Class 33 - Google Analytics Part 2 |
Advanced SEO Course

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Understanding Sessions in Google Analytics

What is a Session?

A session is the time period during which a user is actively engaged with your website. Think of it like entering a physical shop:

The Shop Analogy:

You enter the shop (door) → Your session begins
You browse different items → Your session continues
Whether you enter from front or back door doesn’t matter → Just like how users can enter your website from different pages
As long as you’re in the shop, it’s one continuous visit

On a Website:

A session starts the moment a user lands on any page of your domain
It doesn’t matter if they enter through the homepage, landing page, or internal link
The session remains one regardless of how many pages they visit

How Sessions Are Tracked

When a user initiates a session, two identifiers are automatically generated:

Component	Purpose	Example
Session ID	Unique identifier for that specific visit	XYZAB123
Session Number	Sequential counter tracking repeat visits	1st visit = 1, 2nd visit = 2

How It Works:

A cookie is saved on the user’s device when they first visit
This cookie helps Google Analytics recognize returning users
Each new visit receives a unique Session ID
Session Numbers increase consecutively (1, 2, 3, 4…)

Session Lifecycle and Timeout Settings

When Does a Session End?

A session terminates in two scenarios:

User Inactivity (Default: 30 minutes)
- If a user takes no action for 30 consecutive minutes, the session ends
- Common inactivity: Closing the browser, closing the tab, stepping away from the device
User Action After Timeout
- If a user returns and performs an action after 30 minutes of inactivity
- This counts as a new session with a new Session ID
- The Session Number increments by 1

Example Timeline:

Time	Activity
10:00 AM	User visits your site (Session 1 starts)
10:15 AM	User browses multiple pages (Session 1 continues)
10:20 AM	User leaves device
10:50 AM	User returns and clicks a link (Session 1 ends, Session 2 starts)

Customizing Session Timeout Settings

Default Session Timeout: 30 minutes Google’s Limits: Minimum 5 minutes | Maximum 7 hours 55 minutes

Why Customize?

Video websites: A 1-hour lecture would appear as multiple sessions with default 30-min timeout
Long-form content sites: Users might naturally be inactive while reading
E-commerce stores: You may want to reduce timeout for faster session separation

How to Adjust Session Timeout:

Go to Admin → Data Collection → Data Streams
Click on your Data Stream
Scroll to Configure Tag Settings
Click Show More
Find Adjust Session Timeout
Set your preferred timeout (5 minutes to 7 hours 55 minutes)
Save changes

Engaged Sessions Explained

What is an Engaged Session?

Not all sessions are created equal. An Engaged Session represents a high-quality user interaction with your website.

Criteria for Engaged Sessions

A session is counted as “Engaged” if the user meets ANY ONE of these three conditions:

Condition 1: Time Threshold

User stays on the website for more than 10 seconds

Sessions lasting less than 10 seconds = NOT engaged

Condition 2: Multiple Page Views

User navigates to 2 or more pages/screens
On websites: 2+ page views
On mobile apps: 2+ screen views

Condition 3: Completes a Key Event

User completes a meaningful conversion action
Examples:
- Form submission (lead capture)
- Purchase completion
- Content download
- Video play
- Landing page visit

Real-World Example:

Parameter	Detail
Scenario	Form Submission on Dentist Website
User visits landing page	0 seconds
User fills form and submits	4 seconds
Status	ENGAGED SESSION ✓
Reason	Completed a Key Event (form submission)
Note	Even though time < 10 seconds, it’s still counted as engaged

Customizing Engaged Session Timer

Default: 10 seconds Adjustable Range: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 seconds

How to Change:

Admin → Data Streams → Configure Tag Settings
Find Adjust timer for engaged sessions
Select your preferred threshold (10-60 seconds)
Apply changes

When to Increase the Timer:

If you want stricter engagement requirements
If many users bounce quickly but aren’t truly engaged
If you’re tracking content consumption that requires longer reading time

Working with Events and Key Events

What is an Event?

In Google Analytics, everything that happens on your website is an event. Events are the actions users take.

Event Examples:

Page views (visiting a page)
Clicks on buttons
Scrolling through content
Form submissions
File downloads
Video plays
Product purchases

Events vs. Key Events

Aspect	Events	Key Events
Definition	Any user action on the website	Important conversion actions
Priority	Standard tracking	High business value
Count in Engaged Sessions	No (unless marked as Key Event)	Yes, contribute to conversions
Reporting	Tracked in event reports	Appear in conversion reports
Business Impact	Low to medium	High

Creating Custom Events in Google Analytics

Step-by-Step Event Creation

Step 1: Access the Events Section

Go to Admin → Data Display → Events
Click Create Event

Step 2: Name Your Event

Google Analytics Naming Convention:

Use lowercase letters only
Separate words with underscores (_) not hyphens (-)
No spaces, no capital letters
Keep names descriptive but concise

Good Examples:

thank_you_visit
lead_generated
form_submit_event
newsletter_signup

Bad Examples:

ThankYouEvent (capital letters)
thank-you-visit (hyphens)
ThankyouPageEvent (mixed case)

Step 3: Decide on Key Event Status

Key Event = Mark conversions that matter to your business

When to Mark as Key Event:

Form submissions (lead generation)
Purchases
Newsletter signups
Free trial starts
Demo video watches
PDF downloads
Appointment bookings

Step 4: Set Event Value

Critical Rule: Never set event value to zero

Why?

Google’s system needs to understand the business impact
Value helps measure ROI of your marketing efforts
Enables revenue attribution reporting

How to Set Value:

In event creation, select “Set event value”
Enter a realistic monetary value
Choose your currency (USD, INR, etc.)

Example – Dentist Website:

Average appointment value: ₹2,000
Actual show-up rate: 10% (1 out of 10 leads visit)
Lead value: ₹2,000 ÷ 10 = ₹200 per lead
Set this as your event value

If Unsure:

Assign at least $1 or ₹1 as minimum
This tells Google the action has value
Better than zero!

Step 5: Choose Counting Method

Two options determine how Google counts repeated actions:

Option A: “Once per Event”

Counts every single occurrence
User fills form 10 times = 10 events counted
Best for: Actions that should be counted individually

Option B: “Once per Session”

Counts maximum once per session
User fills form 10 times in one session = counts as 1
Best for: Duplicate actions by same user in same session

Example Decision:

Dentist Website Scenario:

Same user fills form twice in one session
Will they get two dental treatments? No
Use: “Once per session”

E-commerce Scenario:

User adds different items to cart multiple times
Each addition is a separate action
Use: “Once per event”

Advanced Event Tracking Examples

Example 1: Tracking Thank You Page Visits

Scenario: Track form submissions by monitoring visits to a thank-you page

Setup:

Setting	Value
Event Name	`thank_you_visit`
Key Event	Yes ✓
Value	$50 (or relevant currency)
Count Method	Once per session
Trigger Condition	page_view + URL contains `/thank-you`

Why This Works:

When form is submitted → redirects to /thank-you page
Page view triggers the event
Gives you form submission count without coding

Example 2: Tracking Form Submissions Directly

Scenario: Capture direct form submission events

Setup:

Setting	Value
Event Name	`lead_generated`
Key Event	Yes ✓
Value	$25
Count Method	Once per event
Trigger Condition	form_submit on `/landing-page`

Implementation:

Select form_submit as the event name
Specify URL: /landing-page (or your specific landing page)
Automatically triggers when form is submitted

Example 3: Tracking AI Traffic (ChatGPT, Perplexity)

Scenario: Monitor how much traffic comes from AI chatbots

Why It Matters:

AI tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity send traffic to websites
They include referral information: utm_source=chatgpt.com
Track this to understand emerging traffic sources

Setup:

Setting	Value
Event Name	`chatgpt_traffic`
Key Event	No
Trigger Condition	page_referrer contains “chatgpt”
Additional Setting	Copy parameters from source event

Step-by-Step:

Create Event → View More Options
Remove default page_view condition
Add condition: page_referrer contains “chatgpt”
Name event: chatgpt_traffic
Check “Copy parameters from source event”
Save and Create

Result: All ChatGPT referral traffic automatically tagged in a custom event

Bonus: Create similar events for:

perplexity_traffic
google_gemini_traffic
other_ai_traffic

Example 4: Tracking 404 Errors

Scenario: Monitor broken pages and user experience issues

Setup:

Setting	Value
Event Name	`404_tracking`
Key Event	No
Trigger Condition	page_title contains “404”

Step-by-Step:

Create Event → View More Options
Search for property: page_title
Set condition: page_title contains “404”
Name event: 404_views
Save

Benefit: Automatically capture all 404 errors across your site without manual URL specification

Example 5: Combining Multiple Events with Regex

Scenario: Track multiple AI sources in one filter

Condition: page_referrer matches regex chatgpt_traffic|perplexity_traffic|gemini_traffic

What This Does:

Captures traffic from multiple sources simultaneously
Uses pipe operator (|) to combine conditions
Single report shows all AI traffic combined

Syntax:

event1 | event2 | event3

Building Custom Reports

Creating a Detailed Custom Report

Step 1: Access the Reports Section

Navigate to Reports → Library
Click Create New Report
Select Create Detailed Report
Choose Blank template

Step 2: Initial Setup

First Action: Hide the bar chart

Removes visual clutter
Makes table easier to read
Focuses on data

Step 3: Select Dimensions

Dimensions = The categories you want to analyze

Example 1 – By Event Name:

Click Dimensions
Select Event Name
Click Apply

Result: See metrics broken down by individual events

Example 2 – By Page Path:

Click Dimensions
Select Page Path
Click Apply

Result: See metrics for each page on your website

Pro Tip: Limit to 1-2 dimensions for clarity

Step 4: Select Metrics

Metrics = The data you want to measure

Essential Metrics:

Metric	What It Shows
Total Users	Number of unique visitors
Sessions	Total number of visits
Views per Session	Average pages viewed per visit
Events per Session	Average actions per visit
Engaged Sessions	High-quality sessions
Engagement Rate	Percentage of engaged sessions
Average Session Duration	How long users stay (in seconds)

How to Add Metrics:

Click Metrics
Search for desired metric
Click to select
Click Apply

Recommended Metrics Combinations:

Beginner: Total Users + Sessions + Average Session Duration
Intermediate: Total Users + Sessions + Views per Session + Engagement Rate
Advanced: Total Users + Sessions + Engaged Sessions per User + Views per Session

Step 5: Add Filters

Filters = Focus on specific data segments

Example 1 – Track One Specific Event:

Click Filter
Search for Event Name
Select “Contains” (or “Exactly Matches”)
Enter event name: chatgpt_traffic
Click Apply

Result: Report shows only ChatGPT traffic metrics

Example 2 – Track Multiple Events:

Click Filter → Add New Condition
Select Event Name → Matches Regex
Enter: chatgpt_traffic|perplexity_traffic
Click Apply

Result: Report includes both ChatGPT and Perplexity traffic combined

Building a Session Quality Report

Purpose: Understand how engaged your audience is

Recommended Setup:

Component	Selection
Dimensions	Page Path + User Country
Metrics	Total Users, Sessions, Engaged Sessions, Views per Session, Average Session Duration
Filter	Engagement Rate > 30%

What You’ll Learn:

Which pages attract quality traffic
Geographic distribution of engaged users
How many pages engaged users typically visit
Which content keeps users on site longest

Action Steps Based on Report:

High Views per Session: Content is engaging, link to related pages
Low Views per Session: Page may need better content, calls-to-action, or internal linking
Short Average Duration: Content might be too long or unclear
Long Average Duration: Users find value; promote this content more

Key Metrics Explained

Events per Session

Definition: Average number of actions users take during one visit

Interpretation:

High (5+): Users are very interactive and engaged
Medium (2-4): Good engagement
Low (1): Users take minimal actions

How to Improve: Add internal links, calls-to-action, interactive elements

Views per Session

Definition: Average number of pages viewed per visit

Interpretation:

Above 1.5: Users explore multiple pages (healthy)
Below 1.0: Users leave quickly (bounce heavy)
Trending upward: Content quality improving

How to Improve:

Add related article links
Create clear navigation
Improve content relevance

Average Engagement Time per Session

Definition: How long users stay on your website during one visit

What Counts as Engagement:

Time spent actively on the page
Scrolling, clicking, typing
Video playback time
Inactive time does NOT count

Industry Benchmarks:

Blog content: 2-5 minutes
Product pages: 1-3 minutes
Checkout flow: 3-10 minutes
Educational content: 5-15 minutes

Engaged Sessions per Active User

Definition: How many high-quality sessions each user initiates

Why It Matters:

Indicates user loyalty
Shows content quality
Helps identify repeat visitors vs. one-time visitors

Good Sign: Same user with multiple engaged sessions across different dates

Best Practices for Event Tracking

1. Name Events Consistently

Use snake_case (underscores, lowercase)
Create a naming convention document
Share with team for consistency

2. Always Assign Event Values

Never leave values at zero
Align values with business impact
Update values as conversion rates change

3. Choose Appropriate Counting Methods

Think about duplicate actions
Consider user intent
Test and adjust based on data patterns

4. Mark Key Events Strategically

Only mark truly important conversions
Avoid over-marking (clogs up reporting)
Ideal: 5-10 Key Events per website

5. Keep Reports Simple

Max 3 metrics per report
Use 1-2 dimensions
Create multiple focused reports instead of one massive report

6. Regular Report Maintenance

Save customized reports with clear names
Organize reports in folders
Archive outdated reports

7. Document Your Event Taxonomy

Create a spreadsheet listing all events
Document trigger conditions
Note business purpose for each event
Share with stakeholders

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake	Impact	Solution
Setting event value to $0	Can’t measure ROI	Always assign minimum $1 value
Inconsistent naming	Confusing reports	Use naming convention document
Too many Key Events	Report clutter	Limit to 5-10 important conversions
Not filtering reports	Irrelevant data	Use filters to segment traffic
Creating identical reports	Redundant work	Combine metrics thoughtfully
Ignoring Engaged Sessions	Miss engagement patterns	Always include in quality reports
No documentation	Team confusion	Document all events and purposes

Key Takeaways

Sessions Fundamentals

✓ Sessions begin when users land on any page of your domain ✓ Sessions are identified by unique Session IDs ✓ Sessions end after 30 minutes of inactivity (default) ✓ Session timeout is customizable (5 min – 7 hrs 55 min)

Engaged Sessions

✓ High-quality sessions meeting one of three criteria:

Time: 10+ seconds on page
Navigation: 2+ page views
Conversion: 1+ Key Event completion ✓ Customizable engagement timer (10-60 seconds)

Events & Key Events

✓ Events track all user actions on your website ✓ Key Events mark conversions with business value ✓ Always set monetary values for Key Events ✓ Choose between “per event” or “per session” counting

Custom Event Examples

✓ Thank-you page visits (form submissions) ✓ AI traffic sources (ChatGPT, Perplexity) ✓ 404 error tracking ✓ Specific form submissions ✓ Content downloads, signups, purchases

Effective Reporting

✓ Thank-you page visits (form submissions) ✓ AI traffic sources (ChatGPT, Perplexity) ✓ 404 error tracking ✓ Specific form submissions ✓ Content downloads, signups, purchases

Next Steps

mmediate: Audit your current events in Google Analytics
This Week: Create 3-5 custom events aligned with your business goals
This Month: Build 5-10 customized reports for key stakeholders
Ongoing: Monitor reports weekly and adjust event tracking as needed

Additional Resources to Learn

After mastering this content, explore:

Google Tag Manager: Advanced event tracking without code
Google Looker Studio: Advanced data visualization and dashboards
Microsoft Clarity: Session replay and heatmaps
Hotjar: User behavior analytics and surveys

Remember: Understanding sessions, events, and metrics is foundational to data-driven SEO. Practice these concepts repeatedly—both with and without the video reference—until they become second nature. Your ability to track, analyze, and improve based on this data will directly impact your SEO success and your ability to demonstrate ROI to clients.