How to Track Form Submissions in GA4 (With and Without Google Tag Manager)
Why Tracking Form Submissions Matters
Most small businesses rely on forms as their primary source of leads. If you're running Google Ads, SEO, or social media campaigns, understanding these interactions is the foundation of your strategy. For a broader look at how this data impacts your business growth, refer to The Ultimate Guide to GA4 and Web Analytics for Small Businesses.
Without proper tracking, all you're doing is guesswork. This leads to wasted budget and poor decisions. Accurate form data allows you to see which marketing channels drive high-quality leads and whether mobile or desktop converts better for your specific audience.
Option 1: Tracking Form Submissions Using GA4 Enhanced Measurement
GA4 includes a built-in feature called Enhanced Measurement, which automatically tracks some form interactions. However, this method is limited and doesn't work for all websites.
How to enable it:
- Go to Admin, head to Data Streams, then go to Web
- Scroll to Enhanced Measurement
- Now toggle it ON
- Make sure you enable Form Interactions
Pros:
- Easy to set up; no coding required.
Cons:
- Often fails to track successful submissions reliably.
- Doesn't capture form type or lead intent.
If your website uses modern builders like HubSpot, Gravity Forms, or Contact Form 7, you'll likely need the more robust control offered by a Google Tag Manager Setup for Beginners.
Option 2: Tracking Form Submissions Using Google Tag Manager (Recommended)
Google Tag Manager (GTM) gives you full control and works with almost any form. This is the most reliable method for small businesses, especially those running Google Ads.
Step 1: Enable Form Submission Triggers
Inside GTM, create a new Form Submission trigger. You can set it to fire on all forms or specific ones based on the Form ID.
Step 2: Create a GA4 Event Tag
Create a GA4 Event Tag and name it something clear like "form_submit." This event is a critical component of GA4 Events, Conversions, and Custom Dimensions, as it allows you to categorize different types of leads.
Step 3: Test Everything
Use Preview Mode in GTM and DebugView in GA4 to confirm the event fires and no duplicates appear. Testing prevents inaccurate data and ensures your conversions are reliable.
Option 3: Tracking Form Submissions Using Thank-You Pages
If your form redirects users to a thank-you page, tracking is simple and extremely reliable. You can create a GA4 event triggered by a page view where the URL contains "/thank-you." While this is a clean method, it doesn't work with AJAX forms that don't trigger a page reload.
Marking Form Submissions as Conversions in GA4
Once your form submission event is firing, you must mark it as a conversion to see it in your main reports:
- Go to Admin, then go to Events
- Find your "form_submit" event
- Toggle Mark as Conversion
While forms are vital, they only represent half the lead-generation picture. Many customers prefer to pick up the phone, so make sure you also know How to Track Phone Calls and Offline Conversions.
Why This Matters for Edmonton Businesses
Edmonton's service-based industries, such as contractors, realtors, and dentists, all rely heavily on form submissions. Tracking them properly helps you improve your Google Ads ROI and identify your highest-converting pages.
Need help navigating your digital strategy? At Alberta Web Craft, we specialize in helping businesses build high-performing websites that rank. Whether you need an SEO audit or a full site build, we’re here to help you own your piece of the internet.