Learn business growth with Google Analytics 4 › Forums › Google Analytics 4 › Differences in GA4 Session Count: Choosing Source or Source/Medium as Dimensions in Rows › Reply To: Differences in GA4 Session Count: Choosing Source or Source/Medium as Dimensions in Rows
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It’s common to find discrepancies when data is broken down by specific metrics like ‘source’ or ‘source/medium’ because these only report on sessions where this information is available or tracked. If a session didn’t have a source (for example, if it was a direct visit), it wouldn’t be included in this specific breakdown. Another reason may be due to applying a filter that excludes some sessions, or incomplete data collection in your Google Analytics. The difference can also be due to data sampling. Google Analytics often uses data sampling in its reports when you have large volumes of data, as in your case. So, the data you see is just a subset, or sample, of your total data. To ensure more accurate reporting, you might want to consider using smaller date ranges or, if you’re using Google Analytics 360, increase your data sampling size. It’s important to carefully interpret these numbers knowing the parameters and limitations of the tool you are using.