PDF Link Analysis (GA4)

If you have links to PDFs on your pages, you can find out how many times users clicked on those PDF links in the last month (or other time period). This can help you make decisions about where to put PDF links, or which links are candidates for removal.

Reports in GA4 combine dimensions and metrics into rows and apply filters to limit reported data to a page or web area or a specific type of event. For more detail, see:

• Dimensions and Metrics Used in Google Analytics 4
• Using Filters in GA4

PDF link reports shown below use these dimensions and Metrics:

• Event name
• Page path + query string
• Link URL

On this page:

• PDF Clicks by Page for a Web Area
• Clicks on a Particular PDF Linked on Multiple Pages
• PDF Clicks for a Single Page

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Web Area

PDF Clicks by Page for a Web Area

1. Go to the Explore tab

   

2. Enter an existing exploration or begin a new “Free form” analysis.

   

3. Select desired date range

   

4. Dimensions

   For example, add: Event name, Page path + query string, Link URL

   

5. Metrics

   For example, add: Event count

   

6. Rows

   Rows become the left-most column(s) of the report.
   For example, add: Page path + query string, Link URL
   NOTE: You can select the options Nested rows: YES in order to group multiple rows on first column.

   

7. Values

   For example, add: Event count

   

8. Filters

   Filters limit data output of a report. See Using Filters in GA4 for details.
   For example, add:
   • Event name EXACTLY MATCHES "downloads"
   • Page path + query string BEGINS WITH "/water-research"
     (filter to an entire web area)

   

9. Use table column header to sort the report

   

10. This is what you should see:

    

11. Click the "Export data" icon to save to your computer

    

Multiple pages

Clicks on a Particular PDF Linked on Multiple Pages

1. Go to the Explore tab

   

2. Enter an existing exploration or begin a new “Free form” analysis.

   

3. Select desired date range

   

4. Dimensions 

   For example, add: Event name, Page path + query string, Link URL

   

5. Metrics

   For example, add: Event count

   

6. Rows

   Rows become the left-most column(s) of the report.
   For example, add: Page path + query string, Link URL
   NOTE: You can select the options Nested rows: YES in order to group multiple rows on first column.

   

7. Values

   For example, add: Event count

   

8. Filters

   Filters limit data output of a report. See Using Filters in GA4 for details.
   For example, add:
   • Event name EXACTLY MATCHES "downloads"
   • Link URL ENDS WITH "P1007WWU.pdf"

   

9. Use table column header to sort the report

   

10. This is what you should see:

    

11. Click the "Export data" icon to save to your computer

    

Single page

PDF Clicks for a Single Page

1. Go to the Explore tab

   

2. Enter an existing exploration or begin a new “Free form” analysis.

   

3. Select desired date range

   

4. Dimensions

   For example, add: Event name, Page path + query string, Link URL

   

5. Metrics

   For example, add: Event count

   

6. Rows

   Rows become the left-most column(s) of the report.
   For example, add: Page path + query string, Link URL
   NOTE: You can select the options Nested rows: YES in order to group multiple rows on first column.

   

7. Values

   For example, add: Event count

   

8. Filters

   Filters limit data output of a report. See Using Filters in GA4 for details.
   For example, add:
   • Event name EXACTLY MATCHES "downloads"
   • Page path + query string EXACTLY MATCHES "/water-research/epanet"
     (filter to specific page)

   

9. Use table column header to sort the report

   

10. This is what you should see:

    

11. Click the "Export data" icon to save to your computer