How to Set Up GA4 Custom Events Using Google Tag Manager (Step-by-Step)

Hi Everyone! ??

This week, I'll walk you through setting up Custom Events in Google Analytics 4 using Google Tag Manager (GTM). You'll learn exactly how to create, configure, and test custom events—without relying on developers or writing a single line of code.

And yes, as always, I've included a real-life scenario from a recent project to give you an idea of how powerful and practical this setup can be.

Before we jump in:

• Subscribe to my YouTube channel: Analytics With Ahmed
• Subscribe to my newsletter: https://subscribepage.io/aOcEmV
• Like & Share this on Linkedin (you'll find it on my profile if you're viewing this from your email)

Prefer a video walkthrough? Scroll down to the bottom! ??

What is a Custom Event in Google Analytics 4?

GA4 tracks several default events automatically, like page views, scrolls, and clicks. But what if you want to track something specific, like users interacting with a promotional banner, clicks on particular elements, or even form submissions?

This is exactly where Custom Events step in.

Think of custom events as actions important for your specific business needs but not automatically captured by GA4. For example: tracking a CTA button click, specific downloads, or interactions unique to your website experience.

Setting up a Custom Event using Google Tag Manager

Here's how you can easily create a custom event with GTM:

Step 1: Create Your GA4 Event Tag in GTM

• Open your GTM workspace and create a new tag.
• Select tag type Google Analytics: GA4 Event.
• Add your GA4 Measurement ID.
• Choose an intuitive and clear Event Name (use underscores _, no spaces!).

Step 2: Define Your Trigger

• Configure a trigger that defines when your event should fire (e.g., a button click, specific page view, form submission, etc.).

Here's an article that walks you through how to create click triggers using Google Tag Manager that also contains a video tutorial: https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/how-track-any-button-click-google-tag-manager-guide-ahmed-mostafa-bwyzf

Step 3: Test Before Launching

• Open GTM preview mode and interact with your site.
• Confirm your event fires correctly and data populates as expected in real-time.

Step 4: Publish Your Changes

• Once verified, publish your GTM container changes.
• GA4 will start recording your new event data immediately!

Easy, right? No code, no fuss, just clear data on your most valuable user interactions!

?? Real-Life Use Case

One of my clients wanted to know if users were actually clicking on their new "Subscribe Now" promotional banner. Sure, we had pageviews and clicks, but we needed something more specific, clear, and actionable.

So we:

• Created a custom event specifically for "promo_banner_click".
• Set it up easily using GTM, tested it thoroughly, and then pushed it live.

The result? Crystal-clear insights showing exactly how many users engaged with the promotion banner, along with insights on how this impacted conversion rates.

Imagine confidently presenting to your team, saying, "Our promo banner generated 200 clicks and drove X conversions this week!" ??

No more guessing, only clear actionable data!

Video Tutorial ??

Prefer to watch instead of read? No worries! Here’s a full step-by-step tutorial walking you through everything we've covered:

And that's a wrap for this week! ??

Let me know in the comments below if you found this helpful or if you have any custom tracking setups you're curious about. Your feedback shapes future content—so don't hold back!

Enjoyed this? Subscribe to my YouTube Channel for more practical tips and analytics insights.

#GoogleAnalytics4 #GTM #CustomEvents #AnalyticsWithAhmed #WebAnalytics #DigitalMarketing