How do I filter traffic by source/medium in GA4 reports?

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

---

Problem

You want to view and analyze user behavior and performance metrics based on traffic source—such as google / organic, facebook / paid, or direct / (none)—to understand how different channels contribute to your goals.

---

Solution

GA4 lets you filter and compare traffic sources using source, medium, or source/medium dimensions in both standard reports and Explorations. You can apply filters, build comparisons, or create custom segments.

---

Step-by-Step Guide

Option 1: Filter Standard Reports by Source/Medium

1. Go to https://analytics.google.com
2. Navigate to Reports > Acquisition > Traffic acquisition
3. In the table, you’ll see a default dimension like Session default channel group or Source / Medium
4. To change or filter:
   • Click the dimension dropdown and select Source / Medium
   • Use the search bar or filters to isolate a specific source (e.g., google / organic)

---

Option 2: Use Comparisons in Reports

1. At the top of any GA4 report, click Add comparison
2. Choose:
   • Dimension: Session source / medium
   • Condition: equals facebook / paid (or any value)
3. Click Apply
4. Add additional comparisons if needed (up to 4)

You’ll now see side-by-side data for different traffic sources.

---

Option 3: Use Explorations for Custom Filtering

1. Go to Explore > Free Form
2. Add the dimension Session source / medium or First user source / medium
3. Drag it into Rows or use it as a filter
4. Add metrics like:
   • Users, Engagement rate, Conversions, etc.
5. Filter the exploration to show only the sources you care about

---

Option 4: Build a Segment Based on Traffic Source

1. Click + Segment > Session segment
2. Add condition:
   • Session source / medium equals google / cpc (or other)
3. Save and use this segment in your Exploration

This lets you compare behavior by source across funnels, paths, or tables.

---

Common Dimensions for Traffic Analysis

Dimension	Description
Source	Where the traffic came from (e.g., google, facebook, newsletter)
Medium	How it arrived (e.g., organic, cpc, email)
Source / Medium	Combined identifier
Default channel group	GA4’s categorized grouping (e.g., Organic Search, Direct)
Campaign	UTM campaign name

---

Notes

• GA4 distinguishes between first user and session traffic sources:
  • First user source = original acquisition source
  • Session source = source for the current session
• You can combine traffic filtering with conversion data, revenue, or custom events