Google Tag Manager Event Tracking Guide (2025)

Are you looking for a complete guide on Google Tag Manager event tracking? Then, you are at the right place. 

As we step into 2025, the need for effective event tracking has grown more significant than ever.

Event tracking in GTM provides insights into how users engage with your content, whether it’s clicking a button, watching a video, or submitting a form. It goes beyond pageviews, giving you the data you need to make informed decisions that drive conversions and enhance user experiences.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explain the essentials of Google Tag Manager Event Tracking. From setting up events to mastering advanced techniques, we’ll cover everything you need to know to track user actions effectively.

What is Google Tag Manager Event Tracking?

Google Tag Manager Event Tracking is a method to monitor specific user interactions on your website or app. Unlike standard analytics tracking, which primarily focuses on pageviews, event tracking captures actions such as button clicks, form submissions, video plays, and more. These interactions are invaluable for understanding user behavior and optimizing your marketing strategies.

How Event Tracking Works in GTM

Event tracking in GTM uses a combination of tags, triggers, and variables:

• Tags: Snippets of code that execute specific actions, like sending data to Google Analytics or another platform.
• Triggers: Define when a tag should fire (e.g. when a user clicks a “Buy Now” button).
• Variables: Dynamic values that provide additional information about the event, such as button text or page URL.

By combining these elements, you can track nearly any interaction, providing actionable insights into user engagement.

Examples of Events You Can Track

• Button Clicks: Tracking clicks on important call-to-action buttons.
• Form Submissions: Monitoring when users complete and submit forms.
• Video Engagement: Measuring when users start, pause, or complete a video.
• Scroll Depth: Understanding how far users scroll down your pages.
• Outbound Links: Tracking clicks that lead users away from your website.

Benefits of Using GTM for Event Tracking

Google Tag Manager simplifies the process of tracking user interactions, making it a go-to tool for marketers, developers, and analysts alike. Here are some of the key benefits of using GTM for event tracking:

1. Centralized Management of Tags

With GTM, you can manage all your tracking tags in one place without modifying your website’s code. This reduces reliance on developers, speeds up implementation, and ensures accuracy across multiple platforms.

2. Real-Time Updates

GTM enables you to create, test, and deploy tags in real time. Whether you need to add new event tracking or refine an existing setup, changes can be made and published instantly without waiting for website updates.

3. Integration with Analytics and Marketing Platforms

GTM seamlessly integrates with various platforms, including:

• Google Analytics 4 (GA4): Send event data to measure user behavior.
• Facebook Pixel: Track conversions and optimize ad campaigns.
• Custom Tools: Use custom tags to send data to tools like Mixpanel or HubSpot.

4. Improved Data Accuracy

By consolidating tracking efforts through GTM, you reduce the risk of errors caused by redundant or conflicting tags. Debugging tools like GTM’s Preview Mode also make it easy to identify and fix issues before they go live.

5. Enhanced User Engagement Insights

Event tracking allows you to:

• Monitor critical actions like purchases, downloads, and sign-ups.
• Understand user journeys and identify bottlenecks.
• Evaluate the success of marketing campaigns and website optimizations.

6. Adaptability to Privacy Changes

As privacy regulations like GDPR and CCPA evolve, GTM enables server-side tagging and flexible configurations to meet compliance requirements. This ensures your data collection remains ethical and reliable.

7. Scalability Across Projects

Whether you’re managing a single website or multiple digital properties, GTM’s container-based structure allows you to scale event tracking easily, maintaining consistency across all your assets.

How to Set Up Event Tracking in Google Tag Manager (Step by Step)

Setting up event tracking in Google Tag Manager may seem daunting at first, but by following a step-by-step process, you can quickly implement it for your website or app. 

Here’s how to track events in Google Tag Manager:

Step 1: Create a Google Tag Manager Account

1. Go to the Google Tag Manager website.
2. Sign in with your Google account.
3. Create a new account and container:
   • Account Name: Your company or project name.

• Container Setup: Enter your website URL or app details.
• Platform: Select “Web,” “iOS,” or “Android” based on your needs.

Read our complete guide on How To Install Google Tag Manager.

Step 2: Install GTM on Your Website

1. Once the container is created, GTM will generate two snippets of code.
2. Copy the <script> tag and place it in the <head> section of your website.
3. Add the second snippet directly after the opening <body> tag.
4. Publish changes to integrate GTM with your website.

Step 3: Define Your Event Tracking Goal

Decide what user interactions you want to track. Examples include:

• Button clicks
• Video engagement
• Form submissions
• Scroll depth

Having a clear goal ensures your event tracking setup aligns with your analytics objectives.

Step 4: Configure Tags

Add a New Tag:

• In GTM, click Tags >> New >> Tag Configuration.

Select a Tag Type:

• Choose “Google Analytics: GA4 Configuration” for GA4 integration.

For other tools, select their specific tag or a custom HTML tag.

Customize the Event Name:

• Use descriptive event names like button_click or video_start for easy identification in reports.

Step 5: Set Up Triggers

1. Add a New Trigger:
   • Go to Triggers >> New.

2. Choose the Trigger Type:

• For clicks, select “Click – All Elements” or “Click – Just Links.”
• For forms, select “Form Submission.”
• For scroll tracking, choose “Scroll Depth.”

Next, do trigger configuration.

Let’s create a YouTube trigger as we did in the screenshot below:

• Use conditions to target specific elements (e.g., track only clicks on a “Sign Up” button).

Step 6: Use Variables for Dynamic Tracking

1. Enable Built-In Variables:
   • Go to Variables and enable built-in options like Click URL, Click Text, or Form ID.
2. Create Custom Variables (if needed):
   • For advanced setups, create custom JavaScript variables to capture additional data.

Step 7: Test Your Setup with Preview Mode

1. In GTM, click the Preview button to test your configuration.

2. Interact with your website to see if the tags fire correctly.

3. Use the debug console to identify and resolve any issues.

Step 8: Publish Your Changes

1. Once everything is tested and working, click Submit and publish the container.

Your event tracking setup is now live!

Step 9: Monitor Event Data in Google Analytics

• Log in to your Google Analytics account.
• Go to Reports >> Engagement >> Events to view event data.
• Verify that the events are tracking correctly and align with your goals.

Pro Tip: Document your tag, trigger, and variable configurations for future reference. Regular audits of your GTM setup ensure accuracy and scalability as your tracking needs evolve.

Advanced Event Tracking Strategies

Once you’ve mastered the basics of events tracking in Google Tag Manager (GTM), it’s time to explore advanced strategies to gain deeper insights into user behavior. With these techniques you can setup Google Tag manager custom event. These techniques will help you track events in GTM and optimize your analytics setup for more actionable data.

1. Tracking Single-Page Applications (SPAs)

Single-page applications dynamically load content without changing the URL. To track user interactions effectively in SPAs:

• Use History Change Triggers: These detect changes in the browser’s history API, which is often used in SPAs.
• Configure Custom Events: Set up JavaScript-based events to capture key interactions, such as navigating between sections or clicking buttons.

Example: Track when users switch tabs in a pricing table on your SPA.

2. Scroll Depth Tracking

Understanding how far users scroll can reveal content engagement levels. To set up scroll tracking:

• Use the Scroll Depth Trigger in GTM.
• Track both vertical and horizontal scrolling (useful for interactive graphics or data visualizations).
• Send scroll data as events to Google Analytics for detailed reporting.

Example: Trigger an event when users scroll 50%, 75%, or 100% of your blog page.

3. Video Engagement Tracking

For websites with embedded videos, tracking video interactions provides valuable insights. Use GTM’s built-in YouTube Video Trigger or configure custom triggers for other video players:

• Track events like video start, pause, seek, or complete.
• Combine this data with user engagement metrics to optimize video content.

Example: Measure how many users watch your explainer video to completion.

4. Custom JavaScript Variables

For complex scenarios, custom JavaScript variables allow you to capture unique data points:

• Create a variable that extracts specific values from the DOM (e.g., product IDs, user types).
• Combine this variable with triggers to create highly customized events.

Example: Capture the exact text of a clicked button to differentiate between “Add to Cart” and “Buy Now.”

5. Cross-Domain Tracking

If your user journey spans multiple domains (e.g., your main website and a payment gateway), cross-domain tracking ensures you don’t lose valuable data:

• Configure GTM to share the same client ID across domains.
• Use GA4’s cross-domain measurement for seamless event tracking.

Example: Track a user’s journey from your website to a third-party checkout page and back.

6. Tracking Dynamic Content

Dynamic elements, like dropdown menus or AJAX-loaded content, can be tricky to track. Use Element Visibility Triggers:

• Configure triggers to fire when specific elements become visible in the viewport.
• Combine with variables to capture additional context about the interaction.

Example: Track when users view an offer banner loaded dynamically after a page load.

7. Enhanced E-commerce Tracking

For e-commerce sites, track detailed user actions such as:

• Product views
• Add-to-cart events
• Checkout steps
• Purchases Use GA4’s Enhanced E-commerce features with custom event tagging in GTM to monitor the entire shopping journey.

8. Server-Side Tagging

GTM Server-side tagging processes data on your server rather than the client’s browser, offering:

• Enhanced data security and privacy compliance.
• Improved tracking accuracy, especially in environments with cookie restrictions.

Example: Use server-side tagging to track purchases on a GDPR-compliant e-commerce site.

9. User Engagement Metrics

Track custom engagement metrics like:

• Time spent on the page (using a timer trigger).
• Hover interactions on specific elements.
• Click heatmaps (with event triggers tied to CSS selectors).

Example: Monitor how long users hover over a CTA button before clicking it.

10. Combining GTM with Other Tools

• Mixpanel: For advanced behavioral analytics.
• Hotjar or Crazy Egg: To complement event tracking with heatmaps and session recordings.
• Facebook Pixel or LinkedIn Insight Tag: For retargeting users based on specific interactions.

By implementing these advanced strategies, you can move beyond basic event tracking and uncover deeper insights about user behavior. This data empowers you to make smarter decisions and optimize your website or app for maximum performance.

Troubleshooting Common Issues in GTM Event Tracking

While Google Tag Manager (GTM) simplifies event tracking, it’s not immune to errors. Misconfigurations, conflicts, or unexpected behaviors can disrupt data collection.

 Here’s a guide to troubleshooting common issues in GTM event tracking:

1. Tags Not Firing

Symptoms:

• Your tags don’t fire when the specified conditions are met.

Troubleshooting Steps:

• Verify Trigger Settings:
  • Ensure triggers are correctly configured and linked to the tag.
  • Check if trigger conditions match the event scenario.
• Check Debug Mode:
  • Use GTM’s Preview Mode to see if the trigger activates during user interaction.
• Browser Restrictions:
  • Ensure no browser settings or extensions (e.g., ad blockers) prevent the tag from firing.

Read our complete guide on How to Check if Google Tag Manager is Working?

2. Duplicate Events

Symptoms:

• The same event is recorded multiple times.

Read our complete guide on How To Fix GA4 Duplicate Events

Troubleshooting Steps:

• Check Trigger Scope:
  • Ensure the trigger isn’t firing for unintended elements or multiple times for the same action.
• Use the “Once Per Event” Setting:
  • For triggers like clicks or form submissions, enable the “once per event” option.
• Debug and Monitor:
  • Use Preview Mode to test the sequence of triggers and identify duplicate activations.

3. Missing Data in Analytics

Symptoms:

• Events appear in GTM’s Preview Mode but not in analytics platforms like Google Analytics 4.

Troubleshooting Steps:

• Verify Tag Configuration:
  • Double-check that tags are linked to the correct Measurement ID or API endpoint.
• Check Event Parameters:
  • Ensure that required parameters (e.g., event_name, event_category) are correctly passed.
• Allow Enough Time:
  • Analytics platforms often take a few minutes to process and display new data.

4. Inconsistent Cross-Browser or Device Tracking

Symptoms:

• Events work on some browsers or devices but not others.

Troubleshooting Steps:

• Test Across Platforms:
  • Use different browsers (Chrome, Safari, Firefox) and devices (desktop, mobile) to identify discrepancies.
• Review Compatibility:
  • Ensure your GTM implementation is compatible with all target platforms.
• Inspect Cookies and Privacy Settings:
  • Check if third-party cookies or privacy settings block tracking.

5. Trigger Conflicts

Symptoms:

• Multiple triggers fire unexpectedly, causing incorrect data collection.

Troubleshooting Steps:

• Prioritize Triggers:
  • Use specific conditions to differentiate triggers for similar interactions.
• Consolidate Triggers:
  • Where possible, combine triggers to avoid overlap and redundancy.
• Test in Isolation:
  • Test each trigger individually to identify conflicts.

By systematically addressing these issues, you can ensure that your GTM event tracking setup remains robust, accurate, and reliable. 

Using Analytify for Strategic Event Tracking in WordPress

If you’re using WordPress to manage your website, Analytify provides a seamless solution for implementing and monitoring event tracking. It simplifies the process by eliminating the need for extensive technical know-how, making it easier to track and analyze user interactions directly from your WordPress dashboard.

Analytify is a powerful Google Analytics plugin for WordPress that:

• Provides user-friendly dashboards for real-time insights.
• Tracks events like button clicks, downloads, and form submissions automatically.
• Offers enhanced e-commerce tracking for WooCommerce.

By integrating Analytify into your WordPress site, you can complement your Google Tag Manager (GTM) setup and supercharge your event-tracking strategy.

How Analytify Helps with Event Tracking

1. Automatic Event Tracking
   • Analytify automatically tracks common events like:
     • External link clicks
     • File downloads
     • Form submissions
   • This eliminates the need to manually configure tags and triggers in GTM for these events.
2. Custom Event Tracking Made Easy
   • Use Analytify’s custom settings to define specific events relevant to your business goals.
   • Examples:
     • Track when users click on a “Contact Us” button.
     • Monitor interactions with embedded videos.
3. Enhanced Reporting
   • Analytify provides detailed reports within your WordPress dashboard, saving you the hassle of navigating Google Analytics.
   • Event reports include metrics like event category, action, and labels for easy interpretation.
4. E-Commerce Event Tracking
   • For WooCommerce users, Analytify tracks:
     • Product views
     • Add-to-cart actions
     • Checkout steps
     • Completed purchases
   • This data helps you understand and optimize your sales funnel.
5. Integration with GTM
   • Analytify works alongside GTM, allowing you to implement advanced tracking strategies while maintaining easy access to event data in your dashboard.

Why Choose Analytify for Event Tracking?

• User-Friendly: No coding knowledge is required.
• Real-Time Insights: Access data immediately after events occur.
• Customizable Reports: Tailor event data to suit your business needs.
• E-Commerce Optimization: Gain actionable insights into your sales and customer journeys.

Pro Tip: Analytify isn’t just a plugin; it’s a comprehensive analytics solution that brings the power of Google Analytics to your fingertips. Combine it with GTM for a robust, scalable event tracking strategy that aligns with your marketing goals.

FAQs About Google Tag Manager Event Tracking

Here are some frequently asked questions (FAQs) about Events tracking in Google Tag Manager:

Events Tracking in GTM – Final Thoughts:

Google Tag Manager (GTM) provides a flexible, powerful, and user-friendly solution for tracking key interactions on your website or app.

By mastering GTM’s features like tags, triggers, variables, GTAG event and the data layer, you can unlock actionable insights into your users’ actions, from button clicks and form submissions to video engagement and advanced custom events. With the addition of plugins like Analytify for WordPress, event tracking becomes even more accessible, enabling businesses to monitor performance and make data-driven decisions with ease.

As privacy regulations evolve and tracking technologies advance, staying informed about trends like server-side tagging, AI-powered analytics, and privacy-first strategies is crucial to maintaining a competitive edge. By implementing best practices, leveraging the right tools, and regularly auditing your setup, you can ensure your event-tracking strategy is accurate, scalable, and compliant.

We hope this guide helped you to set up Google Tag Manager Event tracking.

You may also like to read:

• Google Analytics 4 Click Tracking: A Complete Guide (2025)
• How To Get Started With The Events Tracking Addon
• Google Tag Manager Best Practices (2025)

Start implementing Google Tag Manager event tracking today to transform raw user interactions into meaningful insights that help you achieve your goals. Feel free to reach us in comments if you have any query.