Web Analytics

Web analytics: tracking, events, and behavior.

Core concepts

• Pageviews vs events — Pageviews are automatic; events track actions
• Sessions — Group of interactions in a time window
• Users — Identified by cookie or user ID
• Funnels — Steps from entry to conversion

GA4 vs Universal Analytics

GA4 is event-based; UA was session-based. In GA4:

• Everything is an event (page_view, scroll, click, etc.)
• Custom dimensions and metrics are event-scoped
• BigQuery export is built-in for deeper analysis

Event design

• Naming — Consistent: object_action (e.g. button_click, form_submit)
• Parameters — Add context: page, section, value
• Consolidation — Fewer, richer events beat many thin ones