# GA4 Funnel and Path Explorations for Marketing Journeys

> Use GA4 funnel and path explorations to see where visitors drop off before a key event, with open vs closed funnels and copyable step setups.

Source: https://mentionx.ai/learn/ga4/ga4-funnel-path-explorations  
Author: Dipuck Jones, founder of MentionX  
Updated: 4 November 2026  
Level: Practitioner

**A funnel exploration shows how many users complete each step towards a key event and where they drop off; a path exploration shows what they actually did instead.** Use funnels to measure a journey you designed and paths to discover the one users take.

> **Key takeaways**
>
> - Funnel steps can be events or page conditions, with optional "directly followed by" and time limits.
> - Open funnels let users join at any step; closed funnels require step one.
> - Breakdowns by channel or device show which audiences fail at which step.
> - Path explorations can run forwards from a start point or backwards from an end point.
> - Both depend on data retention and on events being named consistently.

*Checked 4 November 2026 (CET) against Google Analytics Help and Google developer documentation. GA4 menus and limits change, so confirm in your own property. "Our view" marks MentionX opinion. Ledgerline is a fictional company used for illustration.*

## A lead funnel to copy

| Step | Condition |
|---|---|
| 1. Landed on a solution page | page_view where Page path contains /solutions/ |
| 2. Viewed pricing | page_view where Page path contains /pricing |
| 3. Started demo form | form_start where form_id = demo_request |
| 4. Requested demo | generate_lead where form_id = demo_request |

Set it as a **closed** funnel, add **Breakdown: Session default channel group** and **Elapsed time**. Ledgerline (fictional) found that AI Assistant visitors skipped step 2 far more often than Organic Search visitors, which led it to put price ranges on its comparison pages.

## Path exploration: work backwards

1. Create a Path exploration and click **Start over**.
2. Choose **Ending point** and select your key event.
3. Set node type to **Page title and screen name** for the steps before it.

This shows the two or three pages that most often precede a demo request, which are usually the pages worth improving first.

> **Pro move:** add a funnel step condition using **Session source** matches your AI regex as a segment, then compare it with all users. Seeing the same funnel for AI and non-AI visitors is the fastest way to argue for or against AI-specific landing pages.

*Our view:* funnels with more than five steps rarely tell a clear story. Split long journeys into two funnels.

Next: [Audiences for remarketing and analysis](https://mentionx.ai/learn/ga4/ga4-audiences-remarketing). Or return to the [GA4 for Marketers track](https://mentionx.ai/learn/ga4/ga4-for-marketers).

## Common questions

**What is an open funnel in GA4?** In an open funnel, users can enter at any step. In a closed funnel, they must start at step one. Use closed funnels for checkout or sign-up flows.

**Can I see paths backwards from a key event?** Yes. Path exploration can start from an ending point, such as a generate_lead event, and show what came before.

**Do funnel explorations use data retention?** Yes. Like other explorations, funnel explorations only cover the data retention period.

## Sources

- Google Analytics Help, [Funnel exploration](https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/9327974)
- Google Analytics Help, [Get started with Explorations](https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/7579450)
- Google Analytics Help, [Mark events as key events](https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/13128484)
- Google Analytics Help, [Data retention](https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/7667196)
- All accessed 4 Nov 2026.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is an open funnel in GA4?

In an open funnel, users can enter at any step. In a closed funnel, they must start at step one. Use closed funnels for checkout or sign-up flows.

### Can I see paths backwards from a key event?

Yes. Path exploration can start from an ending point, such as a generate_lead event, and show what came before.

### Do funnel explorations use data retention?

Yes. Like other explorations, funnel explorations only cover the data retention period.

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Written and reviewed by Dipuck Jones for MentionX Learn. The HTML version of this page: https://mentionx.ai/learn/ga4/ga4-funnel-path-explorations