What are Google Analytics Events? Do that Really Matter?
Let’s explain Google Analytics Events with an example.
Visit your local high street with its Brown Thomas, Nikes, Polo Ralph Lauren or CCs boutiques. People look at dresses, blouses, tops, shoes, jackets, ties, and handbags. A few will try on a jacket, fondle a belt and most definitely the ladies will ogle a pair of Jimmy Choos👠. Some will purchase.
IF we translate this off-line behaviour (looking, holding and trying) into Google Analytics, then these looked at, tried on and held in the hands actions are events. Events are what people did inside the story after they opened the door and walked inside.
As a Parameter What are Google Analytics Events?
Google Analytics events are anything a person does on your webpage, landing page, blog post, or shop page.
For example, videos watched, links clicked, web forms filled out, surveys or quizzes completed, pdfs downloaded and product purchases are all events.
Right? What people do on a website are events.
Event tracking is one of the many useful features inside Google Analytics.
If you use Google Tag Manager (which is easy to set up) you will also capture actions and how people behave on your site.
Combining events and actions feels like you’re holding a satchel of magic beans.
Don’t worry, I am Urban Renström, there is always science and research involved in everything I talk about, teach, and demonstrate.
Why Should we care what people do on our website?
Lol. We care because we want more sales, grow our business and scale!
Care because when you turn the raw data into knowledge, you can improve your website and turn more traffic into sales.
Events are anything a person does on a webpage except opening the page or post or loading a screen.
If a person does any number or combination of these actions:
then that action is an event.
Events are user interactions that are measured independently from a web page or a screen load.
And most importantly keep the word in this green box top of mind:
Are Google Analytics Events Useful and Helpful?
Yes, sir, events are you hitting the jackpot! Jackpot because events tell you what things people do and the interactions people take on your website.
Yes, we all want sales. Knowing what people do before they open the wallet help open more wallets.
Events let website owners and webmasters know what people do on the website.
Would knowing what exactly people do on your website help?
I say yes.
If bounce rate tells us which pages are single-page views and exit rate tells us which page where the last page was visited, then events give depth to what people do on your website.
Use Events to figure out how people interact with your content.
Where to find the GA Events in the Reports?
Find the events under the Behaviour tab, then Events:
- Sign in to Google Analytics
- All accounts, Properties & Apps, All views, choose View
- Open Reports, third down under Home and Customisation
- Select Behaviour/Events
Do I have to set up these Parameters or are they Automaticlu set up?
No, not automatic and yes you must set them up manually.
Manually set up events in your Google Tag Manager account (is the easiest method).
This post is the walkthrough.
What Events in GA should I track?
Let us remind ourselves that:
Events are everything a person does on a webpage except opening the WordPress page or post or loading a screen.
Use events to track e.g.
