Google Analytics metrics are quantitative measurements of information. For instance, the “Customers” metric exhibits the variety of customers that visited your web site in a given timeframe.

That’s not the one metric Google Analytics measures:
- Periods
- Bounce fee
- New customers
- Web page views
- Avg. session length
- Pages per session
- Conversion fee
Metrics—together with dimensions—make up each report in Google Analytics. Right here’s how metrics and dimensions differ:
Metrics vs. Dimensions in Google Analytics
Dimensions are the attributes of your knowledge.
Whereas metrics are expressed numerically, dimensions are expressed in non-numerical values.
For instance, the dimension “Nation” signifies the place site visitors originates from.

Or you might use the dimension “System Class” to search out out which units guests browse your web site on.
Different Google Analytics dimensions embrace the next:
- Language
- Supply/Medium
- Browser
- Marketing campaign
- Web page
We’ll give attention to metrics for this submit. However you possibly can learn our information to dimensions in Google Analytics for extra info.
Helpful Metrics in Google Analytics
1. Variety of Customers
The “Customers” metric represents the quantity of people that go to your web site.
One person represents one web site customer.
In the event you’re utilizing a Common Analytics (UA) account, you possibly can view your person knowledge by navigating to “Viewers” > “Overview” from the navigation sidebar.

In the event you’ve already switched to Google Analytics 4 (GA4), you possibly can view your person knowledge by going to “Reviews” > “Life cycle” > “Acquisition” > “Acquisition overview.”

In each Common Analytics and GA4, you will note the customers metric in different stories, too.
2. Variety of Periods
A session refers to a set of actions from one person that happen inside a set timeframe.
Say a person visited two pages, trigged two occasions, interacted with a social component, and accomplished a transaction. That might be one session.
Google views it like this:

In Common Analytics, a session restarts after half-hour of inactivity or after midnight. In consequence, a single person can have a number of classes.
Be aware: In GA4, a session doesn’t restart after midnight. Solely after half-hour of inactivity.
You possibly can view customers’ session knowledge within the “Viewers” > “Overview” part of your Common Analytics account.

In the event you’re utilizing GA4, view classes knowledge by navigating to “Reviews” > “Life cycle” > “Acquisition” > “Visitors acquisition.”

3. New Customers
The “New Customers” Google Analytics metric tracks customers who land in your web site for the primary time (based mostly on browser cookies).
You possibly can see your new customers within the “Viewers” > “Overview” part of Common Analytics.

For extra particulars in your new and returning guests, go to the “New vs Returning” report underneath “Viewers” > “Conduct.”

In GA4, you possibly can see your new customers by going to “Reviews” > “Life cycle” > “Acquisition” > “Acquisition overview.”

4. Common Time on Web page
“Avg. Time on Web page” measures the typical period of time individuals spend on a particular webpage.
Monitoring time on web page may help you identify whether or not customers are engaged together with your web site.
View time on web page in Common Analytics by clicking “Conduct” > “Web site Content material” > “All Pages.”

In GA4, Google changed the “Avg. Time on Web page” metric with a brand new metric known as “Common Engagement Time.”
“Common Engagement Time” differs barely from “Avg. Time on Web page.” As a result of GA4 defines “person engagement” as “the time that your app display was within the foreground or your webpage was in focus.”
To see the typical engagement time on your web site, go to “Reviews” > “Life cycle” > “Engagement” > “Engagement overview.”

5. Common Pages Per Session
“Pages / Session” tells you the typical variety of pages your guests browse throughout a session.
This metric offers you an concept about how customers have interaction together with your web site. Or if there are any points within the person journey. Decrease numbers may point out a person expertise downside.
Discover the typical pages per session by clicking “Viewers” > “Overview” within the navigation sidebar.

Google retired this metric in GA4. So that you gained’t discover “Pages / Session” in GA4 properties.
6. Bounce Price
Bounce fee is the proportion of customers who land in your web page and depart with out taking any additional motion.
Like clicking on one other web page, subscribing to a publication, filling out a contact kind, and so forth.
You possibly can view your web site’s bounce fee underneath the “Viewers” > “Overview” report in Common Analytics.

GA4 calculates bounce fee a bit in another way. In GA4, bounce fee relies on the proportion of non-engaged classes.
A non-engaged session is one the place a person leaves your web site in lower than 10 seconds. With out triggering any occasion or clicking by means of to different pages.
So if a person stays in your web page for greater than 10 seconds, the session doesn’t depend as a bounce.
Even when a person performs no additional motion like clicking on one other web page or filling out a kind.
To see your bounce fee in GA4, you’ll have to customise your “Pages and screens” report.
Go to “Reviews” > “Life cycle” > “Engagement” > “Pages and screens.”

Within the prime proper of your display, click on the pencil icon to customise your report.

Select “Metrics” from the “Report Knowledge” part.

From the “Add metric” dropdown, select “Bounce fee.”

And “Apply.”

You need to now see bounce fee in your “Pages and screens” report.

7. Conversion Price
A conversion fee tells you the proportion of customers who’ve accomplished a desired motion.
Like signing up in your web site, buying your product, or subscribing to a publication.
By monitoring conversion charges, you possibly can perceive how effectively your campaigns are working. And establish non-converting pages so you possibly can troubleshoot.
To start monitoring your conversion fee, you first have to create objectives. Targets symbolize conversions that contribute to enterprise success.
In the event you already arrange objectives, you possibly can see your web site’s conversion fee by going to “Conversions” > “Targets” > “Overview.”

To trace conversion fee in GA4, you’ll first have to configure occasions.
That’s as a result of GA4 is an event-based software. Occasions allow you to measure person interactions (like loading a web page, clicking a hyperlink, or making a purchase order).
So for each motion you wish to measure the conversion fee for, you’ll create occasions.
After creating occasions, go to “Reviews” > “Life cycle” > “Acquisition” > “Visitors acquisition.”

Then, discover the pencil icon within the higher proper nook.

Discover “Metrics.”

Then, “Add metric.” And search for “Session conversion fee.”

Then click on “Apply.”

You need to now see “Session conversion fee” in your “Visitors acquisition report.”

Which Metrics Ought to You Monitor?
Any Google Analytics metrics reporting you do ought to align with your enterprise objectives. This fashion, you possibly can decide what’s going effectively and what you must change.
Say you wish to perceive person engagement together with your web site. You may monitor common time on web page, bounce fee, and pages per session.
However if you wish to perceive how your advertising and marketing marketing campaign carried out, you may monitor classes and conversion fee.
If the metric isn’t of curiosity to you or part of your enterprise objectives, it probably isn’t price your time to trace it. Over time, you’ll get a stronger really feel for the metrics you really care about.
Combine Google Analytics with Semrush
To additional analyze your web site knowledge, combine your Google Analytics account with Semrush.
You may also join your Google Search Console account. This fashion, you possibly can view all of your web site’s knowledge—together with your Google Analytics metrics—from a central location. And get much more complete knowledge from Semrush instruments.
Able to study extra about analyzing your web site? Learn our newbie’s information to Google Analytics.