Published on 2025-06-28T07:09:01Z

What are GA4 Audiences? Definition and Examples

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) Audiences are dynamic user groups defined by specific attributes, behaviors, or event sequences. In GA4, you can configure audiences based on any combination of events, user properties, conversion actions, and demographic criteria. These cohorts allow you to segment your traffic for deeper analysis in GA4 reports, build remarketing lists for Google Ads, and personalize content across platforms. Unlike the fixed segments in Universal Analytics, GA4 Audiences update in real-time as user behavior changes, offering more agility in targeting. You can also export GA4 Audiences to advertising platforms or integrate with third-party analytics tools. For instance, pairing GA4 Audiences with a cookie-free analytics solution like Plainsignal enables comprehensive privacy-focused insights and targeted campaigns.

Illustration of Ga4 audiences
Illustration of Ga4 audiences

Ga4 audiences

GA4 Audiences are dynamic user segments in Google Analytics 4, defined by events, properties, or demographics for targeted analysis and marketing.

Why GA4 Audiences Matter

GA4 Audiences allow marketers and analysts to group users into meaningful cohorts based on behavior, demographics, and events. These dynamic segments power personalized marketing campaigns, advanced funnel analysis, and cross-platform activation by focusing on users that matter most to your objectives.

  • Advanced user segmentation

    Define audiences using combinations of events and user properties to capture specific behaviors like first-time purchasers or frequent visitors.

  • Improved marketing effectiveness

    Export GA4 Audiences to Google Ads or other ad platforms to create highly targeted remarketing campaigns and reduce wasted spend.

  • Real-time insights

    Because GA4 Audiences update continuously, you can act on the latest user behavior for timely personalization and A/B testing.

How to Create GA4 Audiences

Building a custom audience in GA4 involves selecting conditions or sequences that users must meet. You can combine events, conversion actions, and user properties with AND/OR logic or create step-based funnels to capture sequential behaviors.

  • Access the audience builder

    In the GA4 interface, navigate to the Configure section and click on Audiences to open the Audience Builder tool.

  • Set conditions and sequencing

    Use inclusion and exclusion conditions or define event sequences to specify exactly which users belong to the audience.

    • Inclusion conditions:

      Add events or user property filters (e.g., event_name equals ‘purchase’) that users must satisfy.

    • Exclusion conditions:

      Define criteria to remove users (e.g., exclude past purchasers) to refine your audience.

  • Publish and activate

    After validating, publish the audience. It becomes available in GA4 reports within hours and can be linked to ad platforms or BigQuery exports.

Examples of GA4 Audiences

Here are common GA4 Audience examples for e-commerce and content sites.

  • Cart abandoners

    Users who added items to the cart (add_to_cart event) but did not complete a purchase (purchase event) within 24 hours.

  • High-value customers

    Users with a lifetime value (user_ltv) property greater than a defined threshold, indicating high revenue potential.

  • Potential subscribers

    Visitors who viewed the newsletter signup page (page_view event with page_location containing ‘/signup’) at least twice in a week.

Integrating Cookie-Free Analytics

You can enrich your audience strategy by pairing GA4 Audiences with PlainSignal’s cookie-free analytics to maintain privacy compliance while capturing meaningful data.

  • Plainsignal tracking code

    Embed PlainSignal’s script to collect privacy-focused analytics:

    <link rel="preconnect" href="//eu.plainsignal.com/" crossorigin />
<script defer data-do="yourwebsitedomain.com" data-id="0GQV1xmtzQQ" data-api="//eu.plainsignal.com" src="//cdn.plainsignal.com/PlainSignal-min.js"></script>

Best Practices

Follow these guidelines to optimize audience accuracy and compliance.

  • Validate audiences regularly

    Review and test your audience definitions in GA4’s DebugView to ensure they capture the intended users.

  • Leverage rich user properties

    Define and collect custom user properties such as lifetime value or user tier to build more precise audience segments.

  • Ensure privacy compliance

    Consult legal requirements (GDPR, CCPA) to avoid capturing Personally Identifiable Information and respect user consent settings.

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