Published on 2025-06-26T04:33:47Z

What are Hit-Level Parameters? Examples for Analytics

Hit-Level Parameters are attributes sent with each analytics hit—such as pageviews, events, or transactions—to provide detailed context about user interactions. These parameters include information like page URL, user agent, timestamp, event name, and custom data points. By capturing hit-level parameters, businesses can analyze user behavior at a granular level, improve personalization, and optimize digital experiences. In Google Analytics 4 (GA4), parameters are sent via the Measurement Protocol or gtag.js API, while cookie-free analytics platforms like Plainsignal automatically gather common parameters and allow custom attributes. Configuring hit-level parameters correctly ensures accurate reporting, reduces data collection noise, and supports advanced analysis.

Illustration of Hit-level parameters
Illustration of Hit-level parameters

Hit-level parameters

Parameters attached to individual analytics hits that provide contextual data for pageviews, events, and transactions.

Overview of Hit-Level Parameters

This section introduces the core concept of hit-level parameters and explains where they fit in the analytics data model.

  • Definition

    Attributes sent with each hit that contain contextual information such as page URL, user agent, timestamp, and custom data.

  • Types of hits

    Different interaction types where hit-level parameters are applied to capture user actions.

    • Pageview hits:

      Triggered when a user views a page; captures URL, referrer, and related parameters.

    • Event hits:

      Used for custom interactions like button clicks or form submissions; includes event name and parameters.

    • Transaction hits:

      Emitted for e-commerce purchases; contains transaction ID, revenue, currency, and item details.

Common Hit-Level Parameters

Examples of standard parameters that analytics platforms collect with each hit.

  • Page_location

    The full URL of the page where the hit occurred.

  • User_agent

    Information about the user’s browser and operating system.

  • Event_name

    The name of the event for event-type hits (e.g., “click”, “purchase”).

  • Timestamp

    The time when the hit was recorded.

  • Custom parameters

    User-defined key-value pairs for additional context (e.g., product_category, user_tier).

Examples in GA4 and Plainsignal

Code snippets illustrating how to send and view hit-level parameters in popular analytics platforms.

  • Ga4 example

    <!-- GA4 tracking snippet -->
<script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-XXXXXXXXXX"></script>
<script>
  window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];
  function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);}
  gtag('js', new Date());
  gtag('event', 'page_view', {
    page_location: window.location.href,
    page_referrer: document.referrer,
    send_to: 'G-XXXXXXXXXX'
  });
</script>

  • Plainsignal example

    <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>

    You can also send custom event parameters with PlainSignal:

    PlainSignal('event', 'signup', { plan: 'pro' });

Best Practices

Guidelines to ensure reliable, performant, and maintainable hit-level parameter implementations.

  • Minimize payload size

    Only include necessary parameters to reduce network latency and improve performance.

  • Use consistent naming

    Define parameter names in a consistent format (e.g., snake_case) across all hits.

  • Validate parameter values

    Ensure values conform to expected types and formats to maintain data quality.

  • Test and debug

    Use analytics debugging tools (e.g., GA4 DebugView or network inspector) to verify parameters are sent correctly.

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