How to compare traffic year on year in GA4

Comparing traffic year on year in GA4 helps you understand growth, seasonality, and campaign performance. This step-by-step guide shows you how to use the date comparison feature to analyse traffic changes accurately.

1. Log in to your GA4 property

Go to analytics.google.com
Select the correct Account and Property
Ensure you’re in the right reporting view

2. Open the Reports section

Click Reports in the left-hand menu
Choose a report to analyse, such as:
- Reports snapshot
- Acquisition → Traffic acquisition
- Engagement → Pages and screens

3. Set your primary date range

Click the date selector in the top-right corner
Choose your current period (e.g., 1 Jan 2026 – 31 Jan 2026)
Click Apply

4. Enable year-on-year comparison

Click the date selector again
Toggle on Compare
From the comparison options, select:
- Previous year
Click Apply

5. Review the comparison data

You’ll now see:
- The current period’s traffic
- The same period from the previous year
- Percentage change (%) between the two
Focus on key metrics such as:
- Users
- Sessions
- Engaged sessions
- Conversions

6. Compare specific traffic channels (optional)

Go to Acquisition → Traffic acquisition
With comparison enabled, analyse:
- Organic Search
- Paid Search
- Direct
- Referral
Look at percentage increases or decreases per channel

7. Add filters or comparisons (optional)

Click Add comparison at the top of the report
Filter by:
- Device category
- Country
- Session source/medium
Click Apply to compare segments year on year

8. Export the year-on-year report (optional)

Click the Share icon (top right)
Select Download file
Choose PDF or CSV

What is GA4

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is Google’s latest web analytics platform designed to track and analyse user behaviour across websites and apps. Unlike Universal Analytics, GA4 uses an event-based data model, meaning every interaction — from page views to scrolls and conversions — is recorded as an event. This provides more flexibility and deeper insight into how users engage with your website.

GA4 includes built-in reporting tools that allow you to analyse traffic sources, engagement metrics, and conversion performance. One of its most useful features is the date comparison tool, which enables you to compare performance across different time periods — including year-on-year comparisons. This is particularly helpful for identifying seasonal trends, measuring business growth, and evaluating the impact of marketing campaigns. With custom comparisons, filters, and segment analysis, GA4 gives marketers and business owners the data needed to make informed, data-driven decisions.

Benefits of using GA4 to compare traffic year on year

Comparing traffic year on year in GA4 helps you understand long-term performance trends and identify whether your marketing efforts are driving sustainable growth.

1. Identify growth and decline trends

Year-on-year comparisons allow you to quickly see whether traffic is increasing, decreasing, or remaining stable. By reviewing users, sessions, and engagement metrics side by side, you can identify patterns that might not be obvious in shorter time frames and take action where needed.

2. Understand seasonality patterns

Many businesses experience seasonal fluctuations. Comparing the same period year on year helps you account for predictable peaks and dips, such as holiday campaigns or quieter months. This ensures you interpret traffic changes accurately rather than reacting to normal seasonal shifts.

3. Measure marketing performance more accurately

Year-on-year analysis helps you evaluate the true impact of SEO, paid advertising, and content strategies. Instead of relying on month-to-month comparisons, which can be volatile, you gain a clearer picture of whether your overall marketing performance is improving over time.