Google Analytics 4 (GA4) can create audiences based on website or app behaviour. They can support analysis and, when configured appropriately, targeted advertising through Google Ads.

Step 1: Open the audience builder

  1. Sign in to GA4.

  2. Go to Admin (Admin) in the sidebar.

  3. Under Property, click Audiences.

  4. Click New Audience to create an audience.

Step 2: Choose an audience type

GA4 offers several ways to define audiences:

  • Demographic audiences Age, gender, country and similar attributes.

  • Event-based audiences Users who completed an action, such as adding a product to their cart.

  • Behavioural audiences Users who visited specific pages, engaged with the website for longer or returned several times.

Step 3: Create a custom audience

  1. Click Create a custom audience.

  2. Add conditions using relevant criteria:

    • For example, users who visited checkout but did not complete a purchase:

      • Include Users when:

        • Event = "page_view"

        • Page Location contains "checkout"

        • AND NOT

        • Event = "purchase"

  3. You can combine conditions, set the audience membership duration and adjust settings to your goals.

Step 4: Save and use the audience

  1. After creating the audience, click Save.

  2. The audience starts collecting eligible users for analysis and, where available, Google Ads targeting.

  3. To use the audience in advertising, link GA4 to Google Ads under Admin > Google Ads Linking.

Common examples

  • Remarketing to users who did not purchase Create an audience of visitors who did not finish their purchase for targeted advertising.

  • Loyal-customer audience Users who made more than 3 purchases in 90 days.

  • Highly engaged users Visitors who spent more than 5 minutes on the website or viewed more than 3 pages.

Summary

Custom GA4 audiences support more focused analysis and marketing. Use them to investigate opportunities to improve ROI and the user experience.

 

Back to top ↑