7 Critical GA4 Events You Should Be Tracking (Youâre Probably Missing #3)
Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is powerfulâif you know what to track.
Most people stick with the default events and hope for the best. But hereâs the truth: if youâre not customizing your events, youâre leaving money (and insight) on the table.
In this post, weâll walk you through 7 must-have GA4 events that every website, landing page, or funnel should be tracking. Especially #3âitâs one most marketers overlook but can reveal major drop-off points in your customer journey.
đ¤ First, Why Custom Events in GA4 Matter
GA4 is built for flexibility. Unlike Universal Analytics, where you were stuck with rigid categories, GA4 allows you to define your own event parametersâmeaning better alignment with your business goals.
Default events like page_view and scroll are a start, but they wonât tell you:
Where your leads are dropping off
What content drives conversions
Which CTAs are ignored
Or whatâs holding back your revenue
Letâs fix that đ
â 1. Button Clicks (Especially CTAs)
Tracking call-to-action (CTA) clicks like "Buy Now", "Book Demo", or "Download Guide" is non-negotiable.
Event Name: cta_click Parameter examples: button_text, page_path
đĄ Why it matters: It shows which buttons are doing the heavy liftingâand which arenât.
â 2. Form Submissions (Lead Generation Gold)
You need to know when someone completes a formâand what kind.
Event Name: form_submit Parameters: form_id, form_name, page_location
đĄ Why it matters: Tracks lead generation performance and helps you A/B test forms.
â 3. Video Engagement (The Most Missed Event)
If you're using video in your funnelâlanding pages, product explainers, testimonialsâyou need to track if people are actually watching.
Event Name: video_progress Track when users:
Start video
Reach 25%, 50%, 75%, 100%
đĄ Why it matters: Youâll discover if your videos are doing their jobâor wasting scroll space.
â 4. Scroll Depth (See Where Attention Drops)
GA4 includes a basic scroll event (90% scroll), but you can customize depth triggers for 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%.
Event Name: scroll_depth Parameters: percentage_scrolled, page_path
đĄ Why it matters: Reveals which content holds attentionâand what causes bounce.
â 5. Outbound Link Clicks (What Sends Users Away)
If users are clicking links to third-party sites, affiliates, or social mediaâyou should know.
Event Name: outbound_click Parameters: destination_url
đĄ Why it matters: Helps you understand whatâs distracting or converting your traffic.
â 6. Product Views and Add to Cart (Ecommerce)
For ecommerce brands, this is a no-brainer. Track every step of the funnel.
Events:
view_item
add_to_cart
begin_checkout
purchase
đĄ Why it matters: Allows you to pinpoint exactly where revenue is leaking.
â 7. Error Messages or Failed Submissions
Do people run into broken forms? Do buttons fail silently?
Event Name: form_error or js_error Parameters: error_message, page_path, device_type
đĄ Why it matters: You canât fix what you donât know is brokenâand these events reveal the invisible UX blockers.
đ Bonus Tip: Use GTM (Google Tag Manager)
Set up these events using Google Tag Manager for cleaner management and more flexible customization. Youâll be able to fine-tune exactly how and when events fireâwithout messing with site code.
đ The Real Win? Insight that Drives Action
Tracking these 7 events will give you more than just dataâthey give you diagnostics:
Which content converts
Which CTAs flop
Where buyers disappear
What kills trust
And how to fix it
And thatâs the difference between just measuring traffic⌠and increasing revenue.







