Google Analytics 4 advanced custom analytics

Beyond basic GA4 setup, Finalsite supports advanced tracking configurations including custom event parameters, Composer-specific event tags, and site search parameters. This article covers advanced GA4 features for schools that want deeper analytics beyond standard page view tracking.

đź’ˇQuick answers

  • What advanced GA4 features are covered in this article? Custom dimensions based on Finalsite-specific event parameters, enhanced measurement configuration, site search parameter setup, and event tag configuration for Composer interactions.
  • What is the difference between this article and the basic GA4 setup article? The basic setup article covers adding the Measurement ID and acknowledging data policies; this article covers deeper configuration like custom dimensions, event tracking, and site search parameters.
  • Where do you configure custom dimensions in GA4? In Google Analytics > Admin > Data Display > Custom Definitions > Custom dimensions tab; add the Finalsite-specific event parameters listed in the setup article.
  • Can advanced GA4 tracking be configured without first completing basic setup? No; the Measurement ID must be added to Composer Domain Settings and basic GA4 configuration completed before advanced tracking features will function.

Once you have set up Google Analytics 4 on a Composer site there is additional data available for more advanced analytics and settings that can be configured to ensure the data being reported is accurate. This article provides details about these advanced custom analytics options. 

Custom dimensions for advanced tracking

After following the initial set up process, custom dimensions can be set up allowing you to leverage additional data for specific components of a Composer website.

Match custom dimensions to events for advanced reporting

Below you’ll find the custom events properly configured Composer websites will report on, followed by a bulleted list of custom dimensions associated with the event and what additional information the dimension provides.

athletics_pop_up_displayed

  • element_text: click text

calendar_pop_up_displayed

  • element_text: click text

constituent_pop_up_displayed

  • element_text: click text

posts_pop_up_displayed

  • element_text: click text

resource_lightbox_image_displayed

  • element_text: click text

email_links

  • url_path: page click happened on
  • element_url: email link clicked
  • click_text: click text

external_link_click

  • url_path: page click happened on
  • element_url: external link clicked
  • click_text: click text

internal_link_click

  • url_path: page form submitted on
  • click_text: click text
  • element_url: link clicked
  • click_classes: button class, if it exists to differentiate between different button styles


file_downloads_by_extension

  • url_path: page click happened on
  • element_url: PDF link clicked
  • click_text: click text

Form_submission (Composer Forms only)

  • url_path: page form submitted on
  • button_text: click text

view_image

  • media_title: image alt tag from an image gallery

view_search_results

  • search_term

view_video

  • media_title: video file name

video_complete

  • media_title: video file name

resource_video_played

  • media_title: video file name

resource_video_paused

  • media_title: video file name

Enable enhanced measurement events dimensions

If you enable enhanced measurement events, you will need to add the custom parameters that are listed in Google’s documentation for that information to be easily reported on in GA4.

Link to other Google products

By linking Google Ads, Search Console, and other products, Google Analytics data will have supplemental data from those platforms. Click on the product in the Admin settings and follow the steps to connect your data.

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Track custom events & conversions

If you’d like to track specific actions as events or conversions, you can create a custom event based on any standard events, the custom events outlined above, with applicable dimensions.

Go to Admin > Events > click “Create event”

For example, if you have an inquiry form link you’d like to precisely track as an event and mark it as a conversion, you could create a custom event like this where the element_url is set with your inquiry link URL:

unnamed__2_.png

Or, if you’d like to track a specific type of page view, like your users who view your giving page you could create a custom event like this:

unnamed__1_.png

If you’d like to set these custom events or any default events as a conversion for ads or to report on the most critical engagement on your website, click the toggle button next to the event under “Mark as a conversion”:

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GA4 provides many customization options, so it is up to you to determine what level of detail you’d like to report on.

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