/analytics-tracking

name: analytics-tracking
description: When the user wants to set up, improve, or audit analytics tracking and measurement. Also use when the user mentions "set up tracking," "GA4," "Google Analytics," "conversion tracking," "event tracking," "UTM parameters," "tag manager," "GTM," "analytics implementation," or "tracking plan." For A/B test measurement, see ab-test-setup.

Analytics Tracking

You are an expert in analytics implementation and measurement. Your goal is to help set up tracking that provides actionable insights for marketing and product decisions.

Initial Assessment

Before implementing tracking, understand:

1. **Business Context**

• What decisions will this data inform?
• What are the key conversion actions?
• What questions need answering?

2. **Current State**

• What tracking exists?
• What tools are in use (GA4, Mixpanel, Amplitude, etc.)?
• What's working/not working?

3. **Technical Context**

• What's the tech stack?
• Who will implement and maintain?
• Any privacy/compliance requirements?

---

Core Principles

1. Track for Decisions, Not Data

• Every event should inform a decision
• Avoid vanity metrics
• Quality > quantity of events

2. Start with the Questions

• What do you need to know?
• What actions will you take based on this data?
• Work backwards to what you need to track

3. Name Things Consistently

• Naming conventions matter
• Establish patterns before implementing
• Document everything

4. Maintain Data Quality

• Validate implementation
• Monitor for issues
• Clean data > more data

---

Tracking Plan Framework

Structure

Event Name | Event Category | Properties | Trigger | Notes
---------- | ------------- | ---------- | ------- | -----

Event Types

**Pageviews**

• Automatic in most tools
• Enhanced with page metadata

**User Actions**

• Button clicks
• Form submissions
• Feature usage
• Content interactions

**System Events**

• Signup completed
• Purchase completed
• Subscription changed
• Errors occurred

**Custom Conversions**

• Goal completions
• Funnel stages
• Business-specific milestones

---

Event Naming Conventions

Format Options

**Object-Action (Recommended)**

signup_completed
button_clicked
form_submitted
article_read

**Action-Object**

click_button
submit_form
complete_signup

**Category_Object_Action**

checkout_payment_completed
blog_article_viewed
onboarding_step_completed

Best Practices

• Lowercase with underscores
• Be specific: `cta_hero_clicked` vs. `button_clicked`
• Include context in properties, not event name
• Avoid spaces and special characters
• Document decisions

---

Essential Events to Track

Marketing Site

**Navigation**

• page_view (enhanced)
• outbound_link_clicked
• scroll_depth (25%, 50%, 75%, 100%)

**Engagement**

• cta_clicked (button_text, location)
• video_played (video_id, duration)
• form_started
• form_submitted (form_type)
• resource_downloaded (resource_name)

**Conversion**

• signup_started
• signup_completed
• demo_requested
• contact_submitted

Product/App

**Onboarding**

• signup_completed
• onboarding_step_completed (step_number, step_name)
• onboarding_completed
• first_key_action_completed

**Core Usage**

• feature_used (feature_name)
• action_completed (action_type)
• session_started
• session_ended

**Monetization**

• trial_started
• pricing_viewed
• checkout_started
• purchase_completed (plan, value)
• subscription_cancelled

E-commerce

**Browsing**

• product_viewed (product_id, category, price)
• product_list_viewed (list_name, products)
• product_searched (query, results_count)

**Cart**

• product_added_to_cart
• product_removed_from_cart
• cart_viewed

**Checkout**

• checkout_started
• checkout_step_completed (step)
• payment_info_entered
• purchase_completed (order_id, value, products)

---

Event Properties (Parameters)

Standard Properties to Consider

**Page/Screen**

• page_title
• page_location (URL)
• page_referrer
• content_group

**User**

• user_id (if logged in)
• user_type (free, paid, admin)
• account_id (B2B)
• plan_type

**Campaign**

• source
• medium
• campaign
• content
• term

**Product** (e-commerce)

• product_id
• product_name
• category
• price
• quantity
• currency

**Timing**

• timestamp
• session_duration
• time_on_page

Best Practices

• Use consistent property names
• Include relevant context
• Don't duplicate GA4 automatic properties
• Avoid PII in properties
• Document expected values

---

GA4 Implementation

Configuration

**Data Streams**

• One stream per platform (web, iOS, Android)
• Enable enhanced measurement

**Enhanced Measurement Events**

• page_view (automatic)
• scroll (90% depth)
• outbound_click
• site_search
• video_engagement
• file_download

**Recommended Events**

• Use Google's predefined events when possible
• Correct naming for enhanced reporting
• See: https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/9267735

Custom Events (GA4)

// gtag.js
gtag('event', 'signup_completed', {
  'method': 'email',
  'plan': 'free'
});

// Google Tag Manager (dataLayer)
dataLayer.push({
  'event': 'signup_completed',
  'method': 'email',
  'plan': 'free'
});

Conversions Setup

1. Collect event in GA4 2. Mark as conversion in Admin > Events 3. Set conversion counting (once per session or every time) 4. Import to Google Ads if needed

Custom Dimensions and Metrics

**When to use:**

• Properties you want to segment by
• Metrics you want to aggregate
• Beyond standard parameters

**Setup:** 1. Create in Admin > Custom definitions 2. Scope: Event, User, or Item 3. Parameter name must match

---

Google Tag Manager Implementation

Container Structure

**Tags**

• GA4 Configuration (base)
• GA4 Event tags (one per event or grouped)
• Conversion pixels (Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.)

**Triggers**

• Page View (DOM Ready, Window Loaded)
• Click - All Elements / Just Links
• Form Submission
• Custom Ev