Setting up and tracking goals for email newsletter subscriptions and list growth in Google Analytics involves defining what constitutes a successful subscription, configuring goals, and analyzing the performance to gauge how effectively your email subscription forms are converting visitors into subscribers. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you set up and track these goals:

1. Define Your Subscription Goals

Identify what actions you want to track as part of the subscription process:

• Form Submission: When a user fills out and submits the newsletter subscription form.
• Confirmation Page: When a user lands on a thank you or confirmation page after subscribing.
• Email Clickthroughs: Tracking clicks on email links that lead back to your site, showing engagement with the subscription process.

2. Set Up Tracking for Subscription Forms

Using Google Tag Manager (GTM)

a. Set Up Form Submission Tracking:

1. Create a Tag:
   • Log in to GTM and create a new tag.
   • Choose Tag Configuration and select Google Analytics: Universal Analytics.
   • Set the Track Type to Event.
2. Configure Event Tracking:
   • Category: “Newsletter Subscription”
   • Action: “Submit”
   • Label: Use form or page identifiers for better tracking.
3. Set Up Triggers:
   • Create a trigger for form submissions. Choose Form Submission as the trigger type and specify the form ID or class.
4. Test and Publish:
   • Use GTM’s preview mode to test the setup and ensure that events are being sent to Google Analytics correctly. Publish the container once verified.

b. Track Confirmation Page Views:

1. Create a Tag:
   • Similar to form submission tracking, set up a tag for tracking pageviews on the confirmation or thank you page.
2. Configure Pageview Tracking:
   • Category: “Newsletter Subscription”
   • Action: “Confirmation Page View”
   • Label: Use identifiers related to the confirmation page.
3. Set Up Triggers:
   • Create a trigger for pageviews. Choose Page View as the trigger type and specify the URL or page path of the confirmation page.
4. Test and Publish:
   • Test and publish the container after verifying correct event tracking.

Using Direct Google Analytics Tracking Code

If you prefer not to use GTM, you can add tracking code directly to your website:

a. Form Submission:

Add the following JavaScript code to your form’s submit event handler:

b. Confirmation Page View:

On the confirmation page, add the following code to track the page view:

3. Configure Goals in Google Analytics

Once tracking is set up, configure goals to measure the success of your subscription process:

Step 1: Access the Admin Panel

1. Log in to Google Analytics.
2. Navigate to the Admin section at the bottom left of the page.

Step 2: Select Your Account and Property

1. Choose the appropriate Account and Property.

Step 3: Go to Goals

1. In the View column, click on Goals.

Step 4: Create a New Goal

1. Click on the + New Goal button.

Step 5: Choose a Goal Type

For tracking newsletter subscriptions, the Destination and Event goal types are typically used:

For Destination Goals:

1. Select Destination as the goal type.
2. Name your goal (e.g., “Newsletter Subscription”).
3. Set the goal type to Destination.
4. Enter the URL of the confirmation or thank you page (e.g., /thank-you).

For Event Goals:

1. Select Event as the goal type.
2. Name your goal (e.g., “Form Submission”).
3. Configure the event conditions based on categories, actions, and labels. For example:
   • Category: Newsletter Subscription
   • Action: Submit
   • Label: Subscription Form

Step 6: Set Up Goal Details

• Destination Goals: Use the exact URL or a match type (e.g., “Equals to” for exact matches or “Begins with” for broader matches).
• Event Goals: Input the event category, action, or label you configured for subscription form interactions.

Step 7: Assign a Value (Optional)

Assign a monetary value to the goal if you want to track the value of each subscription.

1. Check the box for Value.
2. Enter the value of the goal (e.g., estimated value of a subscriber).

Step 8: Verify the Goal

Google Analytics provides a Verify this Goal feature. Click on this to ensure your goal is tracking correctly.

Step 9: Save the Goal

Click on Save to create the goal.

4. Monitor and Analyze Goal Performance

Once your goals are set up, you can start monitoring their performance:

• Conversions Overview: Go to Conversions > Goals > Overview to see total goal completions, conversion rates, and other metrics.
• Goal Flow: Navigate to Conversions > Goals > Goal Flow to visualize the steps users take before completing a subscription goal.
• Funnel Visualization: If you’ve set up a funnel, use the Funnel Visualization report to understand how users progress through the subscription process.

5. Use Segments for Deeper Insights

Apply segments to analyze goal performance based on different criteria:

• User Segments: Segment users who subscribed vs. those who did not.
• Traffic Sources: Analyze how different traffic sources (e.g., social media, organic search) affect subscription rates.
• Device Categories: Examine subscription rates across different devices (desktop, mobile, tablet).

6. Leverage Enhanced Analytics Tools

Consider using additional tools to enhance your analysis:

• Google Optimize: Run A/B tests on subscription forms to determine which versions convert better.
• Heatmap Tools: Use heatmaps to visually analyze how users interact with subscription forms.
• CRM Integration: Integrate Google Analytics with your CRM system to track how subscriptions impact customer relationships and marketing efforts.

7. Optimize Based on Data

Use insights from your analysis to improve your subscription process:

• Improve Form Design: Based on user interactions and conversion rates, optimize the design and functionality of your subscription forms.
• Optimize Call-to-Action: Test different call-to-action texts and button designs to increase form submissions.
• Refine Marketing Strategies: Adjust marketing strategies based on which channels drive the most subscriptions.

8. Reporting and Communication

Effectively communicate your findings to stakeholders:

• Generate Reports: Create detailed reports highlighting key metrics related to newsletter subscriptions. Include visualizations like charts and graphs to make data more accessible.
• Present Findings: Share insights with your team or stakeholders through presentations or dashboards. Focus on how subscription goals impact business objectives and provide actionable recommendations for improvement.

Conclusion

Setting up and tracking goals for email newsletter subscriptions and list growth in Google Analytics involves defining clear goals, configuring tracking and goals, and analyzing performance to gain insights into how well your subscription forms are performing. By leveraging this data, you can optimize your subscription process, enhance user engagement, and achieve better results from your email marketing efforts. Regularly review and adjust your tracking and optimization strategies to stay aligned with your business goals and user needs.