Events vs Goals
In Google Analytics, an event is any user interaction with content on your site that can be tracked independently from a web page or a screen load. Events can include but are not limited to clicking on a link, downloading a document, completing a form or watching a video. Specifying and collecting event data can be done by modifying tracking code within Google Analytics directly or with Google Tag Manager.
Goals and Conversions
In Google Analytics, conversion goals can measure events; however, a conversion goal is separate from any specific event because it is triggered once a predefined action is taken or a point has been reached that you have determined is valuable. When most people hear “conversion,” they think of revenue tracking which can be done with goals. However, there are also other actions that can be tracked. Examples include downloads of a named PDF (ie. brochure, student handbook or PPT), views of a specific webpage (ie. application confirmation, login page or event registration), completions of a form (ie. feedback form, inquiry form, newsletter sign-up form), clicks to social accounts, or engagement measurements (ie. specific time on site, # pages per visit, amount of time watching a video). While events are set through tracking code, Google Analytics allows you to set 20 predefined goals without having to modify the tracking code directly. To learn how to set up goals see, create, edit and share goals.
Real-Life Example
One conversion goal that the Texas A&M Foundation tracks is to measure how many Estate Kit Request Forms have been completed. (The goal is triggered when the user clicks on the “submit” button of the form to submit data). In tracking the data, the Foundation noticed that more goals were completed when the Estate Kit Request call to action (CTA) button was more prominently displayed on planned giving informational emails going to prospective donors. The Foundation committed to including these CTA’s in more prominent areas going forward (if the data continued to show high goal completions). Tracking this predefined goal has helped the Foundation increase its conversion rate and more people have received information about giving opportunities.