Enhanced Measurement Events in Google Analytics 4

This article introduces Enhanced Measurement Events in Google Analytics 4.

Meet Enhanced Measurement Events

Enhanced Measurement Events are built-in events, just need to be enabled in the web data stream, No code changes are required, and Google Analytics tag starts sending events right away.

There are two points of note:

• Enhanced Measurement Events are enabled by default.
• Personally identifiable information cannot be collected through Enhanced Measurement Events.

Categories

Enhanced Measurement Events include 7 type :

Page views

Each time the page loads or the browser history state is changed by the active site.

• Event Name：page_view   
• Event Parameters：page_location 、page_referrer

This event is collected automatically, you cannot turn off collection.

GA4 has built-in support for virtual page tracking：An advanced setting on this option controls whether the event is sent based on browser-history events. This measurement option listens for pushState, popState, and replaceState, can be used for virtual page tracking.

As long as you check it, you can do virtual page tracking.

Scrolls

The first time a user reaches the bottom of each page (i.e., when a 90% vertical depth becomes visible)

• Event Name：scroll
• Event Parameters：No parameters

Outbound clicks

Each time a user clicks a link that leads away from the current domain

• Event Name：click
• Event Parameters：link_classes、link_domain、link_id、link_url、outbound (boolean)

Site search

Site search is used to track the search within the site, only if the url is q=keyword structure, if it is q/keyword, it will not work.

By default, the event is triggered based on the presence of one of the following 5 parameters(q、s、search、query、keyword) in the URL，you can customize up to 10 parameters

• Event Name：view_search_results
• Event Parameters：search_term

Video engagement

For embedded videos that have JS API support enabled, the following events are triggered:

• Event Name：video_start、video_progress、video_complete
• Event Parameters：video_current_time、video_duration、video_percent、video_provider、video_title、video_url visible (boolean)

Further reading: Two ways to track Youtube videos on Google Analytics 4

File downloads

Triggered when the user downloads the following file: pdf|xlsx?|docx?|txt|rtf|csv|exe|key|pp(s|t|tx)|7z|pkg|rar|gz|zip|avi|mov|mp4|mpe?g|wmv|midi?|mp3|wav|wma

• Event Name：file_download
• Event Parameters：file_extension、file_name、link_classes、link_domain、link_id、link_text、link_url

Form interactions

Form interactions are used to track forms.

• Event Name：form_start、form_submit
• Event Parameters：form_id、form_name、form_destination、form_submit_text

Click Enhanced Measurement in Web stream details, and then check Form interactions:

This turns on form tracking, which is very convenient.

However, this method sometimes does not track accurately. If your website is installed with Facebook Pixel and has done Facebook event tracking, it will cause Form interactions to be triggered, because Facebook Event sends data in the form of a form.

Therefore, if your website has Facebook Pixel installed, it is not suitable to use Form interactions for form tracking.

Bug we can use Form Submission to track, further reading: Use GTM Form Submission Trigger for Form Tracking  and「6 methods」 Form Tracking in Google Analytics 4