What is cohort analysis and how do I use it?

Cohort analysis groups users by shared characteristics (sign-up date, acquisition channel, etc.) and tracks their behavior over time. It helps understand user retention, lifetime value, and how different user groups behave. Use it to identify which acquisition channels bring the best long-term users, how retention changes over time, and which user segments are most valuable. In GA4, cohort analysis is built-in. Example: Cohort analysis revealed that users acquired through content marketing had 40% higher retention than paid ads, leading to increased content investment.