GA4 Session-Scoped Traffic Dimensions to BigQuery Mapping

GA4 BigQuery

Here’s a breakdown of GA4 Session-Scoped Traffic Dimensions and their corresponding BigQuery fields:

GA4 Session-Scoped Traffic DimensionsWhat it isBigQuery Field Name (Formula)
Session campaignThe campaign associated with the beginning of a session.SELECT traffic_source.campaign AS session_campaign FROM your_dataset.your_table_name
Session campaign IDThe ID of the campaign associated with the start of a session.SELECT traffic_source.campaign_id AS session_campaign_id FROM your_dataset.your_table_name
Session default channel groupThe default channel group linked to the start of a session.SELECT CASE WHEN traffic_source.medium = 'organic' THEN 'Organic Search' WHEN traffic_source.medium = 'none' THEN 'Direct' ELSE 'Other' END AS session_default_channel_group FROM your_dataset.your_table_name
Session manual ad contentThe ad content tied to the session’s start.SELECT (SELECT value.string_value FROM UNNEST(event_params) WHERE key = 'ad_content') AS session_manual_ad_content FROM your_dataset.your_table_name
Session manual campaign IDThe ID of the campaign associated with the session’s start.SELECT (SELECT value.string_value FROM UNNEST(event_params) WHERE key = 'campaign_id') AS session_manual_campaign_id FROM your_dataset.your_table_name
Session manual campaign nameThe campaign name associated with the session’s start.SELECT (SELECT value.string_value FROM UNNEST(event_params) WHERE key = 'campaign') AS session_manual_campaign_name FROM your_dataset.your_table_name
Session manual mediumThe medium associated with the session’s start.SELECT (SELECT value.string_value FROM UNNEST(event_params) WHERE key = 'medium') AS session_manual_medium FROM your_dataset.your_table_name
Session manual sourceThe source tied to the session’s start.SELECT (SELECT value.string_value FROM UNNEST(event_params) WHERE key = 'source') AS session_manual_source FROM your_dataset.your_table_name
Session manual source / mediumThe source and medium associated with the session’s start.SELECT CONCAT((SELECT value.string_value FROM UNNEST(event_params) WHERE key = 'source'), ' / ', (SELECT value.string_value FROM UNNEST(event_params) WHERE key = 'medium')) AS session_manual_source_medium FROM your_dataset.your_table_name
Session manual source platformThe platform responsible for the session’s start.SELECT (SELECT value.string_value FROM UNNEST(event_params) WHERE key = 'source_platform') AS session_manual_source_platform FROM your_dataset.your_table_name
Session manual termThe term associated with the session’s start.SELECT (SELECT value.string_value FROM UNNEST(event_params) WHERE key = 'term') AS session_manual_term FROM your_dataset.your_table_name
Session mediumThe medium associated with the session’s start.SELECT traffic_source.medium AS session_medium FROM your_dataset.your_table_name

Adjust the dataset and table references (your_dataset.your_table_name) based on your specific setup.

Points to consider

BigQuery exports of GA4 data primarily handle traffic dimensions at the user and event levels rather than session levels.

For now, if you need to analyze data at the session level in BigQuery, you might consider the following:

Custom Implementations: Tagging each event with session-specific parameters using Google Tag Manager. These parameters could include session ID, timestamp, or any relevant details about the session.

Using Start of Session Events: Identifying the start of new sessions using ‘session_start’ events and associating custom parameters with these events to simulate session-scoped dimensions. This method is limited to data captured at the session start. You won’t have information about user behaviour throughout the session.

Session manual ad content, session_manual_campaign_name, session_manual_source, session_manual_medium, session_manual_source_medium, session_manual_term: 

These fields all utilize UNNEST to extract values from event_params.

This approach is accurate, but remember that these parameters might not be present in every session event within GA4.

Their presence depends on whether the specific details (ad content, campaign name, etc.) were included in the initial user acquisition event.

Other articles on GA4 BigQuery

#1 BigQuery Introduction

  1. How to create a new Google Cloud Platform account.
  2. How to create a new BigQuery project.
  3. What is Google BigQuery Sandbox and how to use it.
  4. Understanding the BigQuery User Interface.
  5. What is BigQuery Data Transfer Service & how it works.
  6. How to create data transfer in BigQuery.
  7. Connect and transfer data from Google Sheets to BigQuery.
  8. How to access BigQuery Public Data Sets.
  9. Best Supermetrics Alternative – Dataddo.

#2 GA4 BigQuery Introduction

  1. Google Analytics 4 BigQuery Tutorial for Beginners to Advanced.
  2. GA4 Bigquery Export Schema Tutorial.
  3. GA4 BigQuery – Connect Google Analytics 4 with BigQuery.
  4. events_ & events_intraday_ tables in BigQuery for GA4 (Google Analytics 4).
  5. pseudonymous_users_ & users_ data tables in BigQuery for GA4 (Google Analytics 4).
  6. How to access GA4 Sample Data in BigQuery.
  7. Advantages of using Google BigQuery for Google Analytics 4.
  8. Impact of Google Advanced Consent Mode on BigQuery & GDPR.

#3 GA4 BigQuery Data Transfer

  1. How to Connect and Export Data from GA4 to BigQuery
  2. How to backfill GA4 data in BigQuery.
  3. How to overcome GA4 BigQuery Export limit.
  4. How to Send Custom GA4 Data to BigQuery.
  5. How to backup Universal Analytics data to BigQuery.
  6. How to send data from Google Ads to BigQuery.
  7. How to send data from Google Search Console to BigQuery.
  8. Sending data from Google Analytics to BigQuery without 360.
  9. How to send data from Facebook ads to BigQuery.
  10. How to pull custom data from Google Analytics to BigQuery.

#4 BigQuery Cost Optimization

  1. Guide to BigQuery Cost Optimization.
  2. Using Google Cloud pricing calculator for BigQuery.
  3. Cost of using BigQuery for Google Analytics 4.

#5 Query GA4 BigQuery Data

  1. How to query Google Analytics data in BigQuery.
  2. Query GA4 data in BigQuery without understanding SQL.
  3. Using GA4 BigQuery SQL generator to create SQL queries.
  4. New vs Returning users in GA4 BigQuery data table.
  5. GA4 BigQuery Composer Tutorial for ChatGPT.
  6. How to track GA4 BigQuery Schema Change.
  7. Calculating Sessions and Engaged Sessions in GA4 BigQuery.
  8. Calculating Total Users in GA4 BigQuery.

#6 GA4 to BigQuery Dimension/Metric Mapping.

  1. GA4 to BigQuery Mapping Tutorial.
  2. GA4 Attribution Dimensions to BigQuery Mapping.
  3. GA4 Google Ads Dimensions to BigQuery Mapping.
  4. GA4 Demographic Dimensions to BigQuery Mapping.
  5. GA4 Ecommerce Dimensions to BigQuery Mapping.
  6. GA4 Event-Scoped Ecommerce Metrics to BigQuery Mapping.
  7. GA4 Item-Scoped Ecommerce Metrics to BigQuery Mapping.
  8. GA4 Revenue Metrics to BigQuery Mapping.
  9. GA4 Event Dimensions to BigQuery Mapping.
  10. GA4 Event Metrics to BigQuery Mapping.
  11. GA4 Geography Dimensions to BigQuery Mapping.
  12. GA4 Link Dimensions to BigQuery Mapping.
  13. GA4 Page/Screen Dimensions to BigQuery Mapping.
  14. GA4 Page/Screen Metrics to BigQuery Mapping.
  15. GA4 Platform/Device Dimensions to BigQuery Mapping.
  16. GA4 User-Scoped Traffic Dimensions to BigQuery Mapping.
  17. GA4 Session-Scoped Traffic Dimensions to BigQuery Mapping.
  18. GA4 Session Metrics to BigQuery Mapping.
  19. GA4 User Dimensions to BigQuery Mapping.
  20. GA4 User Metrics to BigQuery Mapping.
  21. GA4 Advertising Metrics to BigQuery Mapping.

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