By Emil Klitmose—March 5

How to Track Clicks on a Link in Google Analytics: A Simple Guide

How to Track Clicks on a Link in Google Analytics: A Simple Guide

Quick Answer

To track link clicks in Google Analytics, you need to either:

  1. Use Google Tag Manager to set up click tracking, or
  2. Add direct event tracking code to your links

Both methods are explained step-by-step in this guide.

Why Tracking Link Clicks Matters

Tracking link clicks in Google Analytics helps you understand visitor behavior and optimize your content strategy effectively. By monitoring which links get clicked, you gain valuable insights into user preferences and engagement patterns.

Understanding which links visitors click provides essential insights:

  • Identify popular content - Discover what topics interest your audience most
  • Optimize website navigation - Improve user experience based on actual behavior
  • Improve marketing campaigns - Track which promotional links perform best
  • Boost conversions - See which links lead to valuable actions
  • Measure internal vs. external link performance - Understand how users move through your site

Step-by-Step Guide to Track Link Clicks

This guide covers both Google Analytics 4 (GA4) and Universal Analytics approaches, with Google Tag Manager (GTM) being the recommended method for both.

Method 1: Using Google Tag Manager (Recommended)

Google Tag Manager simplifies the tracking process by allowing you to implement tracking without changing your website code for each link.

Step 1: Set Up Google Tag Manager

If you haven't already set up GTM:

  1. Create a Google Tag Manager account
  2. Set up a container for your website
  3. Install the GTM code on your site (usually in the <head> section)
  4. Verify the installation is working

Step 2: Configure Variables in GTM

Before creating your tracking trigger:

  1. In your GTM workspace, go to Variables
  2. Click Configure under the "Built-In Variables" section
  3. Enable these click-related variables:
    • Click Element
    • Click Classes
    • Click ID
    • Click URL
    • Click Text

These variables capture important information about the links users click.

Step 3: Create a Trigger for Link Clicks

Now, set up a trigger to detect link clicks:

  1. In GTM, click Triggers → New
  2. Name your trigger (e.g., "All Link Clicks" or "Specific Link Clicks")
  3. Choose Just Links as the trigger type
  4. Configure based on your needs:
    • For all links: Select "All Link Clicks"
    • For specific links: Choose "Some Link Clicks" and set conditions (e.g., Click URL contains "product" or Click Text contains "learn more")
  5. Optional: Check "Wait for Tags" if you need extra time for tracking to complete
  6. Save the trigger

Step 4: Create a Google Analytics Tag

For GA4:
  1. Go to Tags → New
  2. Name your tag (e.g., "GA4 - Link Click Tracking")
  3. Choose Google Analytics: GA4 Event as the tag type
  4. Select your GA4 Configuration Tag (or enter your Measurement ID)
  5. For Event Parameters, enter:
    • Event Name: link_click
    • Parameters (optional but useful):
      • link_url = {{Click URL}}
      • link_text = {{Click Text}}
      • link_id = {{Click ID}}
  6. Under Triggering, select the link click trigger you created
  7. Save the tag
For Universal Analytics:
  1. Go to Tags → New
  2. Name your tag (e.g., "UA - Link Click Tracking")
  3. Choose Google Analytics: Universal Analytics as the tag type
  4. Set Track Type to Event
  5. Configure event tracking parameters:
    • Category: Link Click
    • Action: {{Click URL}}
    • Label: {{Click Text}}
  6. Select your Google Analytics settings variable
  7. Under Triggering, select the link click trigger you created
  8. Save the tag

Step 5: Preview and Publish

  1. Click Preview to test your setup
  2. Visit your website and click various links
  3. Check the GTM preview mode to confirm events are firing correctly
  4. Return to GTM and click Submit to publish your changes

Method 2: Direct Implementation Without GTM

If you prefer not to use Google Tag Manager, you can add tracking code directly to your links.

For GA4 (gtag.js):

Add the onclick attribute to your links:

<a href="https://example.com" 
   onclick="gtag('event', 'link_click', {
     'link_url': 'https://example.com',
     'link_text': 'Example Website'
   });">
   Example Website
</a>

For Universal Analytics (analytics.js):

<a href="https://example.com" 
   onclick="ga('send', 'event', 'Link Click', 'Click', 'Example Website');">
   Example Website
</a>

This direct method works but has some disadvantages:

  • Requires modifying each link individually
  • Makes your HTML more cluttered
  • Changes require direct code edits

Viewing Link Click Data in Google Analytics

Once you've set up link click tracking, here's how to view your data:

In Google Analytics 4:

  1. Go to Reports → Engagement → Events
  2. Look for your link click event (e.g., link_click)
  3. Click on the event name to see details
  4. Create custom reports in Explore to analyze link click patterns

In Universal Analytics:

  1. Go to Behavior → Events → Top Events
  2. Find the "Link Click" category (or whatever you named it)
  3. Drill down to see specific actions and labels
  4. Use secondary dimensions to gain deeper insights

Advanced Link Tracking Techniques

Track Outbound vs. Internal Links Separately

Modify your GTM trigger to distinguish between:

  • Internal links (clicks to pages on your own domain)
  • External links (clicks to other websites)

Track Link Position on Page

Add custom parameters to capture where on the page a link was clicked:

  • Navigation menu
  • Sidebar
  • Content area
  • Footer

Track Link Content Types

Categorize your links by content type:

  • Download links
  • Product links
  • Read more links
  • Social media links

Using UTM Parameters for Enhanced Tracking

For even more detailed link tracking, especially for marketing campaigns, use UTM parameters in conjunction with your link click tracking:

https://yourdomain.com/landing-page?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=spring_sale

UTM parameters help you track:

  • Traffic sources
  • Marketing mediums
  • Campaign performance
  • Content variations

Alternative: Using Beckli for Simplified Link Tracking

If you find Google Analytics setup too complex, Beckli offers a simplified alternative:

  1. Create shortened, trackable links with Beckli
  2. Share these links on your website or marketing materials
  3. Access comprehensive click analytics through Beckli's dashboard

Benefits of this approach:

  • No coding required
  • Works across platforms
  • No need for Google Analytics configuration
  • Free with no sign-up required

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Events Not Appearing in Reports

  • Check that your Google Analytics code is properly installed
  • Verify your trigger conditions in GTM
  • Ensure you're looking at the right property and view
  • Remember that data can take up to 24 hours to process in standard reports

Multiple Events Firing

  • Check for duplicate tags or triggers
  • Ensure event listeners aren't being added multiple times
  • Look for conflicting tracking methods

Conclusion

Tracking link clicks in Google Analytics provides valuable insights that can help you optimize your website's performance and improve user engagement. Whether you choose to implement tracking through Google Tag Manager or direct code implementation, the data you collect will help you make informed decisions about your content and design.

By regularly analyzing which links receive the most engagement, you can refine your strategy to focus on content that resonates with your audience and improve the placement and visibility of important links on your site.

For those looking for a simpler alternative, tools like Beckli provide straightforward link tracking without the need for complex configuration.