Tactical event tracking

Google Analytics

After all these years Event Tracking is still the coolest Google Analytics feature. Unlike custom variables you don’t have to tell GA what you’ll be sending, or worry about running out of slots. The only real skill lies in terms of capturing interactions, but frameworks like jQuery make even tracking complex interactions feasible.

Take this example of tracking error messages people see during checkout:

ouch

  1. Why make the recipient’s shipping phone number required? Although it may not hurt conversions it’s obviously not expected by the visitor checking out. If you don’t need it, leave it out.

  2. Offering coupons? Expired coupons are a conversion killer. Can you provide a better error message or perhaps point people to valid coupons?

Neither insight I would have been able to see without event tracking.