Query plugins

Report queries use plugins. A query plugin decides what kind of report block you are building and which extra filter or breakdown options are available.

Content of this page

Choose the plugin based on the question you want the report block to answer. You can use different plugins in the same Report setup because each query becomes one separate report block.

If you are new to Report setups and report blocks, start with Report setups, queries, and report blocks.

Which plugin should I choose?

  • Choose Event count when you mainly want to count selected events and optionally break them down by general dimensions such as time, content, device, visitor type, or language.
  • Choose Referrer performance when the source of traffic matters, for example search, social, direct, internal, or external links.
  • Choose Campaign performance when campaign tracking values matter, for example campaign, medium, or campaign content.

You do not have to choose only one plugin for the whole report. For example, one Report setup can contain a general event count block, a referrer performance block, and a campaign performance block.

What all plugins have in common

All currently documented query plugins share the same basic report-block flow:

  1. Report block - title, description, plugin, and disabled state.
  2. Measure - the ordered list of events that become metric columns.
  3. Include only - filters that restrict which data is used.
  4. Break down by - dimensions that create report rows.
  5. Rows and ordering - row limits and sorting.

The most important shared field is Events included. These selected events become the metric columns in the generated report block. Their order matters: it controls metric column order and can also affect metric sort priority.

All plugins can also use general filters and breakdowns where they make sense, such as content type, content structure, time interval, device type, visitor type, language, and tags.

For more about the query editor sections, see Design a report block.

Event count plugin

The Event count plugin is the simplest and most general-purpose plugin. Use it when you want to count selected events and optionally break the result down by common dimensions.

Good for

  • Top content by page views or key events.
  • Event totals over time.
  • Comparing content types or content structure sections.
  • Checking event activity by device type, visitor type, or language.
  • Simple recurring KPI-style report blocks.

Typical setup

  1. Select the events you want to count in Measure.
  2. Leave Include only empty for a broad report, or filter to selected content, tags, devices, visitor types, or languages.
  3. Choose one or more general breakdowns such as time interval, Content (Tile), content structure, device type, visitor type, or language.
  4. Sort by the most important event and limit rows if needed.

Example questions

  • Which content had the most page views last week?
  • How many goal events happened each day?
  • Which content structure sections generated the most conversions?
  • Do mobile and desktop visitors behave differently for this event?

If your question does not specifically depend on referrer or campaign fields, start with Event count.

Referrer performance plugin

The Referrer performance plugin is for analyzing traffic sources. Use it when you want to understand where visitors or events came from and how different sources performed.

It supports the general event-count style options and adds referrer-specific filtering and breakdowns.

Good for

  • Comparing source types such as search, social, direct, internal, or external links.
  • Finding which source names drive important events.
  • Reviewing whether traffic sources produce meaningful engagement or conversions.
  • Creating recurring acquisition or traffic-source reports.

Referrer-specific options

The plugin can include only matching referrer data:

  • Event source types only filters to selected source types.
  • Event source names only filters to selected source names.

It can also break down by referrer data:

  • Source type.
  • Source name.

Typical setup

  1. Select the events that represent performance, such as page view, signup, or conversion events.
  2. Start without referrer filters to see the broad source picture.
  3. Break down by source type first.
  4. Add source name if you need more detail.
  5. Sort by the most important event and limit rows if the source-name list becomes long.

Example questions

  • Which source types drive the most goal events?
  • Which social or search sources produce the best performance?
  • Which external links bring visitors who continue to important actions?
  • How does direct traffic compare with search or social traffic?

Important filtering note

Source type and source name filters should be consistent. For example, a source name that belongs to external link traffic will not match a direct-only source type filter. If a referrer report block becomes empty, check these filters first.

Campaign performance plugin

The Campaign performance plugin is for analyzing campaign tracking values. Use it when you want to compare campaigns, campaign mediums, or campaign contents.

It supports the general event-count style options and adds campaign-specific filtering and breakdowns. Campaign tracking is usually based on UTM-style campaign parameters.

Good for

  • Comparing campaign performance by campaign name.
  • Comparing campaign mediums such as email, paid search, or social.
  • Comparing campaign content variants.
  • Creating recurring marketing performance report blocks.

Campaign-specific options

The plugin can include only matching campaign data:

  • Campaigns only filters to selected campaigns.
  • Campaign mediums only filters to selected campaign mediums.
  • Campaign contents only filters to selected campaign contents.

It can also break down by campaign data:

  • Campaign.
  • Campaign medium.
  • Campaign content.

Typical setup

  1. Select the events that define campaign success.
  2. Leave campaign filters empty if you want to compare all campaigns.
  3. Use campaign filters if the block should focus on one campaign family, medium, or content variant.
  4. Break down by campaign first.
  5. Add medium or content breakdowns only when you need more detailed rows.
  6. Sort by the primary success event and limit rows if needed.

Example questions

  • Which campaigns generated the most conversions?
  • Which campaign medium performed best?
  • Which campaign content variant produced the strongest engagement?
  • How did a specific campaign family perform over the selected period?

Choosing between plugins

If you are unsure which plugin to use, start from the main dimension in your question:

  • If the question is mainly about selected events, content, devices, visitors, language, tags, or time, use Event count.
  • If the question is mainly about where traffic came from, use Referrer performance.
  • If the question is mainly about campaign tracking values, use Campaign performance.

You can also clone a query and switch the plugin when experimenting. When changing plugins, always check plugin-specific filters and breakdowns before saving the final setup.