The options for filtering data in Google Analytics include both built-in (predefined) filters and custom filters, with some differences between Universal Analytics and Google Analytics 4 (GA4).
Built-In Filters in Universal Analytics:
- Exclude traffic from specific IP addresses: To remove internal company traffic.
- Include only specific subdirectories: Focus analysis on parts of the website.
- Exclude specific subdirectories: Remove irrelevant website sections.
- Lowercase/Uppercase filters: Standardize data such as URLs and page titles.
Custom Filters in Universal Analytics:
- Custom dimension filters: Segment data based on custom dimensions you set up.
- Regular expression (RegEx) filters: Create filters using complex matching patterns for URLs, page titles, etc.
- Include or exclude specific traffic: Based on IP, geography, device types, user behavior (e.g., number of pages viewed, session duration).
- Segment by traffic source: Analyze data by marketing channels like organic search, paid search, social media, referral, etc.
Filters in Universal Analytics permanently modify data at the view level, so testing on a separate view is recommended before applying filters to the main view.
Data Filtering in Google Analytics 4 (GA4):
GA4 uses a different model, focusing on two main types of data filters at the property level:
- Internal traffic filter: To exclude traffic from your own organization based on IP addresses.
- Developer traffic filter: To exclude traffic from developers using debug mode.
These filters can be configured in GA4 under Admin > Data collection and modification > Data filters. You can choose to exclude or include data matching the filter criteria. Additionally, GA4 allows you to temporarily filter report views using Report Filters that enable filtering on dimensions and metrics such as page, event, or source in detailed reports.
Summary of Filtering Options:
Filter Type| Description| Applicable In
---|---|---
IP Address Exclusion| Exclude internal traffic based on IP addresses| UA & GA4
Include/Exclude Subdirectories| Include or exclude certain website sections|
UA only
Lowercase/Uppercase| Standardize data format for URLs and page titles| UA only
Custom Dimension Filters| Filter based on custom-defined dimensions| UA only
RegEx Filters| Use pattern matching for complex filtering| UA only
Traffic Source Segmentation| Filter data by traffic source (organic, paid,
referral, etc.)| UA only
Developer Traffic Exclusion| Filter out developer debug traffic| GA4 only
Report-level Filters| Temporary filters on report dimensions and metrics| GA4
only
GA4 filters are applied at the property level and can be toggled between testing and active states. They do not permanently alter data but affect incoming data processing. Overall, Google Analytics provides flexible filtering options to tailor data analysis to your needs, using permanent filters in Universal Analytics and property-level or report-level filters in GA4.
If you would like, I can provide a detailed guide on how to create and apply any specific type of filter.
