Custom Metrics in Google Analytics 4 (Explained)

How do you measure the unique interactions that matter most to your business? Google Analytics 4 (GA4) offers a variety of default metrics, but they don’t always cover everything you need. That’s where GA4 custom metrics come in. Google Analytics Custom metrics allow you to track specific user interactions, such as button clicks and scroll depth. 

In this guide, you will learn what GA4 custom metrics are, how they differ from default ones, why they’re essential, and step-by-step instructions to set them up. You’ll also learn best practices and how Analytify simplifies the process, helping you refine your analytics.

Let’s get started!

What Are Custom Metrics in Google Analytics 4?

Custom metrics in Google Analytics 4 (GA4) are user-defined numerical values that track specific interactions, events, or behaviors that GA4’s default metrics do not cover. These metrics help businesses measure unique actions, such as how often users engage with a particular feature or how frequently a specific event occurs.

For example, if you want to track the number of times users click a “Download” button or watch at least 75% of a video, you can create a custom metric to measure that interaction. 

Unlike default metrics such as sessions, pageviews, and engagement rate, custom metrics are designed or customized to your business needs, allowing you to analyze key performance indicators (KPIs) that matter most for your website.

Difference between GA4 Custom Metrics and Default Metrics

GA4 provides a range of metrics to help you analyze user behavior, but not all businesses have the same tracking needs. Understanding the differences between these two types of metrics can help you decide when to rely on built-in data and when to create your own:

Feature	Default Metrics	Custom Metrics
Definition	Predefined by GA4 and available by default.	User-defined and based on event parameters.
Customization	It cannot be modified.	Fully customizable based on business needs.
Example Metrics	Sessions, Pageviews, Bounce Rate, Engagement Rate.	Scroll Depth, Click on CTA Buttons and Video Playback Percentage.
Setup Process	No setup is required; it is automatically tracked.	Requires manual setup and event parameter registration.
Use Case	General tracking and reporting.	Tracking specific interactions unique to your business.

Google Analytics Custom metrics give you greater flexibility in measuring user interactions beyond the standard GA4 metrics. Setting them up correctly allows you to analyze unique user behaviors that align with your business objectives.

Why Does Your Business Need Custom Metrics?

Relying solely on GA4’s default metrics is like using a one-size-fits-all approach to track your business performance—it might work in general, but it won’t capture the details that truly define your success. 

GA4 Custom metrics let you measure the most important interactions in your business, whether it’s how users engage with a key feature, complete a form, or interact with your content. Here’s why your business needs custom metrics:

• Every business has different priorities. GA4 Custom metrics allow you to track key actions directly impacting your goals, whether user engagement, lead conversions, or customer retention.
• GA4 Custom metrics can help you better understand customer behavior, preferences, and satisfaction, enabling you to deliver more personalized experiences.
• By tracking unique aspects of your business, you can identify strengths and opportunities that competitors might overlook. This allows you to refine your strategy.
• Focusing on metrics directly impacting your business allows you to allocate resources more effectively, ensuring time, money, and effort are invested in the right areas.
• Every business has unique workflows and challenges. Custom metrics allow you to analyze these processes in detail, uncovering inefficiencies or opportunities that standard metrics might miss.

GA4 Custom metrics aren’t just about collecting more data; they’re about collecting the right data. So, By focusing on the right data, you can enhance the performance of your website and stay in the competition.

Dimensions and Metrics in GA4: What’s the Difference?

GA4 dimensions and metrics organize and analyze data that serve different purposes. Dimensions are attributes that describe your data, and Metrics are measurable values tied to dimensions. 

Let’s see their key differences in a simple comparison table:

Feature	Dimensions (Qualitative)	Metrics (Quantitative)
Definition	Describes attributes of data (who, what, where)	Measures interactions and performance (how much, how many)
Type of Data	Text or categorical values	Numerical values
Examples	Page Title, Traffic Source, Country	Sessions, Bounce Rate, Conversion Rate
Purpose	Helps segment and organize data	Helps measure and analyze performance
Data Representation	Descriptive labels or categories	Numbers and percentages
Based on	Quality (describes characteristics)	Quantity (measures performance)
How They Work Together	Dimensions provide the context.	Metrics quantify the interactions within that dimension.

By understanding the distinction, you can effectively use dimensions to categorize data and metrics to analyze its impact. The combination of both ensures a complete display of user behavior in GA4.

How to Create Custom Metrics in Google Analytics 4

Custom metrics in Google Analytics 4 allow you to track specific user interactions that default metrics might not capture. Setting up custom metrics ensures that your data aligns with your business goals. Below, we’ll walk through the process of creating custom metrics using form submissions as an example.

Step 1: Update the GA4 Event Tag and Trigger

Before creating a GA4 custom metric, you need to ensure that GA4 is capturing the necessary event data.

1. Open Google Tag Manager (GTM) and navigate to your GA4 Event Tag.
2. Modify or create a new tag to track form submissions.

3. Under Event Name, enter a descriptive name such as “form_submission”.
4. Add an Event Parameter (e.g., form_submission_count) to pass data to GA4.
5. Save the tag.

6. Now, create a trigger that fires when a user submits a form.

Step 2: Test the Tag

Before proceeding, you must verify that the event tag works correctly.

1. In GTM, click Preview to open the Tag Assistant.
2. Submit a test form on your website to trigger the event.
3. Check the Tag Assistant to confirm that the form submission event fires correctly.
4. In GA4, go to Admin >> DebugView to ensure data is received.

If the event doesn’t appear, troubleshoot by reviewing GTM configurations and testing again.

Step 3: Register the Custom Metric in GA4

Once the event is tracked, you must register it as a custom metric in GA4.

1. Sign in to Google Analytics 4 and go to Admin.
2. Under Property, click Custom Definitions.

3. Select the Custom Metric tab.

4. Click on the Create Custom metric option.

5. Fill in the required fields:
   • Name: Enter a clear name (e.g., “Form Submissions”).
   • Scope: Select Event since this is an event-based metric.
   • Event Parameter: Enter the parameter you set in GTM (e.g., form_submission_count).
   • Unit of Measurement: Choose an appropriate unit of measurement (e.g., Count, Seconds, Percentage).
6. Click Save to register the custom metric.

7. Now, the custom metric is successfully created.

Step 4: Publish Changes in the GTM Container

To finalize the setup, deploy the updated GTM configuration.

1. Go back to Google Tag Manager.
2. Click Submit.

3. Provide a name and description of the version. Click Publish to make the changes live.

Once published, GA4 will start tracking form submissions as a custom metric, allowing you to analyze user engagement more effectively.

Analyzing and Interpreting Custom Metrics in GA4

Once your custom metrics are set up, you can analyze them through the Reports section or by creating a Custom Exploration in GA4. Here’s how you can analyze the data in GA4 using Exploration Reports.

1. Open Google Analytics and go to Explore.
2. Select Free Form Exploration.

3. Name your report (e.g., “Form Submission Analysis”).
4. In the Variables panel (left side), click Segments (optional) to filter specific user groups.

5. Under Dimensions, click + Add Dimension and select:
   
   • Event Name (to filter form submission events)
   • Page Title or Page Path (to see where form submissions happen)
   • User Source/Medium (to analyze where the users came from)

6. Under Metrics, click + Add Metric and select:
   
   • Event Count (to count form submissions)
   • Total Users (to see how many users submitted forms)
   • Engagement Rate (to check user interaction).

7. Drag dimensions to the Rows section.

8. Drag metrics in the Values section.

9. So after that, analyze the newly generated form submission report. Here, you need to  Identify top-performing pages for form submissions.
10. Analyze traffic sources to see which channels drive the most submissions.

By using GA4’s Exploration Report, you can track, analyze, and optimize form submissions for better conversions. A deeper understanding of user interactions helps you optimize your website’s performance based on user behavior.

By using GA4’s Exploration Report, you can track, analyze, and optimize form submissions for better conversions. A deeper understanding of user interactions helps you optimize your website’s performance based on user behavior.

Best Practices for GA4 Custom Metrics

To get the most value from GA4 custom metrics, setting them up correctly and tracking the right interactions is essential. Here are some best practices to help you choose the right metrics and avoid common mistakes.

• Choose Metrics That Align with Your Business Goals: Focus on key user interactions that impact conversions, engagement, or retention (e.g., form submissions, video plays).
  
• Keep It Simple and Relevant: Avoid tracking too many custom metrics; stick to those that provide important updates.
  
• Use Descriptive Naming Conventions: Name custom metrics to ensure easy identification in reports.
  
• Register Metrics Properly in GA4: After setting them up in GTM, don’t forget to register them in GA4 for accurate tracking.
  
• Avoid Duplicating Standard Metrics: GA4 already tracks many interactions, so only create custom metrics when necessary.
  
• Regularly Review and Optimize: Analyze the data and refine metrics based on evolving business needs.

By following these best practices, you can ensure that your GA4 custom metrics are aligned correctly and working properly to optimize performance.

How Analytify Makes Tracking Custom Metrics Easier

Setting up and analyzing custom metrics in GA4 can be complex, especially for users unfamiliar with manual configurations. However, Analytify simplifies the process by offering a user-friendly interface and automated tracking, eliminating the need for complex GA4 setups.

As one of the best WordPress plugins for Google Analytics, Analytify seamlessly integrates with GA4 and pulls custom metric data directly into your reports. This means you can track key interactions, whether standard or custom, without diving into technical details. This is crucial for users who want to utilize custom metrics without GA4 expertise. 

Here are some key features and benefits of using Analytify:

• User-Friendly Dashboard: View Google Analytics data directly in your WordPress dashboard with a clean and intuitive interface. This simplifies access to your custom metric data, making it readily available for analysis.

• Real-Time Tracking: See live data on active users and ongoing site interactions. Real-time data allows you to see the immediate impact of changes or campaigns on your custom metrics.

• Automated Reports: Tracks key interactions like page views, sessions, and user behavior effortlessly. Automation saves you time and ensures consistent tracking of the data that feeds into your custom metrics.

• Simplified Custom Metric Tracking: Easily track key user interactions like button clicks, form submissions, and video engagement without manual setup. This is the core benefit: Analytify removes the technical barrier to creating and using custom metrics.

• Custom Event Tracking: With Analytify’s Event Tracking Addon, you can effortlessly track custom events in GA4 and assign custom metrics to measure specific interactions without manual coding. This empowers you to directly define and track precise user behaviors relevant to your business through custom metrics.

• Enhanced eCommerce Tracking: Track WooCommerce and Easy Digital Downloads sales, revenue, and customer behavior. For eCommerce businesses, you can create custom metrics related to specific product interactions or checkout behaviors, providing deeper insights.

• Campaign Tracking: Analyze UTM-tagged campaigns with a Campaign tracking add-on to measure marketing effectiveness. By integrating campaign data with custom metrics, you can understand how specific marketing efforts influence the user behaviors you’re tracking.

By utilizing GA4 custom metrics with Analytify, businesses can track the exact interactions that matter most—without dealing with GA4’s complexity. This streamlined approach lets you focus on analyzing the data rather than struggling with the technical setup. With its powerful features and user-friendly approach, Analytify ensures it is easier than ever to harness the power of custom metrics.

GA4 Custom Metrics (FAQs)

Final Thoughts: GA4 Custom Metrics

In conclusion, Custom metrics allow businesses to track specific user interactions tailored to their goals, offering information beyond default metrics. Understanding the difference between dimensions and metrics in GA4 is crucial, as dimensions describe data attributes while metrics measure interactions. Creating custom metrics involves defining parameters, selecting measurement units, and linking them to GA4 events for more precise tracking. 

Analyzing these metrics through GA4’s Exploration reports helps businesses optimize their strategies based on user behavior. Tools like Analytify simplify custom metric tracking with an intuitive dashboard, automated reports, and enhanced event monitoring, making GA4 more accessible and efficient. 

For a more comprehensive GA4 setup, you might also be interested in learning:

•  How to create custom events in GA4?
•  How to create custom reports in GA4?
•  GA4 custom dimensions 

Let us know in the comments if you have any questions!