GA4 BigQuery Export enriched with Session Traffic Source Data

Google today announced an update to the Google Analytics 4 (GA4) BigQuery Export schema. This update adds a new record, session_traffic_source_last_click, which provides detailed information about the last-clicked traffic source for each session. This data is crucial for businesses using GA4 to understand how users find their website or app and optimize their marketing campaigns accordingly.

Website traffic can come from various sources, including organic search, paid advertising (like Google Ads), social media, email marketing, and direct referrals. Previously, GA4's BigQuery Export lacked details on the specific campaign or ad that led to a user session. The session_traffic_source_last_click record addresses this gap by offering granular data on the last clicked marketing touchpoint before a user session begins.

The inclusion of session_traffic_source_last_click data in the BigQuery Export offers significant advantages for businesses:

• Enhanced Attribution Analysis: By pinpointing the last-clicked traffic source for each session, businesses can gain deeper insights into campaign performance. This allows them to identify which marketing channels are most effective at driving user engagement and conversions.
• Data-Driven Marketing Decisions: With a clearer understanding of how users arrive at their website or app,businesses can make more informed decisions about resource allocation. They can prioritize marketing efforts on channels that generate the highest return on investment (ROI) and adjust campaign strategies for less effective channels.
• Improved Campaign Optimization: By analyzing last-click traffic source data alongside other user behavior metrics in BigQuery, businesses can optimize their marketing campaigns for better targeting and improved results.For instance, they can identify specific keywords that drive higher conversion rates in Google Ads campaigns or tailor social media content to resonate with audiences from particular platforms.

Data Structure and Availability

The "session_traffic_source_last_click" record includes two main categories:

• Manual Campaigns: This section provides details about manually created marketing campaigns outside of Google Ads, such as email marketing blasts or social media promotions. It includes fields like campaign ID, name, medium (e.g., email, paid search), keyword/search term, additional metadata, platform (e.g., social media), specific source within the platform, creative format (e.g., image, video), and marketing tactic.
• Google Ads Campaigns: This section offers details about campaigns created and managed within the Google Ads platform. It includes fields like customer ID, Google Ads account name, campaign ID, campaign name, ad group ID, and ad group name.

The new session_traffic_source_last_click data is readily available for all GA4 properties that leverage the BigQuery Export functionality. Businesses can access and analyze this data within BigQuery to gain valuable insights into their user acquisition channels and optimize their marketing strategies for long-term success.