How to Track Traffic Sources Using GA4 Parameters

To track traffic sources using GA4 parameters, you primarily use UTM parameters (such as source, medium, campaign, term, and content) appended to your URLs. GA4 automatically captures these parameters to identify where your traffic is coming from and how users find your site.

Here is how to effectively track and analyze traffic sources in GA4:

1. Add UTM Parameters to URLs
   Use UTM tags to manually label your marketing URLs with parameters like utm_source, utm_medium, and utm_campaign. This helps GA4 attribute traffic accurately to specific campaigns or sources.

2. Set Up GA4 and Google Tag Manager (GTM)

   • Create a GA4 property and install the GA4 tracking code on your website.
   • Use GTM to configure tags and triggers that capture traffic source parameters on page loads.

3. View Traffic Sources in GA4 Reports

   • Log in to your GA4 property.
   • Navigate to Reports > Acquisition > User acquisition to see traffic sources.
   • Use the dimension dropdown to select First user source or other traffic source dimensions to analyze where users originated.

4. Analyze Traffic Sources for Specific Pages

   • Use filters or Explorations in GA4 to focus on traffic sources for individual URLs.
   • Add traffic source dimensions in Explorations to compare sources for a specific page.

5. Leverage GA4’s Automatic Channel Grouping and Machine Learning
   GA4 automatically groups traffic into channels like Organic Search, Social, Direct, and Referral, even identifying new sources using machine learning models beyond UTM parameters.

6. Use GA4’s Traffic Source Dimensions
   GA4 reports include dimensions such as source, medium, and campaign that correspond to your UTM parameters or auto-tagged data from ad platforms.

By combining UTM tagging with GA4’s acquisition reports and Explorations, you can comprehensively track and analyze your website’s traffic sources and campaign performance.