What is GA4 Page Path & GA4 Previous Page Path | Google Analytics

What is GA4 Page Path & GA4 Previous Page Path | Google Analytics

Understanding GA4 Page Path and GA4 Previous Page Path

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) has introduced a new way of tracking user behavior, replacing Universal Analytics with an event-driven data model. One of the key aspects of GA4 is understanding how users navigate through your website. This is where the GA4 Page Path and GA4 Previous Page Path come into play. These metrics help analyze user journeys, identify drop-off points, and optimize website flow for better engagement and conversions.

What is GA4 Page Path?

Definition for [GA4] Page path in Google Analytics:

“Page path is the part of a page URL that comes after the domain (e.g., ‘www.google.com’) and before the query strings (e.g., ‘?query=1’). The page path can help you identify where your users go on your website.“

Example of GA4 Page Path,

If a user visits:
👉 www.googlemerchandisestore.com/bags?theme=1

  • Domain: googlemerchandisestore.com
  • Page Path GA4: /bags
  • Query String: ?theme=1

In this case, the Page Path GA4 is /bags. This metric is crucial for analyzing the most visited pages and understanding which sections of your website attract the most engagement.

This metric is essential for analyzing which pages attract the most traffic and user engagement.

ga4 page path
GA4 Page Path

What is GA4 Previous Page Path?

The Previous Page Path GA4 represents the page a user visited just before landing on the current page. This is critical in understanding navigation behavior and tracking user journeys. In GA4, this is captured using the page_referrer parameter.

Example of GA4 Previous Page Path

Let’s say a user is browsing an online store and follows this journey:

1️⃣ First Visit: www.googlemerchandisestore.com/home

  • Page Path GA4 = /home
  • GA4 Previous Page Path = (No value, because this is the first page in the session)

2️⃣ Navigates to the Bags Page: www.googlemerchandisestore.com/bags?theme=1

  • Page Path GA4 = /bags
  • GA4 Previous Page Path = /home

3️⃣ Visits the Checkout Page: www.googlemerchandisestore.com/checkout

  • Page Path GA4 = /checkout
  • GA4 Previous Page Path = /bags

Here, GA4 tracks the previous page path for each step. This helps in understanding how users move through your site and where they drop off.

This is useful for:

  • Identifying user drop-off points.
  • Understanding which pages drive engagement.
  • Analyzing internal linking effectiveness.
GA4 previous page path
GA4 Previous Page Path

How to Access Page Path and Previous Page Path in GA4

To track GA4 Page Path and GA4 Previous Page Path, follow these steps:

  • Using GA4 Reports:
    • Go to Reports > Engagement > Pages and Screens
    • Select “Page path + query string” as the dimension.
    • Use filters to analyze specific paths.
  • Using GA4 Exploration Reports:
    • Create a Free Form Exploration report.
    • Add “Page Path + Query String” and “Page Referrer” as dimensions.
    • Analyze how users navigate between pages.
  • Using BigQuery (for Advanced Users):
    • Query GA4 data using SQL: SELECT event_bundle_sequence_id, event_params.key AS event_name, event_params.value.string_value AS page_location, event_params.value.string_value AS page_referrer FROM `your_project.analytics_XXXXXX.events_*` WHERE event_params.key IN ('page_location', 'page_referrer')

Why Tracking Page Path and Previous Page Path Matters

  • Optimize User Flow: Identify which pages lead to conversions and which ones cause drop-offs.
  • Improve SEO: Analyze top-performing content and internal linking.
  • Enhance User Experience: Ensure seamless navigation and reduce friction points.

By leveraging GA4 Page Path and GA4 Previous Page Path, you can gain deeper insights into user behavior and make data-driven decisions to optimize your website’s performance.