The world of digital marketing is evolving rapidly, and so are the tools we use to measure our successes and challenges. Google Analytics 4 (GA4) most recently rose to the forefront, thanks to its advanced capabilities. One of the most notable improvements is how GA4 easily tracks conversions such as phone calls, email clicks, and more.

It should be noted that phone call and email link tracking is not a new feature to GA4. Both were previously attainable using Universal Analytics, but doing so required the use of Google Tag Manager (GTM) and occasionally custom scripts and/or coding.

GA4 makes tracking conversions much easier.

Here’s how:

• Event-Based Tracking: Unlike Universal Analytics, GA4 is built around events, not sessions. This means individual actions such as phone calls or email clicks can be tracked as events with a much easier setup. You can mark these events as conversions in your GA4 property.
• Enhanced Measurement: By default, GA4 has Enhanced Measurement that automatically tracks certain types of user interactions. This includes tracking all clicks.
• Parameter Configuration: For every event tracked, GA4 allows users to attach parameters to those events. For instance, for an email click event, you could attach parameters like the email subject or campaign name. For phone calls, if integrated with a call tracking solution, parameters could include call duration, campaign name, first-time caller, etc.
• Integration with Third-Party Platforms: For businesses using advanced call tracking solutions, GA4 can integrate with these platforms to pull in richer data about phone call conversions. This means not just knowing a call was made, but also understanding duration and even lead value in some cases.

While GA4 won’t track phone calls automatically, its event-based nature makes integrating with third-party call tracking solutions much more streamlined.

The Benefits of Using GA4 to Track Conversions

A successful marketing campaign thrives on precision. Whether it’s obtaining real-time data, diving deeper into the user journey, or leveraging AI-driven predictions, GA4 provides a comprehensive toolkit for modern businesses and their marketing teams:

• Event-based Tracking: Unlike its predecessors, GA4 focuses on events, making all actions easier to track.
• Cross-platform and Cross-device Tracking: Whether users interact with your business via app or website, on a desktop or mobile, GA4 will track it seamlessly.
• Advanced Machine Learning: AI-driven insights and predictive data help businesses forecast emerging trends, as well as user behavior and actions.
• ROI Calculation: When you know the exact number of conversions from different sources, you can calculate the ROI of different marketing strategies more effectively.
• A Clearer Picture: GA4’s data-driven attribution models allow you to observe which touchpoints are causing conversions. By better understanding your target audience and their preferences, you can allocate your resources more effectively and better optimize your customer experience, leading to increased loyalty.

Easier conversion tracking ultimately impacts your campaign ROI, ensuring that every marketing dollar is put to its best use. If you’re looking to leverage the power of GA4 to track conversions and boost business but are unsure about where to start – give IMPACT a call. Our digital team always has time to chat.