Using Google Analytics to Track Conversions on Your Website

HOW TO SET UP CONVERSION TRACKING IN GOOGLE ANALYTICS 4 

Note: GA4 now calls conversions “key events.” The setup is the same; only the name changed.

OPTION 1: Mark an event that already exists as a key event
Use this when GA4 already tracks the action, such as form_submit or file_download.

1. In GA4, click Admin (the gear icon, bottom left).
2. Under Data display, click Events.
3. Find the event you want to count as a conversion.
4. Turn on the “Mark as key event” toggle next to it.

OPTION 2: Create a new event from a thank-you page
Use this when a form sends people to a confirmation page, such as /thank-you after a job application or contact form.

1. In Admin, under Data display, click Events.
2. Click “+ Create event” and choose your website data stream.
3. Click Create.
4. In Custom event name, enter a clear name. “generate_lead” works well for lead forms.
5. Under Matching conditions, add:
   • event_name equals page_view
   • page_location contains /thank-you (use your site’s actual confirmation URL)
6. Leave “Copy parameters from the source event” checked, then click Create.
7. Go back to Events (or Admin > Key events) and turn on “Mark as key event” for the new event. If the event hasn’t fired yet, go to Admin > Key events > New key event and type the exact same name.

OPTION 3: Use Google Tag Manager (best for clicks and forms without a thank-you page)

1. In Tag Manager, create a GA4 Event tag with your event name (for example, generate_lead).
2. Attach a trigger, such as a form submission, a button click or a phone-link click.
3. Publish the container.
4. In GA4, mark that event as a key event using Option 1.

CHECK THAT IT WORKS

1. Complete the action on the website yourself.
2. In GA4, check Reports > Realtime, or Admin > DebugView, to confirm the event shows up.
3. Full reporting can take 24–48 hours to fill in.

OPTIONAL: SEND KEY EVENTS TO GOOGLE ADS

1. In Google Ads, go to Goals (or Tools) > Conversions > New conversion action.
2. Choose Import > Google Analytics 4 properties (Web).
3. Select the key events you want and click Import.