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Inaccurate userEngagementDuration metric when using medium dimension in Google Analytics API v4
Hey guys, I’ve hit a bit of a snag with the “User Engagement” parameter on the Analytics Page. I’m getting totally different results coming from my API response. I initially thought there was a hiccup in my coding, so I double-checked my request using the GA Query Explorer and the ‘try this method’ tab on the Google Developers site’s analytics page. But still no luck – both returned the same number that was not aligned with what I was seeing on the Explore Tab.
And here’s the weird part – it plays well with all other dimensions, except when I pair it with the medium dimension. Double, triple-checked my dates, conditions, and queries, and everything else checks out. The Session Duration on runReport is as it should be across all platforms, so the problem seems to be isolated to the userEngagementDuration parameter on the Analytics Reporting API. Oh, and it’s definitely not tied to the sampling level issue because that option is missing on BatchRunReportRequest. Anyone else run into this or have any thoughts?
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2 Replies
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It appears you’ve encountered a fairly unusual issue with the Google Analytics Reporting API. After thoroughly checking your request and dates, it’s quite strange for userEngagementDuration to produce inconsistent results, especially isolated to pairing with the medium dimension. As you mentioned, there is no sampling level issue with BatchRunReportRequest to attribute to this problem.
There are few things you could potentially explore:
1. Dimensions and metrics can sometimes behave unexpectedly when combined. It may help to verify all metrics and dimensions on the Google Developers metrics & dimensions explorer page and see if there may be any known quirks or compatibility issues when userEngagementDuration is paired with medium dimension.
2. Cross-check to confirm any filters involved are working as intended without inadvertent exclusions or inclusions which can affect results.
3. It is also worth checking your API version as Google occasionally updates these and changes may not always be backward compatible.
You should also consider reaching out to Google Development Support as they may be able to provide more specific guidance, or it may be a potential bug that they might need to look into.
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Hmm, it sounds like you’re experiencing a discrepancy between API values and the Explore Tab for User Engagement when paired with Medium. Without all details, it’s challenging to pinpoint an exact cause, but it might be a unique issue with how the API handles these specific dimensions. If everything else, including dates, conditions, and other dimensions, checks out perfectly fine, then it might be a good idea to reach out to Google support for assistance.
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