The essentials of custom settings
- The concept: Tags (Dimensions) and counters (Metrics) that you create to track what Google doesn't measure by default
- Custom Dimension : To qualify (e.g. "Is this a business or a private customer?")
- Custom Metric : To quantify (e.g. "how many times has this PDF guide been opened?")
- Profit : Get reports that finally speak your business language
By default, a tool like Google Analytics 4 (GA4) tells you how many people visit your site. That's all well and good, but it's a bit like a shopkeeper counting only the number of people entering his store, without knowing whether customers came for the "clothes" or "shoes" section.
Visit custom settings (Custom Dimensions & Metrics) are your own checkboxes. They allow you to inject your business reality into your statistics. This is the secret to moving from fuzzy analysis to surgical strategy.
Custom Dimensions: label your data
A Custom Dimension is qualitative information. It is used to describe "something" or "someone" on your site. Some use cases:
- Visitor status : Is it just a prospect, a loyal customer or a partner?
- The author of the article : If you have a blog, which editor generates the most interest?
- Content category : Do your visitors prefer your "case studies" or your "technical tutorials"?
Thanks to these dimensions, you no longer just see "1000 visits", but "600 loyal customers who have come to read our tutorials".
Custom Metrics: create your own counters
Wherever the dimension describes, the Custom Metric counts. It's a numerical value that allows you to measure a very specific performance:
Examples of metrics
- Number of PDF downloads
- Lead scoring
- Average promotional basket
- Video playback time
Configuration
- Define in GA4
- Name your parameter
- Select range
- Analyze in your reports