Google Analytics (UA) was successfully switched to Google Analytics 4 using Google Tag Manager
Google Analytics is an essential tool for any law firm whether it has a robust digital marketing strategy or a simple one-page website. Without Google Analytics, a law firm has no way of measuring results and identifying if its marketing activities are having the desired impact on the business. When Google announced it was making Universal Analytics (UA) redundant in favour of the new advanced Google Analytics 4 (GA4), it made many webmasters anxious. Universal Analytics had been the prominent analytics tool since 2012 and people got used to it, despite how complex it is. Now, the unfamiliar GA4 was on its way and it’s just as complex, if not more so. I was tasked with ensuring several law firms were prepared for GA4.
The Result
I set up Google Tag manager and created Tags and triggers that would accurately collect all relevant web data from the law firm’s website whilst also accurately measuring conversions in the form of enquiry form submissions, phone calls and emails. These were tested thoroughly and GA4 was successfully implemented.
Google Tag Manager
There are two ways to switch from UA to GA4 and my chosen of them was the use of another Google tool, Google Tag Manager (GTM). The reason I chose GTM is that it allows for more flexibility at the cost of being more complex. It also allows a legal marketer to add and remove many different types of Google tags and third party tags such as Meta (Facebook) Pixel using the same website code. This is better for website speed and performance, as there is less for it to load, whilst also negating the need to have a web developer add or remove code at additional cost.
Google Tag Manager can be added to a website using only several lines of code.
I used Google Tag Manager to install GA4 onto the law firm’s website. I also used it to set up tags and triggers that would tell me how many conversions the law firm was achieving. Conversions, in this instance, are contact form enquiries, telephone calls and emails.
Google Analytics 4 Tags and Triggers
Google Tag Manager can be added to a website using only several lines of code. Once this was complete I set up Tags and Triggers. Tags fire in response to website events. Triggers listen to your website for certain types of events. The most common events on a law firm’s website are page views, enquiry form submissions, phone calls and emails. The trigger tells the tag to fire when the specified event is detected. Every tag must have at least one trigger in order to fire. Each time a tag fires, Google Analytics records it and we can see how many website conversions such as calls and emails there were within the selected timeframe.
Why Google Analytics can not be ignored by law firms
Google Analytics provides valuable data that allows for data-driven decision making and it identifies where your clients are originating from. Perhaps more importantly, it identifies where your clients are not originating from. For example, I have witnessed solicitors spend 50+ hours throughout the course of a year creating content such as news articles and blog posts. However, when I checked the readership figures on Google Analytics, it turned out that the content was barely consumed and that an entire working week would have netted more valuable if spent on other activities.
Speak with a legal marketing consultant about Google Analytics for solicitors and law firms
If you would like to speak to a colleague or me about the set-up or management of Google Analytics for your law firm, we offer a free initial exploratory consultation. Contact us to book yours. Or, if you would like to know more about these services, visit Analytics For Law Firms.
