Goal tracking on Google Analytics is a vital element for any online commerce business. Through measuring the effectiveness of your site in gaining conversions, marketing teams can see what content converts and what elements need improving.
For Magento websites, this goal tracking process is relatively easy to complete. All you need is a google Analytics account, access to your Magento admin area and access to either the html code or a developer.
Here’s our simple 3 step guide to setting up Goal Tracking on a Magento site:
1. Add Google Analytics Tracking code to your site
The first step in implementing any goal tracking on your site is to add the Google Analytics tracking code generated for your Google Analytics profile. All you need to do is add your Analytics account ID into the Magento backend via the Google API menu on the Sales tab.
The difference between Magento 1 and 2 is simply down to where the Google API is found in the back end. On Magento 1 – You navigate to System > Configuration > Sales > Google API, compared to Magento 2, where it’s found in Stores.

Implementation of standard google tracking remains the same on Magento 2 – a simple process of adding your Google Analytics Account ID.
2. Enable Ecommerce tracking on Google Analytics
To do this, simply navigate to the admin section on your Google Analytics account, under VIEW go to E-commerce Settings and swipe the button to on. Magento automatically pulls through ecommerce tracking.
3. Set up your goals
The final step is to set up the goals and what they track within the admin section of your Google Analytics profile. To do this, simply click Admin > Goals > + Goal.
If completed actions go through to an individual thank you style page, then you can set up a destination goal. For Ecommerce sites, it is recommended to add a funnel of important pages which allows you to see where and when people drop out before completing a goal. Through the identification of drop off points, you can analyse the reasons for these drop-offs and develop possible fixes, thereby optimising for your all-important conversion rate.

Alternatively, event goals are useful for content that can be tracked separately from the webpages, such as downloads, button clicks and video plays. To implement this, you set up the event fields in the admin section like the example below.
Then using JavaScript, you create the tracking code which would mirror the details inputted in Analytics.
If using Google Tag Manager, the goals can be added via the platform, without Google Tag Manager, you will need a developer or webmaster to add the JavaScript event tracking code into the html of the site. So, if you are tracking a goal that completes on a button click, that code is placed within that element.
Once your goal tracking is in place, you have a ready source of insight into how your customers interact with your website.
If you have any questions or issues, call our friendly digital marketing team on 01604 696385 or email info@star-digital.co.uk