Do you know exactly at what stage of the checkout process your customers are abandoning their purchases? If the answer is "no" or "maybe," your e-commerce business is leaving money on the table . Unlike the previous version ( Universal Analytics ), Google Analytics 4 offers much more complete and flexible exploration tools to answer this question.
While we were once limited to rigid goal-oriented funnels, today GA4 allows for granular analysis of user behavior . Therefore, understanding how to configure these visualizations is essential for any manager who wants to optimize ROI. That's why, in this article, we'll demystify funnel creation and show you how to transform charts into action plans.
What changed in the GA4 funnels?
Before opening the tool, it's essential to understand the evolution of the concept. The funnel is simply the path you expect users to take to achieve a goal , such as a purchase or registration.
In GA4 , the star feature is the Funnel Exploration technique . This tool allows you to visualize the steps users take to complete a task and, most importantly, assess at what point they abandon the process or give up . Furthermore, unlike standard reports, this area allows for advanced customizations, such as segmenting the funnel by device type or traffic source.
STEP BY STEP: CREATING YOUR FIRST FUNNEL
To create a funnel that truly yields insights , you first need to access the " Explore " area in the left-hand menu of GA4. Therefore, follow this basic guide:
- Start exploring: Select the "Funnel Exploration" template from the template gallery.
- Define the steps: In the editor, you must configure the steps. For example, for an e-commerce site, a common structure would be:
- Item view
- Add to cart
- Checkout begins
- Buy
- Analyze the abandonment: The graph will show the percentage of users who progressed from one stage to the next and how many dropped out.
In this context, it's vital to ensure that your website's events (the technical "trigger" when someone clicks the button) are configured correctly. Without accurate input data, the analysis will be flawed.
Open Funnel vs. Closed Funnel
When setting up your exploration in GA4 , you'll encounter an important technical option called " Make funnel open ". Let's clarify these terms.
Open funnel: In this configuration, the user can enter the funnel at any stage. For example, if they click on a remarketing ad that leads directly to checkout, they will be counted in the funnel from that point on.
Closed funnel : This is the standard. The user is only counted if they complete the first defined step. If they enter directly into the middle of the process, they will not appear in the data.
Extra tip: For linear buying journeys, use the closed funnel. For specific campaign analytics or free browsing, test the open funnel.
INTERPRETING THE DATA
To illustrate, imagine a store in the fashion segment. When analyzing the sales funnel in Google Analytics 4 , the manager noticed that:
- 90% of users went beyond the “Product View" for the "Cart".
- However, only 20% passed the “Cart" for the "Checkout Start".
Consequently, the problem wasn't the price or the desirability of the product, but rather the shopping cart page . Upon investigation, they discovered that the shipping calculation was slow and erroneous. After the correction, the conversion rate for this step increased to 60%.
This example demonstrates that the funnel is not just for reporting numbers, but for indicating where your team should take action . You can create segments based on these stages to, for example, create a remarketing audience only with people who abandoned their shopping cart.
CONCLUSION
Google Analytics 4 transformed funnel analysis from a static report into a business intelligence tool. The ability to see where customers drop off and create audience segments from that data is a powerful competitive differentiator.
Therefore, don't let your data "gather digital dust." Start mapping customer journeys today and discover the bottlenecks that are hindering your growth.
Want to professionally configure GA4 and have dashboards that truly aid in decision-making? Contact the e-Plus team of experts and take your data analysis to the next level.
Frequently Asked Questions about Google Analytics 4
Where can I find the conversion funnel in GA4?
Unlike the previous version, in GA4 the more detailed funnels are not included in the standard reports. You must access the "Explore" menu and select the "Funnel Exploration" technique to create custom visualizations.
What is the difference between an open and closed funnel in GA4?
In a closed (default) funnel, the user only counts if they enter the first stage. On the other hand, in an open funnel, the user can enter at any stage of the process and will be counted from that point on. This option is configurable in the exploration settings.
Can I create segments from the funnel in GA4?
Yes. If you right-click on a stage of the funnel (or on the abandonment bar), GA4 allows you to create a segment or target audience with those specific users to use in remarketing campaigns.
What is a conversion funnel?
It's a visual representation of the path users take to complete a task or goal on your website. It helps identify at which step users are abandoning the project before converting.
