{"id":6402,"date":"2023-12-06T15:46:05","date_gmt":"2023-12-06T10:16:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/easyinsights.ai\/blog\/?p=6402"},"modified":"2025-10-31T10:23:38","modified_gmt":"2025-10-31T04:53:38","slug":"ga4-audiences-a-marketers-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging2.easyinsights.ai\/blog\/ga4-audiences-a-marketers-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"GA4 Audiences : A Marketer\u2019s Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Marketers are well aware that not all their target audiences are built the same. They have distinct preferences and behaviors. So, if you plan to address their unique needs and behaviors, you must have a granular understanding of all subsets of users. To accomplish this, you have GA4 Audiences <\/em>at your disposal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Audiences in Google Analytics 4 (GA4) are a way to define a subset of users based on some specific attributes. It lets you deep dive into the website\u2019s user data and extract valuable insights for your campaigns. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read on as we explain in detail about GA4 audiences and walk you through the steps to use it on your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overview of GA4 Audiences<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Google defines GA4 audiences as user groups who share the same attributes over a set duration. Audiences let you segment users by dimensions, metrics, and events. So, they can include any subset of users.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, your audiences can include users from a specific country, users who visited your website and purchased a product, or users arriving from any particular campaign, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When a user visits your site, and their engagement data matches with your audience conditions, then they become part of that audience. Based on the audience conditions used, a user can be a part of multiple audiences. Since GA4 collects fresh user data regularly, it reviews audiences, adds new users that match the conditions, and removes those who don\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Different types of GA4 Audiences<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You get two types of audiences in GA4 \u2013 custom and suggested audiences. We use the custom audience<\/em> to create a new audience from the ground up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Suggested audiences are pre-built or partially-built audiences to help you get started. They include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. General Audience:<\/strong> These are pre-built audiences that you can use right away, like recently active users, purchasers, non-purchasers, etc<\/em>.<\/li>
  2. Audience Templates:<\/strong> These are templates you can use to create audiences based on demographics, technology, and acquisition methods.<\/li>
  3. Predictive Audience:<\/strong> These audiences are also pre-built suggestions created by Google\u2019s machine learning models.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
    \"image\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Additional Read:<\/em><\/strong> <\/em>Exploration in GA4: The User Explorer Guide<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    GA4 Audiences Vs GA4 Segments<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Another popular way to create subsets of users in GA4 is to use Segments. These segments also categorize users into smaller groups based on attributes like dimensions, metrics, events, etc. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    So, are segments and audiences the same thing? No, the two are different. Let\u2019s go over some key differences between the two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1. Availability in Reports<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    As you know, GA4 has multiple categories of reports. However, you can\u2019t use segments and audiences in every report. For instance, segments are only available in Explorations, while you can use audiences as part of comparisons in Standard reports. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    2. Retroactivity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    GA4 segments are retroactive, i.e., once you create a segment, you also see past data for them. However, audiences aren\u2019t retroactive. GA4 only starts collecting data based on your conditions from the moment you create an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    3. Shareability with Google Ads<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    You can also share audiences you create in GA4 with advertising products like Google Ads. Then, you can use these audiences to remarket to specific groups of users. However, segments are exclusive to Google Analytics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Addition Reading:<\/em><\/strong> Using Segments and Segment Exploration in GA4<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Uses of GA4 Audiences in Marketing <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Now, let\u2019s see how marketers can leverage audiences in GA4 to their advantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1. Reporting<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    As mentioned above, you can use audiences in your standard reports. You can simply create an audience and make a report about it in GA4. In that report, you\u2019ll see numbers for site visits, engaged sessions, conversions, and all your usual data points for your audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    2. Comparison<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    The Comparison <\/em>option present in standard reports in GA4 lets marketers compare data using dimensions. You can also use audiences to create comparisons within a standard report like a Lifecycle report, User report, Reports snapshot, etc.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Select Audience <\/em>as the dimension and pick an audience you created. Then, you\u2019ll be able to compare the performance of different audiences within the scope of your standard report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    in minutes with
    EasyInsights <\/h5>\n     Book a demo<\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n

    3. Advertising<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    If you\u2019ve linked your GA4 property with Google\u2019s advertising tools like Google Ads, Display & Video 360, etc., audiences will be shared with these tools as well. So, you can use these shared audiences to decide target groups for an advertising campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Additional Read:<\/em><\/strong> <\/em>Google Ads \u2013 Marketer\u2019s Guide to Performance Max Campaigns<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Steps to Create an Audience in GA4<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Follow the steps shown below to create an audience in GA4.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Step 1.<\/strong> Log in to your GA4 property and navigate to Admin > Audiences<\/em>. Then, click the button that says New Audience<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"image\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Step 2.<\/strong> An overlay will pop up with two options \u2013 create a custom audience or use a suggested one. Click the Create a Custom Audience<\/em> option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Step 3.<\/strong> First, give your audience a descriptive name so it is easily identifiable, like Mobile Users, US Male Users, etc. Give any additional details in the Add a description<\/em> textbox.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Step 4.<\/strong> Now, you must configure the criteria to add users to your audience. Click and open the Add new condition <\/em>dropdown menu and pick an event, metric, or dimension.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Next, select a condition from the list as shown below. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"image\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Finally, add a desired event\/dimension\/metric name from the list in the Value<\/em> text box.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"image\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Step 5. <\/strong>You can have multiple conditions. Pick a conditional logic operator (AND\/OR) and click Add new condition<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    When you add a condition, you\u2019ll see a summary of your audience like this. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"image\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Step 6.<\/strong> Now, we\u2019ll decide the scope of the condition by clicking the menu at the top right and picking any of the three options:<\/p>\n\n\n\n