What Is Google Analytics 4 - Measurement?

Google Analytics 4, commonly referred to as GA4, is the latest iteration of Google's web analytics platform, designed to provide deeper insights into user behavior across websites and apps. It offers a more holistic approach to analytics by integrating data from various touchpoints, including websites, mobile apps, and other digital platforms. GA4 focuses on user-centric measurement, emphasizing the importance of understanding individual user journeys and interactions.

Product Type: Analytics

Integration Type: Starter Kit & ID Sync

Event Source Type: Web, Mobile Browser, & Mobile App

Event Scope: Full-Funnel Events

GA4 Measurement Protocol vs Collect Endpoint

MetaRouter has two integrations for GA4:

GA4 - Measurement (Recommended): Uses the Measurement Protocol for server-side tracking with structured JSON data
GA4 - Collect: Uses the Collect endpoint, mimicking browser-based gtag.js behavior

For more information about Google Analytics 4 - Collect, please see here.

Aspect	GA4 Measurement (Recommended)	GA4 Collect
Endpoint	`https://www.google-analytics.com/mp/collect`	`https://google-analytics.com/g/collect`
Method	POST	GET
Data Format	JSON payload (structured)	URL parameters (flat)
Authentication	API_SECRET + MEASUREMENT_ID	MEASUREMENT_ID only
Product Data	Structured `items` array	Encoded strings (`pr1`, `pr2`, etc.)
Consent Support	Full (`ad_user_data`, `ad_personalization`)	Limited
Device Object	Full device information	Not available
Geolocation	`ip_override`, `user_location` (Oct 2024)	Native (`_uip`)
Batch Processing	Events array	Individual events
Use Case	Server-side tracking, batch processing	Browser-like behavior, simple setup
Release Status	Mature (2022), actively enhanced	Newer (2024)

Choose GA4 Measurement (Recommended) for: Server-side integrations, structured e-commerce data, consent management, batch event processing, mobile apps

Choose GA4 Collect for: Simple setup without API secrets, debugging (URL-visible parameters), scenarios requiring browser-like behavior simulation

Capabilities

Structured server-side event tracking via the GA4 Measurement Protocol with full JSON payload support.
Full consent parameter support (ad_user_data, ad_personalization) for compliance with Google's consent requirements.
Batch event processing for efficient delivery of multiple events per request.
Enhanced geographic and demographic data accuracy via ip_override and user_location parameters (October 2024).
Session-level attribution linking for gclid and dclid via the Google Gtag sync.

Considerations

GA4 Measurement vs Collect - GA4 Measurement is the recommended server-side integration — structured JSON payload, full consent parameter support (ad_user_data, ad_personalization), batch processing, and device/geolocation objects. GA4 Collect mimics browser-based gtag.js behavior with simpler setup (no API secret required) but limited feature support. For most server-side implementations, use Measurement.
October 2024 — Geographic and Demographic Parameters - GA4 Measurement Protocol added support for optional user_location and IP address parameters in October 2024, improving demographic and geographic data accuracy. See the Measurement Protocol Geo Info Reference. These parameters do not replace the need for the Google Gtag sync for core identifiers (client_id, session_id, session_number).
gclid and dclid — Session-Level Attribution - gclid and dclid are no longer mapped at the event level. These identifiers are handled via session-level linking through the Google Gtag sync. Ensure the sync is configured and deployed for attribution to function correctly.
Google Gtag Sync Required - The Google Gtag sync is required for collecting client_id, session_id, and session_number, as well as session-level linking for gclid and dclid attribution. The addition of user_location and IP parameters does not eliminate this requirement.
API Secret Security - Keep your API_SECRET private to your organization. If you deploy the Measurement Protocol client-side, rotate api_secrets regularly to avoid excessive spam ingestion into your GA4 property.

Getting Started - From Your GA4 Account

Enable Google Ads Auto-Tagging

Enable Google Ads auto-tagging for Google Ads reporting.

Auto-tagging automatically imports Google Ads data into Analytics. Combining Google Ads data with the rich post-click information provided by Analytics allows you to see what happened on your site after people clicked on your ads. When you enable auto-tagging, a parameter called gclid is added to your landing page URL when a user clicks over to your site from an ad.

Obtain Your Measurement ID

Log in to your Google Analytics account.
Navigate to the Admin section.
In the "Property settings" column, expand "Data collection and modification", click on "Data Streams."
Here, you'll find a list of data streams associated with the property.
Click on the data stream for which you want to find the measurement ID.
The measurement ID is displayed at the top of the page (e.g., G-XXXXX00000).

Obtain Your API Secret

Go to Google Analytics and sign in with your Google account.
Select the GA4 property for which you want to create the API secret.
In the bottom-left corner, click on the "Admin" gear icon to open the Admin settings.
Under the Property column, click on "Data Streams".
Choose the data stream (Web, iOS, or Android) for which you want to generate the API secret.
In the Data Stream details, scroll down and find the "Measurement Protocol API secrets" section.
Click on the "Create" button to generate a new API secret.
Provide a nickname for your API secret (e.g., "My API Secret").
Click "Create" to generate the secret.
The API secret will be displayed. Copy this secret and store it securely.

Security Note: Keep these credentials private to your organization. If you deploy the measurement protocol client-side, you should regularly rotate api_secrets to avoid excessive SPAM.

Adding a Google Analytics 4 Integration

Google Tag Sync (ID Sync Configuration)

To gather the client_id, session ID, and session count, you must configure a Google Gtag sync. The sync also handles session-level linking for gclid and dclid attribution.

Architecture	Description
GA4 Sync - Decoupled	GA4 as a separate sync under parent Google Tag Settings
Google Tag Sync - Coupled (Legacy)	GA4 bundled with CM360/Google Ads in single Google Gtag sync

Both architectures use the same Google Gtag sync configuration and produce identical results. The sync configuration, parameters, and behavior described in the Google Tag Overview apply to both architectures.

Important: The Google Gtag sync is required for collecting client_id, session_id, and session_number, as well as session-level linking for gclid and dclid attribution.

Google Analytics 4 - Starter Kit

From the integration library, add a Google Analytics 4 integration. Then, fill out the Connection Parameters:

Connection Parameter	Description
`API_SECRET`	Each data stream has a unique API Secret for sending data via GA4 Measurement Protocol.
`MEASUREMENT_ID`	The GA4 measurement ID is a unique identifier assigned to each Google Analytics 4 property, allowing data to be collected and associated with that specific property.
`API_ENDPOINT`	The GA4 Measurement Protocol endpoint. Default: `https://www.google-analytics.com/mp/collect`

Add Integration to Pipeline

Once you've adjusted the starter kit:

Go to Pipelines > Select your Pipeline
Click the Right drop-down > Add Integration
Select your Google Analytics 4 integration and revision > Deploy

Event Mappings

MetaRouter provides all of the event mappings that Google Analytics 4 integrations typically require. You may add custom events, parameters or mappings in accordance with Measurement Protocol's API documentation.

Global Mappings

Output Key	Description	Expected Input
`event.params.data_source`	String: Data source of the event	Enrichment - `S2S`
`event.params.engagement_time_msec`	Integer: Engagement time in milliseconds	Enrichment - `1`
`consent.ad_user_data`	String: User data consent	Enrichment - `GRANTED`
`consent.ad_personalization`	String: Personalization consent	Enrichment - `GRANTED`
`user_agent`	String: User agent string	`context.userAgent`
`device`	Object: Device information (mobile only)	Expression - Built from `context.device`, `context.os`, and `context.screen` when `context.device.type` is present
`user_id`	String: User ID	`userId`
`client_id` Required	String: Client ID	Expression - Extracted from GA cookie (`_ga`), falls back to `anonymousId`
`timestamp_micros` Required	Integer: Timestamp in microseconds	Expression - RFC3339 timestamp converted to microseconds
`event.params.session_id`	Integer: Session ID	`context.providers.googleGtag.data.sessionID`
`event.params.session_number`	Integer: Session number	`context.providers.googleGtag.data.sessionCount`
`ip_override`	String: User's IP address for enhanced geolocation accuracy	`context.ip`
`user_location.city`	String: User's city	`traits.address.city`
`user_location.region_id`	String: User's region in ISO format (e.g. `US-CA`)	Expression - Derived from `traits.address.country` and `traits.address.state`
`user_location.country_id`	String: User's country code (ISO alpha-2)	Expression - First 2 characters of `traits.address.country`

Enhanced Geographic/Demographic Parameters (October 2024)

Output Key	Description	Expected Input
`ip_override`	String: User's IP address for enhanced geolocation accuracy	`context.ip`
`user_location.city`	String: User's city	`traits.address.city`
`user_location.region_id`	String: User's region in ISO format (e.g. `US-CA`)	Expression - Derived from `traits.address.country` and `traits.address.state`
`user_location.country_id`	String: User's country code (ISO alpha-2)	Expression - First 2 characters of `traits.address.country`

Note: These parameters are optional but recommended for improved geographic and demographic data accuracy in GA4 reporting.

Event Specific

Page

Output Key	Description	Expected Input
`event.name` Required	String: The name of the event	Enrichment - `page_view`
`event.params.page_title`	String: The title of the page	`properties.title`
`event.params.page_location`	String: The full URL of the page	Expression - Page URL with query string stripped
`event.params.page_referrer`	String: The URL of the previous page	Expression - Referrer URL with query string stripped

Products Searched

Output Key	Description	Expected Input
`event.name` Required	String: The name of the event	Enrichment - `search`
`event.params.search_term`	String: Search term used	`properties.query`

Product List Viewed

Output Key	Description	Expected Input
`event.name` Required	String: The name of the event	Enrichment - `view_item_list`
`event.params.item_list_id`	String: The ID of the item list	`properties.list_id`
`event.params.item_list_name`	String: The name of the item list	`properties.category`
`event.params.items`	Array: List of items viewed	Expression - Products array mapped to GA4 item schema

Promotion Viewed

Output Key	Description	Expected Input
`event.name` Required	String: The name of the event	Enrichment - `view_promotion`
`event.params.promotion_id`	String: Promotion ID	`properties.promotion_id`
`event.params.promotion_name`	String: Promotion name	`properties.name`
`event.params.creative_name`	String: Creative name	`properties.creative`
`event.params.creative_slot`	String: Creative slot	`properties.position`

Promotion Clicked

Output Key	Description	Expected Input
`event.name` Required	String: The name of the event	Enrichment - `select_promotion`
`event.params.promotion_id`	String: Promotion ID	`properties.promotion_id`
`event.params.promotion_name`	String: Promotion name	`properties.name`
`event.params.creative_name`	String: Creative name	`properties.creative`
`event.params.creative_slot`	String: Creative slot	`properties.position`

Product Clicked

Output Key	Description	Expected Input
`event.name` Required	String: The name of the event	Enrichment - `select_item`
`event.params.items`	Array: Items clicked	Expression - Product mapped to GA4 item schema

Product Viewed

Output Key	Description	Expected Input
`event.name` Required	String: The name of the event	Enrichment - `view_item`
`event.params.currency`	String: Currency	`properties.currency`
`event.params.value`	Float: Total value	`properties.value`
`event.params.items`	Array: Items viewed	Expression - Product mapped to GA4 item schema

Product Added

Output Key	Description	Expected Input
`event.name` Required	String: The name of the event	Enrichment - `add_to_cart`
`event.params.currency`	String: Currency	`properties.currency` (default: `USD`)
`event.params.value`	Float: Total value	Expression - Total value calculated via `TOTAL_VALUE` from product properties
`event.params.items`	Array: Items added to cart	Expression - Product mapped to GA4 item schema

Product Removed

Output Key	Description	Expected Input
`event.name` Required	String: The name of the event	Enrichment - `remove_from_cart`
`event.params.currency`	String: Currency	`properties.currency` (default: `USD`)
`event.params.value`	Float: Total value	Expression - Total value calculated via `TOTAL_VALUE` from product properties
`event.params.items`	Array: Items removed from cart	Expression - Product mapped to GA4 item schema

Cart Viewed

Output Key	Description	Expected Input
`event.name` Required	String: The name of the event	Enrichment - `view_cart`
`event.params.currency`	String: Currency	`properties.currency`
`event.params.value`	Float: Total value	Expression - Total value calculated via `TOTAL_VALUE` from products array
`event.params.items`	Array: Items in cart	Expression - Products array mapped to GA4 item schema

Order Completed

Output Key	Description	Expected Input
`event.name` Required	String: The name of the event	Enrichment - `purchase`
`event.params.coupon`	String: Coupon code used for a purchase	`properties.coupon`
`event.params.currency`	String: Currency of the purchase	`properties.currency`
`event.params.shipping`	Float: Shipping cost	`properties.shipping`
`event.params.tax`	Float: Tax amount	`properties.tax`
`event.params.transaction_id` Required	String: Transaction ID	`properties.order_id`
`event.params.value`	Float: Total value of the purchase	`properties.total`
`event.params.items`	Array: The items in the purchase	Expression - Products array mapped to GA4 item schema

Checkout Started

Output Key	Description	Expected Input
`event.name` Required	String: The name of the event	Enrichment - `begin_checkout`
`event.params.currency`	String: Currency	`properties.currency`
`event.params.value`	Float: Total value	Expression - Total value calculated via `TOTAL_VALUE` from products array
`event.params.coupon`	String: Coupon code	`properties.coupon`
`event.params.items`	Array: Items in checkout	Expression - Products array mapped to GA4 item schema

Payment Info Entered

Output Key	Description	Expected Input
`event.name` Required	String: The name of the event	Enrichment - `add_payment_info`
`event.params.coupon`	String: Coupon code	`properties.coupon`
`event.params.payment_type`	String: Payment method	`properties.payment_method`

Product Added to Wishlist

Output Key	Description	Expected Input
`event.name` Required	String: The name of the event	Enrichment - `add_to_wishlist`
`event.params.currency`	String: Currency	`properties.currency` (default: `USD`)
`event.params.value`	Float: Total value	Expression - Total value calculated via `TOTAL_VALUE` from product properties
`event.params.items`	Array: Items added to wishlist	Expression - Product mapped to GA4 item schema

Order Refunded

Output Key	Description	Expected Input
`event.name` Required	String: The name of the event	Enrichment - `refund`
`event.params.coupon`	String: Coupon code	`properties.coupon`
`event.params.currency`	String: Currency	`properties.currency`
`event.params.shipping`	Float: Shipping cost	`properties.shipping`
`event.params.tax`	Float: Tax amount	`properties.tax`
`event.params.transaction_id` Required	String: Transaction ID	`properties.order_id`
`event.params.value`	Float: Total value	`properties.total`
`event.params.items`	Array: Items refunded	Expression - Products array mapped to GA4 item schema

Required & Recommended Identifiers

These identifiers must be mapped to GA4 - Measurement Protocol in order for successful user matching to occur. Without these IDs, any events sent to GA4 may not be accurately reflected in reporting. For your convenience, required and recommended IDs are mapped as Global parameters to ensure they are added to every event.

Attribute	Description	Example	Sync Injector Required?
`client_id` Required	Google Analytics client ID	`35009a79-1a05-49d7-b876-2b884d0f825b`	Yes
`user_id` Recommended	Custom user identifier	`user_12345`	No
`session_id` Recommended	Session identifier	`1595262825000`	Yes
`session_number` Recommended	Session count	`3`	Yes

Session-Level Attribution (via Gtag Sync)

The following identifiers are handled via session-level linking through the Google Gtag sync, not as event-level mappings:

Attribute	Description	Example
`gclid`	Google Click Identifier	`CjwKCAjwt-OwBhBnEiwAgwzrUkyN...`
`dclid`	Google Display Click Identifier	`CKDdz-fE_IUDFYtTCQkdbyMOPg`

Additional GA4 - Measurement Protocol Documentation

Measurement Protocol Guide
Send user provided data