

Now for what it is, it is a method to artificially reduce the attributed credit that the channel Direct receives, and to give that credit to the other non-Direct channels. The default timeout window is set to 6 months, but this is configurable to anyone who has admin access. Starting with where it is, you can find the setting in the property setting list for any UA property under Admin > Tracking Info > Session Settings: And if they are, they generally don’t realise the extent it effects the campaign data they when pulling reports from GA. It doesn’t matter if you are new to GA or have been using it for years, most people are generally unaware that it actually exists. Navigate to the Channels section in Google Analytics (Acquisition > All Traffic > Channels).I’ve been running Google Analytics training since 2016, and every time without fail I am met with puzzled faces when it comes to explaining the Campaign Timeout setting in Universal Analytics (UA). That way, you’ll always have that Default Channel Grouping to go back to if you need it. Then, before changing the Default Channels, create a duplicate of it as a Custom Channel and set it as “Master” or “Raw” or whatever you want to call it. Create a Custom Channel first and monitor data to ensure it’s getting bucketed the way you want. Warning: If you aren’t familiar with Analytics (or even if you are!), we recommend using the Custom Channels as a precaution to protect your data. The Default Channel Grouping can be see by anyone with access to the Analytics account. To ensure that the traffic sources are being correctly grouped in Google Analytics, you have two options:Ĭreate a Custom Channel Grouping - This is applied to historical data but doesn’t actually change the core data, it simply creates a new “view.” The person that creates a Custom Channel Grouping is the only one that can see it in their account.Ĭhange the Default Channel Grouping - This is only applied to data moving forward, but it does change the actual data and can’t be reverted. How do I modify my Default Channel Groupings? Adroll and Criteo should be Display, Google should be organic and Social should be, you guessed it, Social! For example, in the image below, traffic is incorrectly being tagged as Other in this Google Analytics account.

However, we do see some sources slip into the wrong buckets from time to time. Other - traffic sources that don’t match any of the aboveįor the most part, these default Channel Groupings capture the right sources. Other Advertising - traffic from other online advertising outside of search and display, such as cost-per-view video advertising Social - traffic from social sources, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Yelp, etc.Īffiliates - traffic from affiliate marketing efforts

Referrals - traffic from links clicked on other websites, not including major search enginesĮmail - traffic from links clicked in email messages, whether those are campaigns through a platform like MailChimp or Klaviyo, or an individual emailĭisplay - traffic from display advertising, such as Google Display Network campaigns Organic Search - unpaid search sources such as Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc. Paid Search - traffic from pay per click campaigns run in search results There is also speculation that a good portion of this traffic comes from “dark” sources (i.e., those that are untrackable), such as text messages, instant messengers, and secure searches. This may happen by typing it directly into their browsers or bookmarketing it. Definitions for these channels are:ĭirect - when users navigate directly to your URL. These Channels include Direct, Paid Search, Organic Search, Referrals, Email, Display, Social, Affiliates, Other Advertising and Other. The default Channel Groupings are rule-based classifications of your traffic sources.
#Ga session definition how to#
Today, we’ll be digging into one important setting-Default Channel Groupings-and explaining how to update if yours aren’t correct.īut first… What are Google Analytics Default Channel Groupings? We’ve provided a list of all the default settings you should be aware of in a previous blog, “ Know Your Google Analytics Default Settings.” There are several areas of Google Analytics’ default settings that require some tweaks to ensure you’re getting the most accurate data that you can feel confident using to make important business decisions.

#Ga session definition install#
However, if you simply install the code and don’t make any changes, you may looking at inaccurate data. They’ve made it easy for businesses and marketers of any skill-level to implement and interpret Google Analytics without needing to be a web developer or data scientist. Google Analytics is a powerful and efficient tool for tracking and measuring performance of your marketing channels.
