REFERRAL TRAFFIC FROM AI BOTS IN GA4: HOW TO TRACK AND ANALYZE

Every day, more people realize that AI-based chatbots are excellent tools for finding information. Among these users may be potential members of your audience. Sometimes they only need a quick answer and never visit any site; other times, they want detailed information, check the source, or click through to your web page. In other words, depending on the query type, a user might remain in chat or transition to your resource.

Below is an illustration of how certain query types and related content lead to so-called “zero-click” searches.

In this article, we’ll explore how to track traffic from AI bots (ChatGPT, Copilot, Perplexity, etc.) using Google Analytics 4 (GA4) via three possible approaches:

1. GA4 Filter — simple and fast, but offers minimal data
2. GA4 Explorations — a more detailed method, providing deeper insights
3. Custom Channel Grouping in GA4 — more complex but highly informative

1. Tracking AI Traffic with a GA4 Filter

The simplest way is to add a filter in your page reports so you can see sessions where the referrer is, for example, chatgpt.com. Here’s how:

1. Go to “Engagement” > “Pages and screens” in GA4.
2. Set your desired date range.
3. Select “Add Filter +” at the top.
4. Choose the dimension Page referrer.
5. Match Type: exactly matches.
6. Enter https://chatgpt.com (or the relevant AI domain).
7. Apply the filter.

If your traffic is still small, that’s normal: the channel is just developing. But as soon as you start generating visits from AI tools, you’ll see them reflected in your stats.

2. Tracking AI Traffic via GA4 Explorations

This method is slightly more complex but creates a custom report in the “Explorations” section of GA4, enabling deeper analysis of sources, landing pages, user engagement, and events.

1. Create a new Exploration
   • Go to “Explore” > “Blank.”
   • Give it a name, e.g., “AI Traffic.”
   • Set an appropriate date range (e.g., last 12 months).
2. Create a segment for AI traffic
   • Click “+” near “Segments,” then “Create a custom segment” > “Session segment.”
   • Name it something like “AI Traffic.”
   • Set “Page referrer” to “matches regex,” and insert a pattern covering chat.openai.com, claude.ai, perplexity.ai, etc.
3. Add dimensions and metrics
   • Include “Page referrer,” “Page path + query string,” “Sessions,” “Engagement rate,” etc.
4. Arrange your report
   • Drag the newly created segment to “Segment comparisons.”
   • Place your chosen dimensions in “Rows” and metrics in “Values.”
   • Save and review the data as needed.

3. Creating a Custom Channel Group for AI Traffic in GA4

The most advanced method is to create a new channel group that specifically recognizes AI referrals. GA4’s default channels (Organic, Direct, Referral, etc.) won’t separate AI sources. With a custom group, you can label “AI Channel” for all recognized AI domains.

1. Create a new channel group
   • Admin > Data Settings > Channel Groups > “Create new channel group.”
2. Add a new channel
   • Give it a name (e.g., “AI Traffic”).
   • Condition: “Source” > “matches regex.” Insert a pattern covering chatgpt, perplexity, copilot, etc.
   • Move this channel above “Referral,” ensuring AI traffic is captured first.
3. Save your channel group
   • Check that you’ve placed the AI channel in the correct order.
   • Now, when you view Acquisition > Traffic Acquisition in GA4, you can select this new channel group and see how much traffic AI bots deliver, which pages they land on, etc.

Remember, customizing channel groups doesn’t alter raw data; if you change your mind, you can remove the custom channels without damaging historical numbers.

Conclusion

AI is quickly becoming a new platform for content discovery, alongside traditional search engines and social networks. The earlier you start accounting for clicks from ChatGPT, Copilot, Perplexity, or other generative bots, the faster you can adjust your SEO and content strategies. Whether you choose a simple filter or a comprehensive channel group, the key is to not ignore this emerging traffic source.

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