How to Create an Audience in Google Analytics 4 (Step by Step)
Create a custom audience in GA4 — set conditions, membership duration, and use it for retargeting or analysis. A clear walkthrough with an interactive demo you can click through.
To create an audience in Google Analytics 4, go to Admin → Audiences (under Data display), click New audience, choose Create a custom audience, name it, and add the conditions that define who's in it — events, user properties, or dimensions. Set a membership duration and save. The audience starts collecting matching users from that moment forward (it's not retroactive), and can be used for analysis or Google Ads retargeting. Here's the full walkthrough.
Step 1: Open Audiences
Click Admin (bottom-left gear), then under Data display choose Audiences. You'll see any existing audiences plus the two GA4 creates by default (All users, Purchasers).
Step 2: Start a new audience
Click New audience. You have three paths:
- Start from a template — e.g. General → Recently active users or a Predictive audience like "Likely 7-day churning users" (if your property is eligible).
- Use a suggested audience — pre-built ideas based on your data.
- Create a custom audience — define everything yourself. Pick this for full control.
Step 3: Set the conditions
Name the audience something clear ("Add-to-cart, no purchase"), then add conditions:
- Events — specific interactions, e.g.
add_to_cartorgenerate_lead. - User properties / dimensions — attributes like country, device, or a custom property.
- Include or exclude — combine an include (did add to cart) with an exclude (did not purchase) to isolate the exact group.
Build audiences for the actions you'll want to retarget before you launch a campaign. Because audiences aren't retroactive, an audience you create today is empty today — give it time to fill before you rely on it.
Step 4: Set membership duration
Set how long a user stays in the audience after they qualify — default 30 days, max 540. Shorter for time-sensitive intent (a sale), longer for slow-moving, high-value behavior.
Step 5: Save
Click Save. The audience begins collecting users immediately and, if GA4 is linked to Google Ads, becomes available for remarketing once it reaches the minimum size.
Turning an audience into action
An audience is only useful if you do something with it — and the highest-intent group (looked but didn't convert) usually needs a clearer path through your product, not another generic ad. A common play is to retarget "added to cart, didn't buy" or "started signup, didn't finish" with an interactive demo that removes whatever friction stopped them. To find that drop-off point first, pair this with a GA4 funnel.
Common mistakes
- Expecting historical members. Audiences start empty and fill going forward — create them early.
- Building it in the wrong place. Audiences live in Admin → Data display, not in Explore.
- Conditions too broad. "All users who fired any event" isn't an audience. Combine include + exclude to isolate a real, actionable group.
Frequently asked questions
Where do you create audiences in GA4?
In Admin → under the Data display section → Audiences. Click 'New audience,' then either start from a template or choose 'Create a custom audience' to define your own conditions. Audiences sit in the Admin area because they're a property-level setting, not a one-off report.
Are GA4 audiences retroactive?
No. GA4 audiences only start collecting users from the moment you create them — they won't include people who matched the criteria before the audience existed. This is the key difference from explorations (which are retroactive). Create the audiences you'll want well before you need them.
How long do users stay in a GA4 audience?
However long you set the membership duration. It defaults to 30 days and can go up to 540 days. A user is removed once the duration lapses without them meeting the criteria again. Set it to match how long the behavior stays relevant — short for a flash promotion, long for high-value intent.
Can you use GA4 audiences for Google Ads retargeting?
Yes. If your GA4 property is linked to Google Ads, eligible audiences are shared automatically and can be used for remarketing campaigns. The audience needs to reach the minimum size Google requires before ads can target it, so larger, longer-duration audiences become usable sooner.