One of the primary reasons people rely on analytics tools is to measure performance tied to business goals. Google Analytics has introduced two new automated features: "Mark as Key Event" and "Create Key Event." These tools improve the ability to track events on a website for better alignment with business objectives.

What Are Events and Key Events in Google Analytics?

Before diving into these new features, it’s essential to understand Events and Key Events in Google Analytics.

Events focus on actions taken by website visitors, such as viewing a page or clicking a button. These actions are straightforward and easy to measure. Key Events, on the other hand, represent more significant milestones, such as submitting a form, signing up for an account, or completing a purchase. Essentially, Key Events are comparable to conversions and might already integrate with Google Ads.

Why Differentiate Between Events and Key Events?

Achieving business goals through a website involves numerous steps, making it crucial to distinguish between Events and Key Events. For example, tracking clicks on a "Buy" button is important, but not all clicks result in a completed sale.

Key Events, such as finalized purchases, allow businesses to identify successful conversions, while standard Events like button clicks provide insights into where potential issues or drop-offs occur in the journey.

If Key Events Reflect Goals, Why Are Events Still Important?

While Key Events capture critical outcomes, Events provide valuable context. For instance, comparing product page visits to "Buy" button clicks might reveal visibility issues or suggest that product pages aren’t persuasive enough. Similarly, examining the progression through steps such as the product page, address form, payment stage, and optional offers can uncover where most individuals abandon the process.

Benefits of the New Google Analytics Features

Mark as Key Event

This feature allows you to elevate a standard Event into a Key Event, ensuring it becomes part of your optimization efforts. Not every Event deserves to be a Key Event, but some, like branch page views on an e-commerce site, might indirectly support business objectives such as driving in-store sales through digital marketing campaigns.

Create Key Event

This feature ensures that important actions aren’t overlooked. If critical steps are missed during setup or later website updates, Google Analytics can prompt marketers to create Key Events. This ensures that no significant milestones are omitted from tracking.

Sources & Further Reading

[GA4] Recommendations
Google Analytics' X post