In Google Analytics, what is a 'hit'?

In Google Analytics, a 'hit' refers to any user interaction tracked by the analytics tool. This encompasses a wide range of interactions, including pageviews, events, transactions, and social interactions. Each hit represents a single interaction that sends data to the Google Analytics server.

For example, when a user views a page, it generates a pageview hit. Similarly, if the user clicks a button or submits a form, each of those actions can also be recorded as individual hits. Therefore, understanding that a hit can represent any interaction helps clarify how user engagement is measured within Google Analytics.

Other options focus on specific aspects of interactions rather than the broader definition of a hit. A request to the server for a page refers specifically to a pageview, which is one type of hit. The total duration of user engagement is measured through different metrics, not as a hit under the traditional definition. A recorded goal completion is a significant event in analytics but does not encapsulate all interactions, as it focuses on successful outcomes rather than general user actions.