How to Use Google Analytics to Track Project Inquiry Form Submissions Accurately?

Unlock Your Architectural Firm’s Growth With Smarter Lead Tracking

As a forward-thinking architectural firm in Melbourne, you understand the vital role new projects play in your sustained success. But are you truly capturing every valuable lead generated from your website? In today’s competitive landscape, relying on guesswork or basic website metrics simply isn’t enough. This is where the power of Google Analytics, when harnessed correctly, becomes indispensable. Specifically, understanding how to accurately track project inquiry form submissions is paramount to optimizing your digital marketing efforts and, consequently, your business growth.

At PKRank, our Melbourne-based digital marketing experts specialize in helping businesses like yours thrive online. We know that for architectural firms, each inquiry represents a potential client, a chance to showcase your innovative design capabilities and a step towards securing your next landmark project. Without precise tracking, you might be missing out on valuable insights into what’s working and where your most promising leads are coming from. This article will guide you through the essential steps to ensure your project inquiry form submissions are accurately recorded and analyzed in Google Analytics, transforming raw website traffic into actionable business intelligence.

The Importance of Accurate Form Submission Tracking

Why is precise tracking of form submissions so crucial for an architectural firm? Think about it: your website is often the first point of contact for potential clients. They might be browsing your portfolio, exploring your services, and if impressed, they’ll reach out via your inquiry form. If Google Analytics isn’t set up to recognize this specific action – a successful form submission – you’re essentially flying blind. You won’t know which marketing channels are driving these valuable leads, how many people are actually completing the form after visiting a specific page, or even if the form itself is functioning correctly for all visitors.

Accurate tracking allows you to measure the effectiveness of your:

• Digital advertising campaigns (e.g., Google Ads, social media ads)
• Search engine optimization (SEO) efforts
• Content marketing initiatives
• Website user experience

By understanding which sources lead to completed forms, you can allocate your marketing budget more effectively, refine your messaging, and ultimately, attract more of the right kind of clients.

Setting Up Goal Tracking in Google Analytics

The primary method for tracking form submissions in Google Analytics is through ‘Goals.’ Goals represent a specific valuable action a user takes on your website. For inquiry forms, this usually means tracking either the thank-you page a user lands on after submission or a specific event triggered by a successful submission.

There are several ways to configure goal tracking for inquiry forms:

Method 1 Tracking a Thank You Page Destination

This is often the simplest and most common method. When a user successfully submits your inquiry form, they are redirected to a dedicated ‘Thank You’ page on your website. This page should only be accessible after a successful submission.

To set this up in Google Analytics:

1. Navigate to the ‘Admin’ section of your Google Analytics account.
2. In the ‘View’ column, click ‘Goals.’
3. Click ‘+ New Goal.’
4. Choose ‘Custom’ and click ‘Continue.’
5. Give your goal a descriptive name, such as “Project Inquiry Submission.”
6. Select ‘Destination’ as the ‘Type’ and click ‘Continue.’
7. In the ‘Destination’ field, enter the URL path of your thank-you page. For example, if your thank-you page is at www.yourarchitectfirm.com.au/thank-you, you would enter “/thank-you” (without the leading slash if that’s how it appears in your browser, but typically with it). Ensure you use the exact path.
8. You can optionally assign a ‘Value’ to this goal if you can quantify the average value of an inquiry. This is advanced but highly beneficial for ROI calculations.
9. Click ‘Save.’

Method 2 Tracking an Event

Some websites or form plugins don’t redirect to a separate thank-you page. Instead, they display a success message on the same page. In these cases, tracking an event is a more suitable approach. This involves adding a small piece of code to your website that triggers an ‘event’ when the form is successfully submitted.

To set this up, you’ll typically need assistance from your web developer or use a plugin that integrates with Google Tag Manager (GTM). Using GTM is the recommended approach for event tracking as it simplifies the process and avoids direct code modifications in your website’s theme.

General steps using Google Tag Manager:

1. Ensure Google Tag Manager is installed on your website.
2. Identify the event trigger: This could be a specific HTML element being present after submission, a click on a submit button with a certain class, or a JavaScript callback function. Your web developer will be best positioned to help identify this.
3. Create a new Tag in GTM:
• Tag Configuration: Choose ‘Google Analytics: GA4 Event’ (or ‘Universal Analytics’ if you’re on an older version).
• Event Name: Give it a clear name like “inquiry_form_submit”.
• Google Analytics Settings: Link to your GA4 Configuration Tag.
4. Create a new Trigger in GTM:
• Choose the appropriate trigger type based on how your form provides feedback (e.g., ‘Element Visibility,’ ‘Click – All Elements’).
• Configure the trigger to fire only when the specific success condition is met.
5. Link the Trigger to the Tag.
6. Test using GTM’s Preview Mode.
7. Publish your GTM container.
8. In Google Analytics 4 (GA4), navigate to Configure > Events. Your ‘inquiry_form_submit’ event should appear here. You can then mark it as a conversion. For Universal Analytics, you’d set this up as an Event Goal in Admin.

Verifying Your Goal Tracking

Once you’ve set up your goal, it’s crucial to verify that it’s working correctly. Do not skip this step!

In Google Analytics, navigate to ‘Realtime’ > ‘Conversions.’ Then, submit a test inquiry from your website. You should see your newly created goal register in the Realtime report within a few minutes.

Additionally, after 24-48 hours, check your standard ‘Conversions’ reports (under ‘Acquisition’ or ‘Reports’ > ‘Engagement’ for GA4). Look for the goal name you created, and ensure you’re seeing a steady stream of submissions. If you’re not seeing any conversions, it’s time to revisit your setup or consult with your web developer.

Leveraging Form Submission Data for Growth

Accurate tracking is only the first step. The real power comes from analyzing the data to inform your strategy. Here’s how your architectural firm can leverage this information:

• Channel Performance: See which marketing channels (organic search, paid search, social media, referrals) are driving the most qualified inquiries. Double down on what’s working and re-evaluate underperforming channels.
• Campaign Optimization: If you run a Google Ads campaign targeting a specific service, track how many inquiries that campaign generates. This allows you to adjust bids, ad copy, and targeting for better results.
• Website User Experience: If you notice a high number of website visitors but low form submission rates, it might indicate issues with your website’s design, navigation, or the inquiry form itself.
• Content Strategy: Understand which content on your website leads users to submit inquiries. This can inform what kind of case studies, blog posts, or service pages you should prioritize creating or promoting.
• Return on Investment (ROI): By assigning a value to your goals (even an estimated average), you can start to calculate the ROI of your marketing efforts, proving the value of your digital presence to stakeholders.

Conclusion

For architectural firms in Melbourne and beyond, understanding and accurately tracking project inquiry form submissions through Google Analytics is not optional; it’s a fundamental requirement for smart business growth. By implementing the right goal tracking methods, you gain invaluable insights into your audience, your marketing effectiveness, and your overall digital performance.

At PKRank, we are passionate about empowering businesses with data-driven strategies. If you’re looking to enhance your online lead generation, optimize your website’s performance, and attract more high-quality projects, let’s connect. We can help you navigate the complexities of Google Analytics and build a digital marketing strategy that delivers tangible results for your architectural practice.