Dimension
Definition
A descriptive attribute used to categorise your data in analytics. Dimensions describe what or who, while metrics measure how many.
What is a Dimension?
A dimension is a characteristic of your data that describes or categorises it. In Google Analytics and similar tools, dimensions answer "what" or "who" questions: What country? Which page? What device? Which campaign?
Dimensions let you break down your metrics into meaningful categories. Instead of just knowing you had 1,000 visitors, you can see 600 from the UK, 200 from the US, and 200 from elsewhere.
Dimensions vs Metrics
The distinction is straightforward:
- Dimensions are categories (text): country, device type, page URL
- Metrics are measurements (numbers): sessions, conversion rate, revenue
You analyse metrics by dimensions. "Revenue by product category" – revenue is the metric, product category is the dimension.
Common Dimensions in Analytics
User Dimensions
Country, city, language, device category, browser, operating system
Traffic Dimensions
Source, medium, campaign, channel grouping, referrer
Content Dimensions
Page path, page title, landing page, exit page
Time Dimensions
Date, hour, day of week, month
E-commerce Dimensions
Product name, category, brand, variant
Using Dimensions Effectively
Compare Segments
Break down conversions by traffic source to see which channels perform best.
Find Opportunities
Discover which countries drive traffic but don't convert – maybe they need localisation.
Diagnose Problems
If mobile conversion rate is half of desktop, there might be a usability issue to fix.
Dimensions turn aggregate data into actionable insights.