How to set up goals google analytics
User interactions on the site can be determined using Goals in Google Analytics. Usually, these interactions include button clicks, form submissions and many more. When a visitor performs the action that you have defined as goals the Analytics records it as a conversion. Google Analytics won’t tell how your business is doing we need to tell Google analytics to keep track of the things that are critical to the business. In Google Analytics we have four ways to track goals that include URL’s, Time, Events, Pages visit. So now let us check on how to set up goals in google analytics.
Set Up Goals in Google Analytics
- Go to Google Analytics standard reports.
- Click on the top right admin button.
- Click on Goals, from one of the goal sets, click +goal to set up a new goal.
Active and inactive goal options allow you to control whether the goal is functioning or not. You won’t be able to delete your goal, you can only deactivate it.
Types of Goals that you can build
URL Goals
URL destination goals will keep track of specific URL’s. So if anyone goes to that URL, they will trigger the goal. You can keep the URL of thank you page, confirmation pages and PDF’s as goals.
This URL will trigger the goal. Don’t enter the full URL, use only what comes after the domain.
Match Type: This determines how Google Analytics decides URL counts. For an exact match, only specific URL works. If there is a string or unique id for the session it won’t count. Don’t use an exact match if system constantly generates unique URL for each visitors. Regarding exact match on landing pages, Google Analytics will count direct visits, not campaign visits if we use UTM parameters to track campaigns.
Goal Funnels: It allows to see how many people move through each step of the process.
Visit Duration Goals
We can use this to track how many people stay on the site. You can also set the goal to track the visit that
is below a specific amount of time.
Condition: This parameter decides whether to activate any visit that lasts more or less than the threshold you provide. Give out the tie to use the goal.
Google Analytics tracks the visit duration by comparing the time stamps. When a user visits a page a time stamp is collected and if they click on the second page a second-time stamp is collected.
Pages/ Visit Goals
This is a way to track the number of pages visitors see before they leave.
Condition: Pick out the option greater than, less than, equal to measure the engagement.
Number of Pages Visited: Set the number of pages that you want to activate the event.
Event Goals
You need to set up events, similar to virtual page views you need to add a bit of java script to the element you want to track. You can track external links, downloads, social media buttons, widget usage etc.
While setting up an event you can define it with a category, action, label, and value. Using the drop downs, specify which events need to be counted as goals. You can use any of them as you need. Hope you got an idea on how to set up goals in google analytics.