How to create a conversion in GA4

Creating a conversion in GA4 (now called a Key event) allows you to track important actions like purchases or form submissions. In this guide, you’ll learn exactly how to mark an event as a conversion in the latest GA4 interface.

1. Log in to Your Google Analytics Account

Go to https://analytics.google.com
Sign in with your Google account.
Select the correct GA4 property.

2. Go to the Admin Area

Click the gear icon (Admin) in the bottom-left corner.
Make sure you are in the correct Account and Property.
Under Data display, click Events.

3. Check if Your Event Already Exists

In the Events list, look for the event you want to mark as a conversion (e.g., purchase, generate_lead, form_submit).
If you don’t see the event, it must be triggered at least once before it appears here.
If it doesn’t exist yet, you’ll need to create a custom event first (see Step 5).

4. Mark an Event as a Conversion (Key Event)

In the Events table, locate your chosen event.
Click the star icon ⭐ to the left of the event name.
Once the star is filled, the event is now marked as a Key event (conversion).

There is no longer a toggle switch — the star replaces it.

5. Create a New Event (If Needed)

If your event is not listed:

In the Admin area, click Events.
Click Create event (top right).
Click Create.
Enter a Custom event name (e.g., thank_you_page_view).
Under Matching conditions, define the rule (e.g., Event name equals page_view and page location contains /thank-you).
Click Save.

6. Mark the New Event as a Key Event

Return to the Events list.
Wait a few minutes for the event to appear (it must trigger at least once).
Click the star icon next to the new event to mark it as a Key event.

7. Confirm Your Key Event is Tracking

Go to Reports.
Click Engagement → Key events.
Check that your event appears in the report.
Allow up to 24 hours for full reporting data.

What is Google Analytics 4

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is the latest version of Google’s web analytics platform. It allows businesses to track and measure user interactions across websites and apps in a more flexible, event-based way. Unlike Universal Analytics, GA4 focuses entirely on events rather than sessions, meaning every interaction — such as clicks, page views, purchases, or form submissions — is tracked as an event.

One of GA4’s key features is the ability to mark specific events as Key events (previously called conversions). This helps businesses identify and measure the actions that matter most, such as generating leads, completing purchases, or signing up for newsletters. GA4 also integrates seamlessly with Google Ads, provides predictive insights using machine learning, and offers enhanced privacy controls to comply with modern data regulations.

Benefits of using Google Analytics 4 to create a conversion

Marking events as Key events in GA4 helps you focus on the actions that directly impact your business goals. It improves reporting accuracy, campaign tracking, and overall performance measurement.

1. Clearer Performance Tracking

By marking important events as Key events, you can clearly see which actions contribute to your business objectives. Instead of analysing all user activity, you can focus on meaningful interactions such as purchases or form submissions. This makes reporting cleaner, more strategic, and easier to present to stakeholders or clients.

2. Better Campaign Optimisation

Once events are marked as Key events, they can be imported into Google Ads for campaign optimisation. This allows you to optimise bidding strategies based on real outcomes rather than just clicks or traffic. As a result, your paid campaigns become more data-driven and performance-focused.

3. Improved Decision-Making

Tracking Key events gives you clearer insights into user behaviour and conversion paths. You can identify which channels, pages, or campaigns are driving valuable actions. This helps you refine your marketing strategy, improve user journeys, and allocate budget more effectively.