How to Track AI Chatbot Traffic in Google Analytics (GA4)

Tracking AI chatbots and search engine crawlers in Google Analytics 4 (GA4) ensures better data accuracy by separating bot traffic from real user activity. Follow the steps below to set up bot detection and reporting in GA4.

Step 1: Create a Custom Dimension in GA4

1. Go to Admin in your GA4 property.
2. Select Custom definitions.
3. Click Create custom dimension.
4. Configure the dimension as follows:
   • Name: is_bot
   • Scope: Event
   • Event parameter: is_bot (Type is_bot manually; it may not appear in the dropdown.)
5. Save the custom dimension.

Step 2: Add User Agent Detection Script

Embed the following JavaScript snippet on your website, before the closing </head> tag or within your tag manager. This script checks the visitor's user agent string and identifies known bots, including popular AI and search engine bots.

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• Replace G-XXXXXXXXXX with your actual Google Analytics 4 Measurement ID.

Step 3: Analyze Bot Traffic in GA4

After completing the above steps:

• The is_bot custom dimension will be available in your GA4 reports.
• Use this dimension to segment and filter bot vs. human traffic in your analytics dashboards.
• Optionally, add bot_name as a custom dimension to identify specific bots accessing your site.

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