If you’re running PPC or advertising campaigns, tracking conversions is critical to measuring success and optimizing your efforts. WPForms, a popular WordPress form builder, allows you to easily track form submissions as conversions in Google Analytics 4 (GA4). This guide will walk you through the process step-by-step, along with best practices to ensure accurate tracking and improved ROI.
Why Track WPForms Submissions in Google Analytics?
Tracking WPForms submissions as conversions in GA4 helps you:
- Measure the effectiveness of your forms (e.g., contact forms, lead generation forms).
- Optimize PPC campaigns by identifying high-performing traffic sources.
- Gain insights into user behavior and improve your website’s conversion rate.
With GA4 now replacing Universal Analytics (UA), it’s essential to set up tracking correctly to future-proof your analytics.
Step-by-Step Guide to Tracking WPForms Conversions in GA4
✅ Step 1: Ensure Google Analytics (GA4) is Installed Correctly
Before tracking conversions, make sure GA4 is set up on your website. You can install GA4 using:
- MonsterInsights (recommended for WordPress users).
- Site Kit by Google.
- Manual installation via code injection.
Verification Tip: Use the Google Tag Assistant Chrome Extension or check the Realtime Report in GA4 to confirm proper installation.
✅ Step 2: Enable WPForms GA Integration
WPForms supports GA event tracking natively or through plugins. The easiest and most effective method is using MonsterInsights.
Recommended Approach: MonsterInsights + WPForms Integration
- Install and activate the MonsterInsights plugin.
- Connect it to your Google Analytics account.
- Go to your WordPress dashboard → Insights → Addons, then install and activate the Forms addon.
Alternative: If you prefer a manual setup, skip to Step 3.
✅ Step 3: Set Up Event Tracking for Form Submissions
➡️ Option A: Using MonsterInsights Forms Addon (Recommended)
Once the Forms addon is activated:
- Go to Insights → Settings → Conversions.
- Enable tracking for WPForms (toggle on).
MonsterInsights will automatically track each WPForms submission as a GA4 event with:
- Event name:
form_submit
- Parameters:
form_id
,form_name
➡️ Option B: Manual Setup (Using Google Tag Manager)
If you’re not using MonsterInsights, you can set up event tracking manually via Google Tag Manager (GTM):
- Install GTM on your website.
- Create a GTM Trigger to track WPForms submissions:
- Trigger Type: Element Visibility or Form Submission.
- Alternatively, use WPForms’ built-in DOM events:
jQuery(document).on('wpformsAjaxSubmitSuccess', function(event, formData) { window.dataLayer.push({ 'event': 'wpformSubmission', 'formId': formData.id, 'formName': formData.settings.form_title }); });
- Create a GA4 Event Tag in GTM:
- Tag Type: GA4 Event.
- Event name:
form_submit
(or custom name). - Associate the tag with the trigger you created.
✅ Step 4: Mark Form Submissions as Conversions in GA4
- Open your GA4 dashboard.
- Go to Admin → Events.
- Find your event (
form_submit
or custom event) and toggle Mark as Conversion.- Alternatively, manually define conversions under Admin → Conversions → New Conversion Event.
✅ Step 5: Verify Your Conversion Setup
- Submit a test entry on your WPForm.
- Check GA4 → Reports → Realtime or Reports → Engagement → Events to confirm the event is tracked and marked as a conversion.
✅ Step 6: Link Google Ads to Google Analytics (Essential for PPC)
To use your conversions in Google Ads:
- Go to GA4 Dashboard → Admin → Google Ads Links.
- Follow the setup wizard to link your accounts.
- Import conversions into Google Ads:
- Go to Google Ads → Tools → Conversions → Import from Google Analytics.
🚀 Best Practices for WPForms Conversion Tracking
- Test and Validate Regularly:
- Submit test entries and verify events in GA4.
- Use GTM’s Preview Mode and GA4 Realtime reports for testing.
- Use Clear Naming Conventions:
- Name your forms descriptively (e.g.,
ContactForm
,RequestQuote
) to differentiate conversions.
- Name your forms descriptively (e.g.,
- Enable Enhanced Measurement in GA4:
- Turn on enhanced measurement for deeper insights into user interactions.
- Use UTM Parameters for PPC Campaigns:
- Tag your campaigns with UTM parameters (e.g.,
?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=spring_sale
) to track performance at a granular level.
- Tag your campaigns with UTM parameters (e.g.,
- Regularly Review Analytics:
- Monitor GA4 and Google Ads reports to optimize campaigns based on conversion data.
🌟 Recommended Setup (Most Effective)
For the easiest and most accurate tracking, use:
- Google Analytics 4 (GA4)
- MonsterInsights (with WPForms addon)
- Google Ads linked to GA4
📌 Quick Recap of the Recommended Method
- Install GA4 and verify setup.
- Use MonsterInsights Forms Addon for automatic event tracking.
- Mark
form_submit
as a conversion in GA4. - Link Google Ads with GA4.
- Import conversions into Google Ads.
- Test and validate your setup.
By following this guide, you’ll have a robust system for tracking WPForms conversions in GA4, enabling you to optimize your PPC campaigns and maximize your marketing ROI. Happy tracking! 🚀