GA4 Event Tracking Guide: How to Set Up Events & Track User Actions

Learn how to set up event tracking in Google Analytics 4 (GA4) and Google Tag Manager (GTM) to monitor user actions like form submissions, downloads, and button clicks. Perfect for marketing managers looking to optimize their data-driven marketing strategy and improve website analytics.

Setting up events in Google Analytics 4 (GA4) allows you to track specific actions users take on your website, such as form submissions, downloads, or button clicks. Here’s a simple guide to help you set up these events using GA4 and Google Tag Manager (GTM).

1. Create an Event in GA4:

Before you start, ensure that your GA4 property is properly set up.

  • Access GA4 Events:
    1. Sign in to your Google Analytics account.
    2. Click on the Admin gear icon in the lower-left corner.
    3. In the Property column, select your GA4 property.
    4. Click on Events under the Data Streams section.
  • Create a New Event:
    1. Click on Create event, then click Create again.
    2. Enter a name for your custom event (e.g., “form_submit”).
    3. Define the conditions that will trigger this event. For example, set parameters that match the form submission action on your site.
    4. Click Save to create the event.

For detailed instructions, refer to Google’s support page on creating or modifying events: here

2. Set Up the Event in Google Tag Manager (GTM):

Google Tag Manager simplifies the process of adding and managing analytics tags on your website.

  • Access GTM:
    1. Sign in to your Google Tag Manager account.
    2. Select your container (i.e., your website’s GTM account).
  • Create a GA4 Event Tag:
    1. In the Workspace tab, click on Tags in the left-hand menu.
    2. Click New to create a new tag.
    3. Click on Tag Configuration and select Google Analytics: GA4 Event.
    4. Enter your GA4 Measurement ID (found in your GA4 data stream settings).
    5. In the Event Name field, enter the name of the event you created in GA4 (e.g., “form_submit”).
  • Set Up a Trigger:
    1. Click on Triggering to define when this tag should fire.
    2. Click New to create a new trigger.
    3. Choose a trigger type that matches the action you want to track (e.g., Form Submission).
    4. Define the conditions for the trigger to fire, such as specific pages or forms.
    5. Save the trigger.
  • Save and Publish:
    1. After configuring the tag and trigger, click Save.
    2. To apply your changes, click Submit and publish the container.

For more detailed guidance, refer to Google’s support page on setting up GA4 events in Tag Manager: here.

3. Verify the Event in GA4:

After setting up the event, it’s important to ensure it’s working correctly.

  • Use DebugView:
    1. In your GA4 property, navigate to DebugView under the Events section.
    2. Perform the action on your website that should trigger the event (e.g., submit a form).
    3. In DebugView, verify that the event is being recorded as expected.

For more information on verifying events, see Google’s tutorial on setting up key events: here.

By following these steps, you can effectively track specific user interactions on your website, enabling you to gather valuable insights and make informed decisions.