How do I create and use audiences in GA4?

Applies to: Google Analytics 4 (GA4)
Last updated: May 2025

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Problem

You want to segment users in GA4 based on behaviors, demographics, or custom criteria—either for analysis or for use in remarketing campaigns with Google Ads.

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Solution

In GA4, audiences are groups of users defined by specific conditions. Once created, these audiences can be used in reports, comparisons, explorations, and shared with linked Google Ads accounts for targeting and remarketing.

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Step-by-Step Guide to Create an Audience

1. Open Your GA4 Property

• Go to https://analytics.google.com
• Select your GA4 property

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2. Navigate to the Audience Builder

• Click Admin (gear icon, lower left)
• Under the Property column, select Audiences
• Click New Audience

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3. Build a New Audience

You can either:

• Start with a suggested audience (e.g., “Purchasers,” “7-day inactive users”), or
• Click Create a custom audience to build from scratch

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4. Define Audience Conditions

Use a combination of dimensions, metrics, and event criteria. Examples:

• All users from a specific country
• Users who triggered the event add_to_cart but did not trigger purchase
• Users with more than 3 sessions in the last 7 days
• Visitors to a specific page path (e.g., /pricing)

Set the membership duration (up to 540 days if linked to Google Ads) and give your audience a name.

Click Save.

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5. Optional: Add Sequences or Time-Based Logic

• You can define sequence steps, like users who did one thing before another
• Example: “Visited Product Page” → “Added to Cart” → “No Purchase”

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Using Audiences in GA4

• You can apply audiences in Comparisons within GA4 standard reports
• Audiences also appear in Explorations as filters or segments

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Using Audiences in Google Ads (if linked)

1. Go to https://ads.google.com
2. Linked audiences from GA4 will appear in Tools & Settings > Audience Manager
3. Use these audiences in:
   • Display remarketing
   • Search campaigns (as observation or targeting)
   • YouTube campaigns

Note: There may be a delay before audiences populate with users. They are built going forward, not retroactively.

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Notes

• You can create up to 100 audiences per GA4 property
• You must link GA4 to Google Ads to use audiences for ad targeting
• Audiences are user-based, not session-based