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Introduction

In this article, we'll learn how to create a Funnel Exploration in Google Analytics 4 (GA4).

GA4’s Funnel Exploration helps you visualize user progress through key stages of your website or app. Unlike previous versions of Google Analytics, it offers a more intuitive and flexible way to track user behaviors, pinpoint where drop-offs occur, and provide you with valuable insights into the user journey.

It is very useful to analyze the e-commerce funnel steps: product views, add-to-cart, checkout, payments, shipping, and purchase.

You can add or edit funnel steps, add filters, and use GA4 advanced features such as time constraints, segment comparison, and next actions to really know what is going on with your user journey.

​Let’s dive into the step-by-step process of creating a Funnel Exploration in GA4.

A step-by-step guide to creating a Funnel Exploration Report in GA4

Step 1) Creating a New Funnel Exploration

• To get started, click on the Explore Tab in Google Analytics 4
• You have two options to create a funnel exploration
  • Option 1 Click on Blank Exploration to create a Funnel from scratch. 
  • Option 2: Funnel exploration template. It comes with four pre-configured funnel steps.

Screenshot 1: Select New Exploration

• Then click on the Exploration Name to give it a name to reflect its purpose. 
• Select the date range and then simply click on apply.

Screenshot 2: Select the Date range

• Then choose the Funnel exploration from the Technique dropdown if you have selected a blank exploration template. Otherwise, the exploration technique is already set to the Funnel exploration; if the template is selected, 
• Now, simply add or edit steps to the funnel exploration as per your needs. In Step 5 of this blog, we will look in detail at how to create funnel steps.

Screenshot 3: Choose the Technique as Funnel Exploration

Step 2) Visualization

• In Google Analytics 4 (GA4), when creating a Funnel Exploration report, you can choose between two types of funnel visualizations: Standard Funnel or Trended Funnel. Each serves a different purpose in terms of data analysis.

• Standard funnel: This is a static, point-in-time visualization of how users move through a funnel. It helps you analyze the conversion process at specific steps to understand user behavior and identify drop-offs at each stage.
• Trended Funnel: A time-based funnel shows how users move through each stage over time, which makes it easier to spot trends and patterns in how users behave across sessions or days.

Screenshot 4: Click on the dropdown to Select Visualization

• Below are the examples of the Standard and Trended funnel in screenshots 5 and 6 respectively.

Screenshot 5: Standard Funnel example

Screenshot 6: Trended funnel

For this blog post, we will go with the Standard funnel.

Step 3) Open/Closed Funnel

• In Google Analytics 4 (GA4), open and closed funnels refer to the way users are allowed to enter and progress through a funnel exploration report. These options give you control over whether users can start at any step in the funnel or must follow the exact sequence of steps.

Open Funnel

• An Open funnel allows users to enter at any stage of the funnel, even if they haven’t completed the previous steps.
• For example, users might start at the Add to Cart step without necessarily viewing the product details page.

Closed Funnel

• A closed funnel requires users to complete each step in sequential order to progress through the funnel.
• For example, users must view the product page, add an item to the cart, proceed to checkout, and then make a purchase, all in order.

Screenshot 7: Open Funnels

Step 4) Segment Comparisons

• In GA4's Funnel Exploration, segment comparisons show how different groups of users behave as they move through the funnel. 

• You can compare up to four segments at a time.
• When a single segment is added to the Segment drop list, it shows data for that particular segment. To view data for a single segment, hover over a funnel.
• When multiple segments are added, their data will be shown side by side. 

Screenshot 8: Single Segment 

Screenshot 9: Maximum Four segments added for comparison

Step 5) Setting up the Steps of the funnel

• This is where you actually add or edit the funnel's steps.
• We selected the funnel exploration template under the Settings panel Steps section; hence, four funnel steps are automatically added.

Screenshot 10: Edit or delete a step

• The steps are
  • First Open/Visit: This is the first time the visitor has interacted with the site during their session.
  • Session Start: Keeps track of when a person starts a session on your site.
  • Screen/Page View: Keeps track of when a user visits a certain product or topic page.
  • Purchase: The last step, which is done when the purchase is done.
• To add or edit steps, simply click on the pencil icon next to the Steps section. A funnel editing slideover will open up, as shown in the screenshot below.

Screenshot 11: Steps in Funnel exploration template 

Editing funnel Steps

• Following the previous step, you can edit the existing funnel steps.
• You can change the label or name, as well as add, edit, or remove step conditions. 
• To edit a condition, click on the Event or Dimension name. It will open a list of Events and dimensions to choose from.

Screenshot 12: Add new Condition to the Funnel Step

• You can then add, edit, or remove conditions from the steps.
• To add a new condition to a step, type in the name of the event or dimension you want to add. As you type in, you will see a list of events or dimensions.

Screenshot 13: Search for Events or Dimensions

• Next, you can add OR and AND conditions, which allow you to refine how events and dimensions are filtered in steps. 
• To create complex filters, you can combine multiple AND & OR conditions for more precise control. 
• Example of Combining AND/OR: You want to analyze users who are from the United States or India (OR condition) AND use a Mobile device (AND condition)
• For Events, you can add parameters, and for Dimensions, you can add filters.
  • Parameter: A parameter in GA4 is additional information that is sent along with an event to provide more context or detail about the action a user took.  Every event in GA4 can have one or more parameters.
  • Filter: Filters help narrow down the data only to show what's relevant to your analysis for selected dimensions.

Screenshot 14: Adding AND / OR and Parameters, Filter

• Click on the three dots in the top-right corner of any funnel step. You can Copy, Remove, and Add steps above & below the current step.

Screenshot 15: Copy, remove, and add steps above or below

• If the funnel steps bar graph is not visible, you can zoom in and out by clicking on the “+” and “-” icon or zoom in using the mouse.

Screenshot 16: Zoom into the step

Adding Funnel Steps

• To add steps, simply click on the pencil icon, just like we did for editing steps. 

Screenshot 17: Click on the pencil icon to Edit Funnel Steps

Let’s add the Add Payment method step before the Purchase step of the Funnel as seen in the screenshot below

Screenshot 18: Add Payment method step before the Purchase step

• Click on Add step in the funnel steps slide over footer

Screenshot 19: Click on the Add step in the Sequence footer

• Enter the label or name for the step as Add payment method. Always use descriptive names for clarity (e.g., "Viewed Product Page," "Added to Cart," "Started Checkout," "Completed Purchase"). 
• In the items list, search for payment and add it as a condition. That’s it. You have added a new step in the funnel. 

Screenshot 20: Search for payment Event item 

• If needed, you can refine the events' data (by parameters) and dimensions (by filters) in the steps. 
• For example,
  • Select event as add_to_cart parameter and the Price greater than 100 AND
  • Add Dimension as Country contains the United States under the Geography subgroup.

Time Constraint

• You must have noticed the little clock icon beside each funnel step. It’s the Time Constraint option.
• In Google Analytics 4 (GA4), time constraints refer to the ability to set specific time limits or windows within which users must complete certain actions in a funnel exploration report. 
• This feature allows you to analyze user behavior within a defined time period between different steps in a funnel, ensuring that the steps happen within a certain timeframe.

Screenshot 21: Add Time Constraint

• You can set the time period by min, days, hours, etc. within which the next step must occur for it to be included in your funnel.

Screenshot 22: Set and Enable Time Constraint

• For example, we set the time constraint between View Product step and Add to Cart step for 5 minutes 
• This means users who progress to the  Add to Cart step from the View Product step within 5 minutes will only be included in the funnel progression.
• As you can see in the below screenshot, before and after applying the Time constraint we get the following results.

Screenshot 23: Before enabling Time Constraint

Is Directly and Indirectly followed by 

• Directly Followed By: When one funnel step is directly followed by another, it means that the user must complete the next step immediately after the previous step, without any other intervening events or actions in between. This is useful when you want to enforce a strict sequence of actions in your analysis.

• Indirectly Followed By: When one funnel step is indirectly followed by another, it means the user can complete other actions or trigger other events between the two steps. The user can still move through the funnel as long as they eventually complete the next step, regardless of what they do in between.

Screenshot 24: Choose between Directly and Indirectly, followed by 

Step 6) Breakdown

• In Google Analytics 4 (GA4), the breakdown section (under the Settings panel) in a funnel report refers to a way of splitting or segmenting the data in each funnel step by a specific dimension.
• Below is the screenshot of the Device Category dimension used to break down the visualization. 
• To add a breakdown, drag a dimension from the Variables panel or click the drop target to select it from the list.

Screenshot 25: Click on the Breakdown drop target

Screenshot 26: Select Device Category in Breakdown drop target

• After applying Device Category dimension, we can see the results of the report below.

Screenshot 27: Results of Device Category Breakdown droplist

Step 7) Show Elapsed Time

• Show Elapsed Time in funnel exploration shows you how long it usually takes people to move from one funnel step to the next. 
• It helps you analyze the time users spend between each stage of the funnel, offering insights into delays or areas where users might be taking longer to take action.

Screenshot 28: Elapsed Time

• As we can see, the elapsed time between the Add payment Method and Purchase step for the desktop is 3 minutes and 58 seconds.

Step 8) Next Action

• In Google Analytics 4 (GA4), the Next Action in funnel steps refers to the event or activity that users perform immediately after completing a particular step in the funnel. 
• It helps identify what users do next, whether they move forward to the next step in the funnel, abandon it, or take a different action altogether.
• Under the Settings panel, click Next Action.

• A pop-up will appear with a list of dimensions that can be added in the Next Action as shown below screenshot. 
• Note that only specific dimensions can be added as Next Action
• The following screenshot shows the Event Name and Page path + query string Dimensions can be added.
• Add the Event Name in Next action drop target.

Screenshot 29: Event name as Next Action 

Screenshot 30: Results of Event Name as Next Action

• The screenshot above shows the top five possible next actions. 

E-commerce Checkout Funnel: Example of a funnel Exploration report in Google Analytics 4

• In this sample report, we will analyze the customer journey through the e-commerce checkout funnel, focusing on key steps such as First Open/Visit, View Product, Add to Cart, Shipping, Add Payment, and Purchase. 
• We will break down the funnel by Device categories such as mobile, desktop, tablet, and smart TV to explore differences in behavior. 
• Additionally, we’ll evaluate key metrics like active users, elapsed time, funnel completion rates, abandonments, and abandonment rates at each step to help you identify where users drop off and optimize the funnel for better conversions.
• Following are the steps for creating the Funnel report. 

Step 9) Create a Funnel Exploration 

• In Google Analytics 4, go to the Explore tab.
• Click on the Blank exploration.
• Create a new exploration.

Screenshot 31: Select blank exploration

• Add exploration name as E-commerce Purchase Journey
• Set the date range. Let’s choose the range from June 1, 2024, to Sep 18, 2024.  
• Set the visualization to the Standard funnel.

Screenshot 32: Set Exploration name and Visualization as Standard funnel

Step 10) Add and Edit steps 

• Add the following steps to the funnel along with its event condition
  • First Open/Visit:
    • This is the first time the visitor has interacted with the site during their session.
    • Event: first_open or first_visit
  • View Product: 
    • Keeps track of when a user visits a certain product page.
    • Event: view_item
  • Add to Cart: 
    • Keeps track of when users add something to their shopping cart.
    • Event: add_to_cart
  • Add Shipping info:
    • Keeps track of when customers add their shipping information during checkout.
    • Event: add_shipping_info
  • Add Payment method:
    • The step where users add their payment information.
    • Event: add_payment_info
  • Purchase: 
    • The last step is when the purchase is done.
    • Event: purchase or in_app_purchase 

Screenshot 33: E-Commerce Purchase Journey Funnel Steps 

• For this Funnel Exploration, we will Breakdown this report by Device Category. 

Screenshot 34: Device Category as Breakdown

• Set Next Action as the Event name.

Screenshot 35: Set Event name as next action

• Activate Show Elapsed Time 
• That’s it. Your funnel is ready.

Step 11) Analysis of E-commerce Purchase Journey Funnel

• The E-commerce Purchase Journey Funnel Exploration tracks key steps in the customer’s path, from viewing products to completing a purchase. It includes adding to the cart, entering shipping and payment details, and finalizing orders.
• Below are the insights from it.

First open/Visit

• Elapsed time: NA
• Active Users: 2,32,203(100%)
• Completion Rate: 27.86%
• Abandonments: 1,67,518
• Abandonment Rate: 72.14%
• Analysis: Most users abandon after the initial visit, with a high drop-off rate of 72%, indicating that many users leave before viewing products.

View Product

• Elapsed time: 20h 46m
• Active Users: 64,685
• Completion Rate: 18.07%
• Abandonments: 52,999
• Abandonment Rate: 81.93%
• Analysis: The majority of users who view a product abandon at this stage, with an 81.93% abandonment rate, suggesting issues in product engagement or relevance.

Add to Cart

• Elapsed time: 1d 19h 
• Active Users: 11,686(5.03%)
• Completion Rate: 54.27%
• Abandonments: 5,344 
• Abandonment Rate: 45.73%
• Analysis: Only 5% of users add items to the cart, but over half (54.27%) of users complete this step. There's still a significant drop-off before checkout, with 45.73% abandoning.

Add shipping info

• Elapsed time: 20h 08m  
• Active Users: 6,342 (2.73%)
• Completion Rate: 70.25%
• Abandonments: 1,887 
• Abandonment Rate: 29.75%
• Analysis: 70% of users proceed after adding shipping info, with nearly 30% abandoning. This could indicate friction in shipping options or form complexity.

Add payment Method

• Elapsed time: 4h 36m
• Active Users: 4,455 (1.92%)
• Completion Rate: 62.81%
• Abandonments: 1,657
• Abandonment Rate: 37.19%
• Analysis: After adding payment info, 62.81% of users continue. The 37.19% abandonment may be due to payment-related issues, such as method availability or perceived security.

Purchase

• Elapsed time: 15h 11m
• Active Users: 2,798 (1.2%)
• Completion Rate: NA
• Abandonments: NA
• Abandonment Rate: NA
• Analysis: A small percentage of users (1.2%) complete the purchase, reflecting the final conversion rate.

Conclusion

In this blog, we explored how to create a Funnel Exploration from scratch in Google Analytics 4 (GA4). We covered the process of creating funnel steps, differentiating between open and closed funnels, and breakdown data by dimensions for more detailed analysis.

We even looked into an E-commerce Purchase Journey funnel that was built from scratch. We tracked the top events, such as product views, adding items to the cart, and purchasing, to know at which touchpoint users were dropping off.

In short, if you're a marketer who wants to optimize conversion funnels or an eCommerce store owner looking to increase your sales, this exploration will provide insights that will help you to make better data-driven decisions.

Introduction

In this article, we will learn how to create Free form exploration in Google Analytics 4 (GA4).

In Google Analytics 4, the Free Form exploration offers a more dynamic and user-friendly way to explore your data compared to previous versions. 

It enables you to customize how you view and analyze your data, allowing you to organize information into rows and columns, apply filters, and create visualizations like tables, bar charts, scatter plots, and much more. 

The Free form exploration is ideal for in-depth analysis, helping you detect trends, compare metrics, and fine-tune your marketing strategies based on audience behavior. 

It's a powerful replacement for the older custom reports, providing greater flexibility in presenting and understanding your data.

Let’s get started creating it.

A step-by-step guide to creating a free-form custom report in GA4

Exploration tab

Step 1) Create a Free form report 

• In GA4, click Explore on the left side of the GA4 to begin.
• Simply click on the Free Form template.

Screenshot 1: Free-form Explorations

• A Free form exploration screen will open as shown in screenshot 2 below.

Screenshot 2: Free form exploration Variables and Settings

• There are three columns on the exploration tab, Variable & Settings panel and Free form analysis area. 

Understanding Variables and Settings in Custom Exploration Reports in GA4

In Google Analytics 4 (GA4) Free Form Exploration, you can customize your analysis by choosing from different Variables and Settings to display and filter the data you need.

Setting Up the Variables Panel in GA4 Free Form Report

• Variables in (GA4) are the primary building blocks that help define the report's structure. You’ll find these on the left-hand side of the GA4 interface.

• Under the Variables panel we can see the following sections:

• Exploration name
• Date Range
• Segments
• Dimensions
• Metrics

Step 2) Set Exploration name

• Click on the Exploration Name to give a descriptive name to the report that you want to create.

Screenshot 3: Variables > Exploration name 

Step 3) Select Custom Date range

• Here you can set a Custom Date range where you can select a range (i.e. 7 days, 10 days, etc.). Enter the period for the data you want to analyze.

Screenshot 4: Date Range 

• You get a small pop-up where you can select the date range and click on Apply.

Screenshot 5: Select the Date Range

Step 4) Add Segments (optional)

• Segments are subsets of your data. They let you divide your user base into meaningful groups and compare their behavior.
• Up to four segments from the Segments section of the Variables tab can be applied to the exploration
• You can compare the behavior of different groups of users or visitors to your site by creating segments.

Using an existing segment 

• GA4 by default provides five segments.
  • US: Country ID exactly matches US
  • Direct traffic: First user source contains direct 
  • Paid traffic : First user medium contains cpc 
  • Mobile traffic: Device category exactly matches mobile
  • Tablet traffic: Device category exactly matches tablet
• From the Variables tab, you can drag the existing segments to the Segment Comparisons under the Settings panel. Additionally, you can add them by double-clicking the segment name in the Variables tab.

Screenshot 6: Add segments 

Create a new segment

• You can also create your own custom segments based on the dimensions and metrics in your report.
• Click on “+” in the segments.

Screenshot 7: Create a new segment 

Screenshot 8: Create a custom segment

• Types of segments that can be created:
  • User Segment: This segment focuses on a specific group of users based on their attributes or actions (e.g., users who completed a purchase).
  • Session Segment: This segment focuses on sessions that meet specific criteria (e.g., sessions with a specific number of page views).
  • Event Segment: This segment focuses on specific events (e.g., users who clicked on a specific button or watched a video).
• After choosing the segment type, give your segment a name and a short description. 
• Define the conditions based on which users, sessions, or events should be included in the segment.
• Select the dimension, metric, or event that you want to use to define your segment. You can combine multiple conditions using AND/OR logic.

Screenshot 9: Segment description and conditions

• To do that, click on the dropdown you will get a list of Events, Dimensions, and Metrics that can be used to create segments as shown in the screenshot below.

Screenshot 10: List of Events, Dimensions, and Metrics

Edit or Delete a Segment

• At times it’s required to edit or delete a segment. 
• Click on Edit if you want to edit the segment as shown in screenshot 8 below.

Screenshot 11: Edit Segment

• Once you click on Edit a new overlay will appear as shown above, where you can modify the segments. 
• To remove any segment, click on the Remove button.

Step 5) Add Dimensions to Variables panel

• Dimensions in GA4 represent the qualitative attributes or characteristics of your data. It allows you to break down your data and analyze it from different perspectives. 

• Following are the Dimension avaliable in GA4
  • Attribution
  • Custom
  • Demographics
  • Ecommerce
  • Event
  • Gaming
  • General
  • Geography
  • Link
  • Other
  • Page / screen
  • Platform / device
  • Publisher
  • Time
  • Traffic source
  • User
  • User lifetime
  • Video

Add new Dimensions

• Click on “+” next to Dimensions.

Screenshot 12: Click the + next to Dimensions

Screenshot 13: Select Dimensions (347 dimensions available)

• Double-click or Drag & drop or select the dimensions that you want.

Screenshot 14: Double-click or Drag & drop or select the dimensions

Removing the Dimensions

Screenshot 15: Removing the Dimensions

• Click on the close icon as seen in the above screenshot to remove a dimension from the Variables panel.

Step 6) Add Metrics to the Variables panel

• Metrics, on the other hand, are the quantitative measurements that provide insights into your website's performance. These can include user acquisition metrics, engagement metrics, and conversion metrics.
• Following are the Metrics (metric name) available in GA4
  • Advertising
  • Custom
  • Ecommerce
  • Event
  • Other
  • Page / screen
  • Predictive
  • Publisher
  • Revenue
  • Session
  • User
  • User lifetime

Add metrics

• Click on “+” to Add metrics, as we did for dimensions.

Screenshot 16: Add Metrics to the Variables panel

Screenshot 17: Select metrics (173 metrics available)

• Just drag and drop the metrics under the “Values” section under the Settings Panel, as shown in the below screenshot.

Screenshot 18: Double-click or drag and drop metrics

Remove the metrics

• Click on the close “x” icon as shown in the screenshot below to remove metrics. 
• This will only be removed from the Metrics section under the Variables panel.

Screenshot 19: Delete metrics

It's crucial to select the appropriate dimensions and metrics for your custom report. Having too few dimensions and metrics may not give you the insights you need, and having too many can make your report cluttered and challenging to read.  

Start with a few key dimensions and metrics that are closely aligned with your business goals, and then gradually expand your report as needed. 

Before creating free form reports, ask yourself the following questions:

• What are your primary business objectives and KPIs?
• What user behaviors or actions are you most interested in analyzing? 
• Which dimensions and metrics should you choose that provide valuable insights add will help you in the decision-making process? 
• How can you combine various dimensions and metrics to gain deeper insights about your website's performance? 
• By answering these questions and carefully selecting the right dimensions and metrics, you'll be able to create custom Fre form reports in GA4 that deliver actionable insights and drive meaningful business outcomes. 

Configuring Up the Settings Panel for GA4 Free Form Report

Step 7) Select Free form technique

• In Google Analytics 4 (GA4), a technique is the method or approach used to organize and visualize data under the Explore menu.
• Six techniques are available to choose from.
  • Free form
  • Cohort exploration 
  • Funnel exploration
  • Segment overlap
  • Path Exploration
  • User lifetime

Step 8) Select Visualization Table (default)

• Visualization is a specific chart style applied to an exploration technique that you choose. Based on the visualization type, the data is shown in the analysis panel.
• Here’s the list of charts you get to select:
  • Table (The default visualization in the analysis panel is Table) 
  • Donut
  • Line chart 
  • Scatterplot
  • Bar chart
  • Geo Map

Screenshot 20: Visualization type

Step 9) Add Dimensions to Rows and Columns

Rows

• The Rows setting is where you add dimensions to categorize your data vertically. Each row in your report will represent a value from the dimension you select (e.g., country, device category, page title).
• Key Concepts for Rows:
  • Single Dimension Rows: If you select just one dimension (e.g., “City”), each row will represent data for a different city, as shown in the below screenshot.
  • Multiple Dimensions in Rows: If you use more than one dimension (e.g., "City" + "Device Category"), the rows will create a hierarchy where the first dimension (City) is the primary group, and the second dimension (Device Category) subdivides it. This allows you to drill down into the data.
  • Sorting: Data in rows can be sorted by metric values (ascending/descending) for easier comparison.
• For example, add the Device brand dimension to Rows as shown in the below screenshot.

Screenshot 21: Add Dimensions to Rows

• You can also set the row start and the number of rows to display at the same time, as shown in the below screenshot.

Screenshot 22: Select the start row number and number of rows to show

Nested Rows

• Nested rows in Google Analytics 4 (GA4) are a way to structure your data in reports so that it shows hierarchical relationships between dimensions. 
• This feature is particularly useful when you want to break down data step-by-step for deeper insights.

Screenshot 23: Select Yes in Nested Rows

• For example to understand how Nested Rows works
  • Add Device Brand and Device Model Dimensions in Rows
  • Add Browser Dimension in Columns
  • Select Nested Row to yes 
  • Sort the data by Sessions ascending. Filter out (not set) data
  • Now you will get the results as shown in the screenshot below.

Screenshot 24: Results grouped by Nested rows

• As you can see from the above screenshot
  • Device model SM-S918U, SM-S918U1 are grouped under Device Brand Samsung, 
  • Device model Pixel 8 pro, Pixel 7 pro are grouped under Device Brand Google

Columns

• The Columns setting allows you to add dimensions horizontally, giving you a comparative view across different categories. Columns complement rows and allow side-by-side analysis.
• Key concepts for Columns
  • Single Dimension Columns: You can apply a dimension like Device Category to the columns. This will let you compare metrics for each device (e.g., mobile, desktop, tablet) side by side.
  • Multiple Dimensions in Columns: If you add multiple dimensions, the columns will create a layered structure, offering deeper comparisons. However, using too many dimensions in columns can make the report visually overwhelming.
• Below is an example of Browser Dimension added in Column

Screenshot 28: Add Browser dimension in Columns

• Column Groups allow you to structure and analyze your data by breaking it down into different dimensions across multiple columns. 
• Essentially, column groups let you analyze multiple dimensions of data, and they are particularly useful for comparing different segments, metrics, or dimensions in a clear, structured manner.
• In simple words, it’s the number of columns (groups) to display in the table.  You can select 20 as the maximum show column group. 
• For example to understand how Column group works
  • Add Device Brand Dimensions in Rows
  • Add Browser Dimension in Columns
  • Set Start Column Group to 1 (if you set it to 3 the data will be shown from the 3rd column)
  • Set the Show column Group to 10
  • Sort the data by Sessions ascending. Filter out (not set) data
  • You will see 10 Columns of Browser Dimension. By default its 5 which means only five columns will be shown in the table  

Screenshot 29: Show column groups

Step 10) Add Metrics to Values

• The Values section is where you add Metrics from the Variables tab. These are the quantitative elements of your report, showing the actual numbers that relate to the dimensions you've set in rows and columns.
• Select the metrics that you want to see in the report. A maximum of 10 metrics can be added to the Values section to be displayed in the analysis table.

Screenshot 30: Add Metric to Values and Cell type

• By default, cell type is Bar Chart. It adds a small horizontal bar (blue border) at the bottom of each cell to represent the value in a visual way. The length of the bar corresponds to the value of the data in the cell.
• Heat Map cell type colors the cells based on the magnitude of the values. Cells with higher values are displayed in darker shades, while cells with lower values have lighter shades.
• Plain Text cell type removes any visual indicators (like bars or colors) and displays the data as simple numbers or text.

Screenshot 31: Select the Cell type 

Step 11) Apply Filters

• Filters allow you to include or exclude data based on certain conditions.
• Key Concepts for Filters:
  • Single Condition Filter: You can filter the report to only show data for a specific dimension value (e.g., only users from Country US).
  • Multiple Conditions Filter: You can stack multiple conditions to refine your data further (e.g., users from the US who visited the website using a mobile device).
  • Excluding Data: Filters also let you exclude specific values (e.g., exclude all traffic from a certain referral source).
  • Dynamic Filters: These filters can dynamically adjust based on the data available, giving you flexibility in narrowing down or expanding the scope of the report.

• You can filter by Both Dimensions and Metrics

Screenshot 32: Click on Filters

• Set a condition and enter an expression that you want to filter.
  • Exactly matches
  • Contains  
  • Begins with 
  • End with
  • Matches regex
  • Does not exactly match 
  • Does not contain
  • Does not begin with 
  • Does not end with 
  • Does not match regex 
• For example, if you want to exclude page_view event. 
• Then you need to select Dimension as Event Name, condition as exactly matches with expression page_view as shown in the below screenshot. 

Screenshot 33: Select Event Name exactly matches

Step 12) Analysis Area

• In Google Analytics 4 (GA4), the Analysis Area (sometimes called the Canvas) is on the right side of the settings tab where your data visualization and analysis are shown. 
• All the elements—such as rows, columns, dimensions, and metrics—are combined and displayed according to the chosen report type or technique.
• The selected technique is added as a tab in the analysis area.

Screenshot 34: Add a new tab within the current exploration

• You can add multiple exploration techniques to the analysis area as new tabs. Select the type of exploration that you want to be shown in the New Tab. A pop-up will appear as shown below.

Screenshot 35: Select Free form Exploration in new tab

Screenshot 36: Duplicate or Delete the Tab

• You can switch between tabs easily.

Screenshot 37: Switch between Tabs

Examples of Free-form reports in Google Analytics 4

Analyzing Device Brands and Browsers in GA4 Freeform Reports

In this sample report, let’s analyze data of different device brands (e.g., Apple, Samsung) and browsers (e.g., Chrome, Safari) in terms of sessions, average session duration, and bounce rate, along with add-to carts, checkouts, and total revenue.

Following are the steps for creating the report. 

Step 13) Create a new exploration.

• Go to the Explore Tab in Google Analytics.
• Click on the Blank page.
• Create a new exploration.

Screenshot 38: Create a new exploration

• Add exploration name as Device brand and Browser analysis. 
• Set the date range to This year 

Step 14) Add Dimensions to Rows and Columns 

• Add dimensions as mentioned in the screenshot below.
  • Browser 
  • Device brand 

Screenshot 39: Add Exploration name and dimension

• Now double-click, drag & drop, or select the Device brand dimension to add them to the Rows.
• To keep it easy, follow the color of the dimension and metrics in the Variables panel set beside every box (dotted left border), and match the color in Rows and Columns (Green) or Values (Blue) under the Settings panel.
• Select the number of rows to 500 in Show rows dropdown 

Screenshot 40: Double click or drag & drop or select Dimension in rows

• Now select the Browser dimension and drop in under Columns section as shown below.

Screenshot 41: Add Browser dimension in Columns

Step 15) Add Metrics to Values 

• Now add the following metrics by clicking the “+” icon.
  • Sessions 
  • Average session duration 
  • Bounce Rate 
  • Add to carts 
  • Total Revenue 
  • Checkouts

Screenshot 42: Add metrics in the Variables Panel

• Then move those to the Values section.
• Keep the Settings > Values columns in sequence as given below
  • Sessions 
  • Average session duration 
  • Bounce Rate 
  • Add to carts 
  • Checkouts
  • Total Revenue 

Screenshot 43: Add Metrics in Settings > Values 

• After adding the values shown in the above screenshot, you will get the data shown in the screenshot below.
• Sort the data A-Z by the Device brand by clicking beside it.
• After sorting, the first 2 rows would be blank and (not set) for Device brand. This indicates that GA4 was not able to capture data of it.
• In GA4 (not set) refers to missing, undefined, or unrecognized data for a specific dimension or metric.
• Blank data in Google Analytics 4 (GA4) can occur when certain data points are missing, improperly configured, or not tracked. Blank cells in reports indicate that GA4 couldn’t collect the relevant information for a given dimension or metric.

Screenshot 44: Sort the data by Device brand 

• To skip the blank and (not set) data of Device brand, scroll down to filters under the Settings Tab.
• Select dimenion Device Brand.

Screenshot 45: Filters

Screenshot 46: Select Device Brand dimension

• Select match type does not contain.

Screenshot 47: Select match type does not contain

• Enter the expression (not set) and click on Apply.

Screenshot 48: Set Filter Expression to (not set) 

• After clicking Apply you can see that the (not set) is filtered. 

Screenshot 49: (not set) data is filtered

• Same as you did for (not set) perform the same steps to filter empty data.
• Set the Dimension as Device brand, match type as contains, in expression, add blank space, and hit Apply.
• Another filter that can be applied is to show sessions greater than zero. For that, select match type as Sessions and select condition “>” and expression “0.”
• You will see the filters applied in the screenshot below.

Screenshot 50: Add Filters

• After applying all filters, you will get the data as shown below.

Screenshot 51: Data after Applying Filters

Step 16) Analysis of Device and Browser Performance Report 

• The above free-form report shows different browsers and device brands sessions and buying journeys. 
• Below are the insights of it.

Sessions 

• As we can see from the data, Google and Apple devices have the highest number of sessions, with an average session duration of 3 minutes 57 seconds and 3 minutes 51 seconds. 
• Also, the bounce rate is 35.12% of Google and 31.5% of Apple respectively. 

Total Revenue 

• As we can see again, Apple (33,995) and Google (32,863) device brands have the highest numbers of add-to-carts and checkouts, hence the total revenue.
• Revenue generated from Apple devices is $633,363 and that from Google devices is $483,244.

Conclusion

In this blog, we learned about creating a Free form report from scratch. We also understood the concept of dimension and metrics, which are basic building blocks for creating free form reports.

The ability to create Free form custom reports in GA4 is a game-changing feature that empowers you to unlock the true potential of your website data. 

As you continue your journey with GA4, here are some key next steps to consider:

• Regularly review and update your custom reports to ensure they continue to align with your evolving business goals and priorities.
• Experiment with different combinations of dimensions, metrics, filters, and segments to uncover new insights and opportunities for optimization.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to align your custom reporting efforts with broader organizational objectives.
• Stay up-to-date with the latest GA4 features and updates, as the platform continues to evolve and enhance its reporting capabilities.
• Continuously evaluate the effectiveness of your custom reports and make adjustments to improve their impact and usefulness.

By embracing the power of custom reports in GA4, you'll be on your way to unlocking a new level of data-driven decision-making for your business.

Have you ever wondered how certain websites manage to hold your interest? Frequently, a simple yet incredibly useful tool like a chatbot makes all the difference. Chatbots do more than just respond to queries; they also improve the intelligence of your website by offering real-time assistance and retaining users. 

This is essential for converting infrequent browsers into devoted patrons. Adding a chatbot to your WordPress website is simple and efficient when you use the Tidio plugin.

We are going to demonstrate to you today how to use Tidio to add a chatbot to your WordPress website. Anyone who wants to improve customer interactions without getting bogged down in technical intricacies should definitely check out this tutorial. 

You may quickly get a fully functional chatbot up and running on your website by following our easy-to-follow steps. Are you prepared to begin? Let's get started and improve the invitingness of your website for visitors!

Why Add a Chatbot to Your Website?

Adding a chatbot to your website can transform how you interact with visitors, providing a seamless blend of automation and personal touch that's essential in today's fast-paced digital landscape. Whether you're running an e-commerce site, a blog, or a corporate website, a chatbot serves as your front-line communication tool, instantly engaging with users and helping to guide them through your site.

Here are a few key reasons to consider adding a chatbot to your website:

• Instant Customer Support: Chatbots are available around the clock to answer questions and resolve issues. They can handle multiple inquiries at once, ensuring that your visitors receive immediate assistance, any time of the day or night.

• Increased Engagement: By initiating conversations and responding promptly, chatbots keep users engaged. This interactive experience can significantly reduce bounce rates and keep visitors on your site longer.

• Lead Generation and Qualification: Chatbots can gather information by asking relevant questions, helping you capture and qualify leads automatically. This makes your sales funnel more efficient and ensures that your team focuses on the most promising leads.

• Cost Efficiency: Automating customer support with chatbots can reduce the workload on your human staff and cut down on operational costs. By handling routine inquiries, chatbots free up your team to tackle more complex issues.

• Personalized User Experience: Chatbots can deliver personalized experiences by recommending products, services, or content based on the user's behavior and past interactions. This tailored approach often leads to higher satisfaction rates and increased sales.

• Scalability: As your business grows, a chatbot scales with it. You won't need to hire more staff to manage increased traffic, as the chatbot can efficiently manage thousands of conversations simultaneously.

Integrating a chatbot into your website isn't just about keeping up with trends; it's about making a strategic move to improve user interaction, streamline your service, and enhance overall user satisfaction. With these benefits, a chatbot becomes an invaluable asset to any digital business strategy. 

Step 1: Installing Tidio Chat Plugin

• Go to your WordPress Dashboard and click on Plugins. 
• Go to Add New Plugin. 
• Search for the Tidio plugin and click on Install. 
• Click on Activate. 

Screenshot 1: Click on Add New Plugin

Screenshot 2: Install and Activate the Plugin

Step 2: Creating Free Tidio Account

• On activating the plugin, you can see the Tidio Chat widget on your dashboard. 
• Clicking on the widget, you’ll be prompted to create an account for Tidio. They provide free trial of 7 days. 
• Click on Get Started.

Screenshot 3: Create a Free Account

Step 3: Setting Up Tidio Plugin

• After creating the account, you’ll be redirected to Tidio’s panel to enter the required details. 
• Start by entering the name and your job role. 
• Select how you want to interact with the customers.

Screenshot 4: Enter Your Initial details

• Click on Next to continue to enter the details about your company. 
• You are required to fill in the details about the company’s industry, size, the number of inquiries your company gets, and the platform you used to build your website. 
• Select the appropriate option and click on Next. 

Screenshot 5: Enter Company’s Details

• Now enter general details about how you want to use Tidio, how you came to know about it, and other such details. 
• Click on Start to begin. 

Screenshot 6: Enter Generic Details About Tidio

Step 4: Final Setup

• Tidio chat can be configured with four different ways as per your needs
  • Enable Lyro - AI Support Agent
  • Configure Helpdesk
  • Build Flows
  • Offer live support
  • Talk to customers in real time. Reply to live chat, WhatsApp
• Activate the AI support for chats to minimize human intervention.

Screenshot 7: Enable AI Support Agent

• Click on Build Flows to automate conversations. 

Screenshot 8: Enable Build Flows

• Click on Set up Campaigns to send custom email campaigns to your customers. 

Screenshot 9: Set Up Campaigns

• Click on Configure Helpdesk to handle support tickets.
  

Screenshot 10: Configure Helpdesk 

• Click on Offer Live Support to talk to the customers in real-time. 

Screenshot 11: Offer Live Support

• Select the configuration you want and click on Let’s Go to start with Tidio. You will be redirected to the WordPress dashboard. 
• That’s it your chat is set up easily on your website. Visit the frontend of your website

Screenshot 12: Tidio on your Website

Step 5: Advanced Configurations 

• Your website Dashboard Tidio widget will show the following screen. 

Screenshot 13: Tidio Panel

• Click on the Open Tidio Panel for advanced configurations. 
• You’ll be redirected to the Tidio Dashboard. 

Screenshot 14: Tidio Dashboard

• This dashboard gives you all the insights about your chats.
• Total leads acquired, live visitors on page, customer services, number of flows etc. 

Inbox

• Go to Inbox to get insights about chats. You can get details about your live conversations, support tickets, and views on social media.

Screenshot 15: Tidio Inbox

Lyro AI Chatbot

• Configure Lyro AI Chatbot by providing URL of your website. Go to Knowledge hub to setup. 

Screenshot 16: Go to Lyro section

Screenshot 17: Configure Lyro Chatbot

• You can add questions and answers manually to train the chatbot.

Screenshot 18: Add Q&A 

Flows

• Add flows for easy automated conversations. 
• Flows are pre-designed, automated messages that engage your audience at the right time. 
• It provides three templates
  • Handle missed conversations: It helps you collect emails and build an e-mail list so that you can reach out later and 
  • Keep in touch on weekends: This helps improve customer support experience on Saturdays and Sundays when you're offline.
  • Leaving the page: Decrease your bounce rate. Message every visitor who leaves your website.

Screenshot 19: Add Flows

Screenshot 20: Choose your Support Flow

Customers

• Click on the “Customer” icon on the left menu to see all your live visitors.
• As you can see in the below screenshot, all the live visitors.

Screenshot 21: Customers (Now live)

Set up operating hours

• Go to the Settings tab on the left 
• Click on the Operating Hours tab
• Toggle the switch to enable operating hours. Configure it as per your requirements. 

Screenshot 22: Set up operating hours

Everything you need is now set up, and your Tidio Chat is ready to use! 

Conclusion

And there you have it! Adding a chatbot to your WordPress site using the Tidio plugin is not just a smart move—it’s a game changer for enhancing user interaction and streamlining customer service. With the detailed steps provided in this guide, you're well on your way to providing a more engaging and responsive experience for every visitor. 

Whether you're looking to boost sales, improve customer support, or simply make your site more dynamic, a chatbot is a versatile tool that brings numerous benefits. So why wait? Dive into the world of automated customer interactions and see the difference it makes.