Event Tracking with the New Google Analytics

With the announcement from Google that the new version of Google Analytics is now available to all (read our blog post on this topic), we now have a much easier way to track page events.

As part of your overall conversion optimization strategy, you should include event tracking to track successful events that happen on your pages. For example, event tracking may be considered tracking a clicked “Download” button to download a PDF file. This event could also be considered a conversion for some websites.

In the past, event tracking using Google Analytics was doable, but it wasn’t easy. You would need to tag the items you wanted to track (you still need to do this), then hope it shows up correctly on the Google Analytics side. There was much trial and error involved to get this to work correctly.

After upgrading to the new version of Google Analytics, you will now have the ability to track events that affect conversions such as downloads, interactions with videos or demos (was it watched, how long it was watched, etc.), interaction with dynamic or AJAX sites, and seeing the number of errors users received while viewing your page.

Now you have the ability to categorize these events and label them as you see fit. You can also assign a value to each event.

Track PDF Downloads as Conversions

In the B2B world, the tracking of whitepaper or case study downloads is huge from a lead generation standpoint. One of the main conversion optimization goals of your website is probably to increase the number of whitepapers and case studies that prospects download.

Setting up download tracking is easy. Just follow these steps:

1. Visit the event tracking guide to tag the items on the page you wish to track.
2. Go to Google Analytics and click on Account Administration (the gear icon in the top navigation bar).
3. Select your web property.
4. Click the “Goals” sub-tab.
5. Click “+ Goal” link.
6. Enter a name for the goal, “Whitepaper Download”.
7. Click “Event” as the Goal Type.
8. Under Category select “that matches”.
9. Enter “download” in the field to the right.
10. Under Action select “that matches”.
11. Enter “whitepaper” in the field to the right.
12. For the Goal Value, select “Use a constant value” and enter an amount in the field to the right. This amount would be the amount you think a whitepaper download is worth from a lead perspective (maybe enter “20” for $20).
13. Click the “Save” button.

There are many other ways to track on-page conversion events using the new Google Analytics event tracking feature. We may go into some of these other ways in future blog posts. For now, I’m happy just knowing that there is a much easier way to track PDF download conversions.

Test and track conversions of everything and anything, and test often.

For more information on how we increase conversion rates call us at 678-951-9506, email us at info at surgelabs.com or complete our FastForm.