Know All About Phone Call Tracking with Google Analytics

Google Analytics Event Tracking – What Is It?

You can use it to keep track of what a user is doing on your website, like which links he is clicking on or the content he’s interacting with. This can also include clicking outbound links, email addresses, phone numbers, sign-ups, download links, form submissions, or any other CTAs (calls-to-action).

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A Phone Number Link – What It Usually Looks Like

Given below is an instance of fundamental link code that activates a phone call when someone using a mobile device clicks on “CALL 305-468-0494.”

CALL +1 305-468-0494

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How to Add Google Analytics Event Tracking

The Google Analytics tracking component consists of:

On-click=”ga(‘send’, ‘event’, ‘category’, ‘action’, ‘label’, value, {‘Non-Interaction’: 1});”

Read More: How to Setup GA 4 Conversion Tracking

1^st Step: Classify your variables

For the phone call tracking case, we define the variables as:

1. Category = Phone Call Tracking
2. Action = Click to Call
3. Label = 305-468-0494
4. Value = (none)
5. Non-Interaction = (none)

In this case, we have named the category as “Phone Call Tracking” to ensure it’s easier to keep track of phone calls across the whole website.

Read More: How to Set Up Site Search with GA 4

The action is named “Click to Call” to indicate that the user wants to click on the phone number to kick off the action. We have set the label to “305-468-0494” as it’s the phone number that the user has clicked on, which we want to track.

No value is assigned to the event in this case. Consequently, our code doesn’t show it.

The Non-Interaction variable is set to false by default. However, if we would like to assign it as true, it can be done by defining the variable within two wavy brackets and setting it to ‘1,’ as in {‘Non-Interaction’: 1}

Read More: How to Reduce Bounce Rate and How to Improve Conversions

Since we have planned out the event, we can now bring it all together.

Our Google Analytics code for phone tracking appears like this:

onclick=”ga(‘send’, ‘event’, ‘Phone Call Tracking’, ‘Click to Call’, 305-468-0494′, 0);”

2^nd Step: Add the Google Analytics on-click Element to Your Link

To append the phone call event code, we will have to add it to our original link.

The segment marked in red below is the event code we had defined in the earlier step.

<a href=”tel:13054680494″ on-click=”ga(‘send’, ‘event’, ‘Phone Call Tracking’, ‘Click to Call’, ‘305-468-0494’, 0);”>CALL 305-468-0494</a>

Expert Tip: For WordPress users, the widget areas make certain that you employ a “Custom HTML” widget area in order that WordPress doesn’t automatically eliminate the on-click command. You should use all alphabets in lowercase for the “on-click” command to get it validated by WordPress. You can discuss with your web developer other alternatives for adding the tracking code to your site. What you observe in the example above is just one way to add it without using additional plugins, scripts, or Google Tag Manager.

Read More: Why Google Analytics is Important Matter for Every Business

3^rd Step: Examine Your Goal

Before you finish, the event should be tested to make sure it’s working properly. You can use your Google Analytics account to examine the event in real-time. After logging into your account, you’ll have to visit the tab marked “Reporting.” Then, you’ll need to click on the “Real-Time” option, followed by a click on “Events.”

After you open a separate window or tab, visit your website and click on the item that has the coded event. In the example above, it’s the phone number link. Switch the window or tab back over to Google Analytics, and you should notice the event pop-up a few seconds subsequent to your click on it. When the event is set up correctly, it will show the Category, Action, and Label that were assigned in the 1^st Step.

And with that, you have done it!

Now, you can track the phone call clicks originating from your website!

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