If you’ve ever wondered how to better understand user behaviour on your website, events in Google Analytics are the key. In this article, we will explain in a simple and concise way what events are in Google Analytics, how to configure them and why they are essential to improve your digital strategy. And, as they say, curiosity killed the cat, but the satisfaction of a good analysis revived it!
Events in Google Analytics are specific user interactions with your website content that can be measured independently. This includes actions such as link clicks, file downloads, video plays and much more. Each time a user performs one of these actions, an event is logged in Google Analytics, allowing you to analyse their behaviour in more detail.
In Google Analytics 4 (GA4), events are classified into four main categories:
- Automatically logged events: These are captured without the need for additional configuration. They include basic interactions such as page views and session duration.
- Enhanced metering events: Automatically collected if you enable enhanced metering in the GA4 configuration. They include actions such as scrolling, clicking on external links and searching the site.
- Recommended events: Google recommends these events for additional data. They need to be manually configured and predefined names and parameters are used.
- Custom events: These are defined and configured by the user to track specific interactions that are not covered by the automatic or recommended events.
Imagine you have an online shop and you want to know when your customers abandon their shopping cart. With Google Analytics events, you can track every click and step they take in the buying process. This helps you identify weaknesses in your site and improve the user experience, thus increasing your conversions.
Setting up events in Google Analytics may seem complicated, but with the right tools, it is a manageable process. Here we explain two popular methods: using the gtag.js code and Google Tag Manager (GTM).
Configuration with gtag.js
- Add the Google Analytics tracking code to your website if you have not already done so.
- Define the events you want to track using the following format:
gtag('event', 'event_name', {
'event_category': 'category',
'event_label': 'label',
'value': value
});
For example, to track clicks on a download button:
gtag('event', 'download', {
'event_category': 'PDFs',
'event_label': 'Download Button',
'value': 1
});
- Create a Google Tag Manager account and container.
- Add a new Google Analytics tag in your container.
- Configure the trigger to specify when the event should fire, such as clicks on specific buttons.
- Publish the configuration for the changes to take effect.
- E-commerce: Tracks when a user adds a product to the cart or completes a purchase.
- Blogs and content: Measure how many times your PDF files are downloaded or your videos are viewed.
- Lead generation: Analyse the behaviour of users when filling in contact forms.
Once the events are set up, you can view the data collected in Google Analytics reports. Go to the ‘Events’ section under ‘Engagement’ to see a detailed breakdown of each registered event and its impact on your website.
Events in Google Analytics are powerful tools that allow you to better understand your users and optimise your website for better conversion. With this guide, you now have everything you need to start tracking events and make informed decisions that will improve your digital marketing strategy. So let’s get to work and let your analysis lead you to success!
Do you have any questions or want to share your experience? Leave us a comment! And remember, in the world of web analytics, curiosity is always welcome!
