension you want to use for your condition. For example, you can set conditions based on user demographics like age.

Define the scope of the condition, such as whether it should be evaluated across all sessions or within the same session.

Metrics:

Use metrics to set conditions based on numerical values. For instance, you can create a condition where the Lifetime Value (LTV) is greater than 5 in any 7 days.

Events:

Select the event you want to use for audience creation.

Choose the scope, and time, and add conditions based on the event_count parameter.

Condition Groups and Sequences:

Combine multiple conditions using condition groups.

Set up sequences if you want to target users who meet conditions in a specific order or within a defined time.

• Step 4: Exclude Conditions if Necessary

Click on “Add group to exclude” to create conditions that exclude specific users.

Specify whether to temporarily or permanently exclude users based on certain conditions.

• Step 5: Membership Duration and Reset on New Activity

Set the membership duration for your audience. This represents the maximum time a user can remain in the audience from the last time they met the conditions.

Choose whether to reset the membership duration on a new activity. Enabling this option resets the duration each time the user engages in behavior that meets the criteria for inclusion.

• Step 6: Save Your Audience

Click on “Save” to save your conditions and create the custom audience.

Remember!  To regularly review and update your audiences to ensure they align with your evolving business goals and strategies.

2. By Segment Feature:

Another effective method for the creation of a GA4 audience involves utilizing the Segment Feature within the Exploration section.

• Access the Exploration Section:

In the left-hand menu, select “Explore.“

• Build a Custom Segment:

Click on the “+ Add Segment” button to open the Segment Builder.

• Define Segment Conditions:

In the Segment Builder, set conditions based on dimensions, metrics, or events that align with your target audience.

You can include multiple conditions to create a detailed and specific segment.

• Name Your Segment:

Give your segment a descriptive name that reflects the criteria you’ve set. This will help you identify it later.

• Activate Build an Audience:

Look for the option that says “Build an audience” within the Segment Builder.

Toggle this option to turn your custom segment into a saved audience.

• Save Your Audience:

Once you’ve activated the “Build an audience” option, click on the “Save” or “Apply” button to save your segment as a new audience.

Analyze The Audience Report: 

• Access Your Audience:

To view and manage your audiences, go to the “Audiences” section in the left-hand menu under “Reports.”

 

• Review and Refine:

Regularly review your created audiences to ensure they align with your marketing objectives.

• Utilize Audiences in Reports and Analysis:

After creating your audience, you can apply it to various reports in GA4 to analyze user behavior, acquisition sources, and more.

By using the Segment feature in GA4, you can transform specific data insights into targeted audiences for more effective remarketing efforts. This approach allows you to leverage the flexibility of the Segment Builder to tailor your audiences based on a wide range of criteria, providing valuable insights for your marketing initiatives.

Get in touch with us if you are looking for an audit of your current analytics.

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Limitation:

When working with GA4 audiences, keep in mind:

• Limits:

Maximum 100 audiences and 20 audience-trigger events per property.

Archiving requires a 48-hour wait.

• Collection Time:

Up to 48 hours for audiences to collect users.

GA4 empowers businesses to:

• Segment audiences based on interests, demographics, and behavior.

• Run targeted campaigns for increased engagement, conversions, and revenue.

Final Thoughts:

GA4 audiences emerge as catalysts for unlocking deeper insights into user behavior. The dual methodologies of crafting custom audiences and harnessing the segment feature empower businesses to tailor their strategies with precision.

While GA4 audiences present a powerful toolset, awareness of limitations is paramount. Striking a balance by adhering to audience and event constraints, navigating archiving intricacies, and allowing for audience collection time positions businesses for strategic success.

GA4 not only offers a lens into user preferences but also serves as a conduit for personalized marketing endeavors. As businesses evolve, the adaptability to refine strategies, enhance engagement, and drive conversions through GA4 audiences remains a cornerstone for sustained digital success. 

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