How to track outbound link clicks with Google Tag Manager

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Tracking outbound link clicks using Google Tag Manager (GTM) is a great way to understand user behavior on your website. This process involves creating a tag that sends data to Google Analytics (or another analytics tool) whenever a user clicks on an outbound link. Here’s a step-by-step guide to setting up outbound link click tracking in GTM:

Step 1: Set Up Google Tag Manager

  1. Log into Google Tag Manager: Go to Google Tag Manager and log in to your account.
  2. Select Your Container: Choose the container associated with the website you want to track.

Step 2: Create a Click Trigger

  1. Navigate to Triggers: In the left sidebar, click on “Triggers.”
  2. Create a New Trigger: Click the “New” button.
  3. Configure Trigger:
    • Name Your Trigger: Give it a name like “Outbound Link Clicks.”
    • Choose Trigger Type: Click on “Trigger Configuration” and select “Just Links.”
  4. Set Trigger Conditions:
    • Check the box for “Wait for Tags” and set a time limit (optional but recommended).
    • Check the box for “Check Validation.”
    • Trigger on: Choose “Some Link Clicks.”
    • Condition: Use the condition Click URL does not contain your domain (e.g., yourdomain.com). This will track clicks on links that lead outside your site.
  5. Save the Trigger.

Step 3: Create a Google Analytics Tag

  1. Navigate to Tags: In the left sidebar, click on “Tags.”
  2. Create a New Tag: Click the “New” button.
  3. Configure the Tag:
    • Name Your Tag: Something like “GA – Outbound Link Clicks.”
    • Tag Type: Click on “Tag Configuration” and select “Google Analytics: Universal Analytics” (or “Google Analytics 4” if you’re using GA4).
    • Track Type: Choose “Event.”
  4. Set Up Event Tracking Parameters:
    • Category: Enter a value like “Outbound Link.”
    • Action: Use the variable {{Click URL}} to capture the URL of the clicked link.
    • Label: Optionally, you can use {{Page URL}} to capture the page where the link was clicked.
  5. Select Google Analytics Settings Variable: Choose your existing Google Analytics Settings variable (or create one if you haven’t already).
  6. Triggering: Click on “Triggering” and select the “Outbound Link Clicks” trigger you created earlier.
  7. Save the Tag.

Step 4: Test Your Setup

  1. Preview Mode: Click the “Preview” button in the top right corner of GTM to enter Preview Mode.
  2. Test Your Outbound Links:
    • Navigate to your website in a new tab.
    • Click on an outbound link and check the GTM debug console (appears at the bottom of the page) to see if your tag fired correctly.

Step 5: Publish Changes

  1. Exit Preview Mode: Once you confirm that your tag is firing correctly, exit Preview Mode.
  2. Publish Your Changes: Click on “Submit” in GTM to publish your changes.

Step 6: Verify in Google Analytics

  1. Go to Google Analytics: Log in to your Google Analytics account.
  2. Real-Time Reports: Navigate to the “Real-Time” reports to see if the outbound link clicks are being tracked correctly. Click on “Events” and look for the category you set (e.g., “Outbound Link”).
  3. Event Reports: Later, you can view the events under “Behavior” > “Events” to see the full data on outbound link clicks.

Additional Tips

  • Use UTM Parameters: If you’re interested in tracking outbound link performance in more detail, consider adding UTM parameters to the links. This will help you analyze traffic in Google Analytics based on the source, medium, and campaign.
  • Consider Using GA4: If you’re using Google Analytics 4, the process is similar, but make sure to select the appropriate event settings specific to GA4.
  • Regular Monitoring: Periodically check your Google Analytics data to ensure everything is functioning as expected.

By following these steps, you can effectively track outbound link clicks using Google Tag Manager, gaining valuable insights into user interactions and improving your website’s performance.

Categories: Digital Marketing