Measure user activity with recommended events in Google Analytics

Google Analytics 4 collects a lot of information for you through the measurement code you've added to your website. When you need to collect more information, you will need to implement recommended or custom events. In this video, you'll learn about recommended events, why they're useful, and how to configure them on your website for a Google Analytics 4 (GA4) property.
Chapters:
0:00 - Introduction
1:21 - About the share event
2:20 - Configure the share event
6:27 - Preview and publish the changes
8:28 - Report on the share event
9:19 - Conclusion
Resources:
Learn more about events in Google Analytics → support.google.com/analytics/...
Learn more about recommended events → support.google.com/analytics/...
Check out the demo code for this series → github.com/googleanalytics/ga...
Join the Google Analytics 4 Discord server → / discord
Subscribe to the Google Analytics channel → / googleanalytics
Instructor → / matt_landers
#googleanalytics #googleanalytics4 #googletagmanager #ga4tutorials #ga4tutorialseries

[@lptadvisers]

Hi! I'm not a developer and you kind of lost me on the "Parameter "method"" (if you could make a video explaining the basic terms you need to understand as a non-developer to use GA4, that would be great!). But the rest was pretty clear, it didn't change too much from how it was with UA. Please keep making these videos! Nice job!

[@stephan_clarkson]

To be honest I confused fully with GA4. Why there is no page in the documentation which define all terms and connection between them. Why should I even user Tag Manager additionally to GA4. Why should I set something in Tag Manager for GA4. What are events, dimensions, and measurement, what relate to what and why. The documentation is badly structured. Examples are super simple for example conversations - what if I have 4-5 step - no example hot to set this and based on what - on the event? on dimensions?

[@igniteacademic]

We're in GA4 would you suggest looking for customer custom parameters like the "method=Twitter" one you sent with the GA4 event in GTM? You can see all the params in Realtime but how about reports, explore, etc?

[@culler2000]

Hello, Thank you for the video. I have a very important question for you. Regarding the "event name" and what correct names can be entered there, does it somehow affect Analytics. You entered there just the word "share" - but if we take the "+" button next to it and select what GA4 offers us, for example "Click URL" or "Page URL" (it doesn't matter, this is just an example), we will notice that in the GA4 event name input field inserts the names enclosed in brackets: {{Click URL}} and {{Page URL}} respectively. So the main question is: do you need to put your own event name in parentheses as well? Why is that, why do you simply enter the name and GA4 draws it up for us in brackets? Where is the correct solution? P.s. I really hope you answer the question under your videos.

[@b0otable]

Thanks for the video. Would be interested in seeing more on how to configure Analytics within Firebase web apps and Firebase Console.

[@sitao2483]

Thank you for your video, really clear!

[@RoshSillars]

Unfortunately, If having to use Google Tag Manager is now required to do any meaningful or customize tracking, Google Analytics development has failed.

[@larryburnette6827]

Love the clear and insightful training! I am curious about 9:01 in the video, however. The share event metric shows it fired 4 times but you only clicked the button once. Why is that, please? Would that mean it's not yet collecting the data properly? Or can it be predictably accounted for when evaluating the data? Something else? Thanks again - this is happily the best training I have found about how to use Google Analytics. Regards

[@mrshitty]

Asked myself the same question. My guess is he did a few rehearsals and tests before recording things and this is showing last 30 minutes. You can actually see it go from 4 to 5 in real time. That's probably the one we saw

[@atulsharma3764]

Hi, one thing I noticed when you click on share button, in debug mode why aren't the Ga4 pageview is triggered because you applied it to pageviews and it consider one pageview while open up any webpage.

[@clarizzafray]

Thanks!

[@dmitryisakov3215]

I wonder why are there TWO Click link events during preview in GTM? I have the same issue and wonder if it is a bug or feature? Will this lead to events dubbling in GA4?

[@NGpedikura]

Your tutorial is already out of date. Should I add new trigger next to already existing "All Pages" trigger?

[@vickeywu8970]

Very clear! But I feel like Google Analytics is way too complex for the average users to set up.

[@chriscooke2789]

It is way too complicated I had Google analytics working but the new GA4 switched it off and all these videos do not help fixing it!

[@catanainc]

Probably explaining an ecommerce recommended event would have been the most useful for people working with GA4, instead of choosing to show the simplest recommended event so the teacher has an easy job.

[@Granthtrisha]

is it possible to get live urls from the web for keywords we put in the analytics panel?

[@croxcinco120]

thank you

[@LeeGreyMatter]

It would be helpful to have a link to the first video that you referred to in this video.

[@samchat1]

Great content. Thanks for sharing.

[@Wild-bird-watching]

Does anyone know what "render" refers to in events. How do you delete events?

[@Barudsound]

Nice bro

[@humanbeing1065]

How can we differentiate the different share events? I don't see any mention that this event was a twitter share.

[@vladkesov]

Большое спасибо!

[@MarieMicheleSicardCarrier]

Great video! Thanks! :)

[@user-sb6do9ps6e]

I dont understand where I can see the coding for share-twitter?

[@runsteeprunfast]

HI, I'm using react for my website and I notice that the default events are capturing any time someone clicks on a link. How do I fix this?

[@michaelcabrera6244]

Are we allowed to create multiple Tag Manager account if they want to track for IOS,Android or Web?

[@bishnushah2119]

I am not Getting the option to select GA4 Configuration while setting Up new tags, can you please Let me know why it is so.

[@wlfquestdarkecho]

I would also like to know

[@cschenonep]

Thanks a lot Matt!

[@user-un9ro3iz6u]

Great learning videos .

[@almukhametovar]

But how distinguish Twitter, Facebook and so on? it is always "share" event.

[@lexisense]

Awesome, thank you

[@LudwigArcache]

I created the events in GTM and I can see it in GA4 real time reports, but how can I see those events in Engagement > Events ?

[@lolafernandez9170]

Hi, I don't see them either, and I've let a week or more go by. I can't find any answer in any of the thousand videos I've watched. Have you managed to find out why?

[@think-about-it-777]

Where are the links to the custom_events and custom_paramater videos?

[@lexiriam]

awww...i was really bummed when he started using Google Tag Manager. Hope they make a similar video that does not use GTM. Also sucks that the video title doesn't state that it uses GTM. If anyone has a recommendation on a course like this one, but without GTM please let me know. Thanks!

[@stateofnevadaunemploymenti8700]

Google Academy also shows how to set up without Tag Manager: analytics.google.com/analytics/academy/course/6/unit/1/lesson/1

[@LexGear]

2:00 The irony of using twitter to report back to google that we are using their tutorials to learn how to setup an analytical feed.

[@user-yy1py8lp8j]

How do we know if something is a recommended event or a custom event? Is there a list of GA4 recommended events?

[@GoogleAnalytics]

A list of recommended events is available in our help center: support.google.com/analytics/answer/9267735

[@a-zeeskits]

Nice video, what if you are using WordPress

[@Blairur]

How much of the old UA can I delete?

[@comfortkingston2636]

Please help me on how to create a google analytics account

[@ar_editz6283]

Hi Matt, discord link is invalid now.. can you share a time-free link please? Thanks..

[@GoogleAnalytics]

The correct link is discord.gg/djsM2JfQaG. We've just updated the video description. Thank you for letting us know!

[@ar_editz6283]

@@GoogleAnalytics thanks, Matt!

[@uberfu]

If you have a storefront on your website why would you need Google Analytrics to show you what was purchased when most web-based storefronts have inventory tracking baked in as a standard component.

[@comfortkingston2636]

Thank you so much I really enjoyed your teaching,please how can create a google analytics account

[@samialashwal]

مرحبا هل يمكن أن تقدموا هذا المحتوى باللغة العربية؟

[@matthewademeso4729]

please Matt, how do i access the code for the google analytics website?

[@user-dw3bo2ht9x]

생각보다 뷰가 낮네요 공식문서는 잘 안보나?

[@darlabonn3245]

Can you introduce me to a career under this Department as a remote manager to pick back up from my last GY! And FB expansion project? This is when Yahoo! Compiled the small Hillsboro Office under Corporate. I was both Employed and Construction over sight person(s) As I just really need a life style including my Career. I am not stuck on one disposition(all) tendering of your incumpussed needs.

[@RefocusCreative]

Your tutorial is already out of date

[@samialashwal]

welcome Can you provide this content in Arabic?

[@user-fp9ew9yk6t]

Why do people present these overall good tutorials who can not speak clearly and just mumbling around. #getthesocksoutofyourmouth

[@chriscooke2789]

Maybe Google should spend their money on a call centre rather than these pointless videos that don't!

[@JOSEGARCIA-ch2jp]

This gentleman's pronunciation is not bad, it's very bad. No one understands almost nothing, only for us speakers, not for the rest!!!!

[@ironhide1975]

Your voice is not suited for presentation work. Please hire a professional announcer for these videos.

[@andywest6062]

Preview doesn't work in Firefox, the connection never completes.

[@munjikahalah]

Ehhh. Def a better way to explain this. Just walking through tutorials and not explaining step by step. 🫤