In Google Analytics 4 (GA4), the concept of “sessions” has been updated from the previous version, Universal Analytics (UA). GA4 shifts the focus from sessions to events and user engagement, which reflects a more user-centric view of the interaction data.
Sessions in GA4
A session in GA4 represents a group of user interactions with your website that take place within a given timeframe. A single session can contain multiple page views, events, social interactions, and ecommerce transactions. A session starts with the first event a user triggers when they enter the site and continues until there’s a period of inactivity that lasts for a specified amount of time, typically 30 minutes by default, or until the session is broken by another factor like the day ending.
GA4 puts less emphasis on the concept of sessions as the primary metric compared to UA (Universal Analytics). Instead, it focuses on users and events. Events in GA4 are user interactions that can be measured independently from a web page or a screen load. Downloads, mobile ad clicks, video views, and other user interactions like scrolling or clicking a button are considered events.
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Engagement Sessions in GA4
GA4 introduces the concept of “engagement sessions,” which adds a qualitative layer to the session data. An engagement session is a session that includes at least one of the following:
- The session lasts longer than 10 seconds.
- The session has one or more conversion events.
- The session has two or more page or screen views.
This concept is designed to help website owners understand not just when users are visiting, but how they are interacting with the site in more meaningful ways.
Why Are Sessions Important in GA4?
Sessions are still an important metric in GA4 because they give context to the event data. While the shift towards events provides a granular view of user interactions, sessions help us understand those interactions within the broader scope of a user’s visit. This can help website owners discern patterns like the typical duration of a visit, the frequency of user interactions within a session, and the point at which users typically convert or leave.
In GA4, sessions are part of a more complex and nuanced understanding of user behaviour.
By combining session data with the rich event-based model, GA4 offers a more detailed and flexible framework for analysing user interactions and gauging the performance of a website or app.
If you’re transitioning from UA to GA4 or starting fresh with GA4, it’s important to familiarise yourself with the new definitions and metrics to make the most out of your analytical insights.
