How to Create GTM Tags for Lead Tracking

Start by deciding which user actions count as lead activity. In this setup, the three lead actions are email link clicks, Book a Call clicks, and form submissions.

The flow should be built in this order: create or confirm the Google tag in Google Tag Manager, build the GTM event tags and triggers, then register the useful parameters in Google Analytics so they can be used in reports.

In Google Tag Manager, a tag is the instruction that sends data somewhere. For this lead tracking setup, the most important tag type is Google Analytics: GA4 Event. A GA4 Event tag tells GTM what event name to send to GA4, which event parameters to include, and whether any user properties should be set.

A trigger is the rule that decides when the tag should fire. The tag answers what should be sent, while the trigger answers when it should be sent. For example, the Email Link Click tag sends the generate_lead event with lead_type set to email_link_click, but the Just Links trigger makes sure it only fires when the clicked URL contains mailto:.

Inside Google Tag Manager, the Google tag is the foundation. It connects the GTM container to the GA4 property so that the lead events created later are sent to the right place.

The Measurement ID is the GA4 identifier that tells GTM which web data stream should receive the data. It usually starts with G-, such as G-ABC123XYZ. You can find it in Google Analytics by going to Admin, then Data Streams, selecting the website stream, and copying the Measurement ID.

Once the Google tag is saved with the Measurement ID, each GA4 Event tag can reuse that configuration. This keeps the measurement setup cleaner than creating disconnected tracking for every lead action.

Event parameters are extra details sent with a GA4 event. The event name tells GA4 what happened, while the parameters explain the context around that action.

For lead tracking, the event name on its own is not enough. If GA4 only receives generate_lead, the report can count lead activity but cannot easily explain which page, link, form, or CTA created it. That is why lead_type, page_url, click_url, and form_id are sent with the event.

My preference is to keep the event structure simple and use parameters to carry the detail. In agency environments, I have seen setups where every form, button, or link gets its own event name. It can work at first, but it usually creates more maintenance than value.

For example, a site could create separate events for contact_form_submit, footer_form_submit, pricing_form_submit, email_header_click, email_footer_click, and book_intro_call_click. The problem is that reporting then becomes messy. Every new button or form creates another naming decision, another trigger, another custom dimension conversation, and another QA task.

A cleaner approach is to use generate_lead as the shared lead event, then use parameters like page_url, form_id, click_url, and lead_type to explain the context. The event tells GA4 that a lead action happened. The parameters explain where it happened and which element was involved.

User properties describe the user rather than only the single event. In this setup, has_contacted is used to mark a visitor who has taken a contact-intent action.

That means email clicks, Book a Call clicks, and form submissions can all set has_contacted to TRUE. The individual event still explains the exact action, while the user property helps create a broader contacted-user segment.

The email link click is an intent event. It does not prove that the visitor sent an email, but it does show that they tried to contact you through a mailto link.

In GTM, create a GA4 Event tag that sends the event name generate_lead. Add event parameters for page_url, lead_type, and click_url, then set the user property has_contacted to TRUE.

Book a Call clicks should be tracked separately because they usually show stronger commercial intent than a general email click. A visitor is moving towards a scheduled conversation, so the event deserves its own lead type.

In GTM, create a GA4 Event tag that sends the event name generate_lead. Add page_url, lead_type, and click_url as event parameters, then set has_contacted to TRUE as a user property.

Form submission is the strongest lead action in this setup because the visitor has completed the enquiry form. It should be reported separately from click-based intent.

In GTM, create a GA4 Event tag that sends the event name generate_lead. Add page_url, lead_type, and form_id as event parameters, then set has_contacted to TRUE as a user property.

After the GTM tags and triggers are created, use Tag Assistant preview mode to confirm that each event is sending the expected values. This step is where you check whether the tag is doing what the report needs it to do.

In the tag details view, look for the event name, event settings table, and user properties. The event settings table should show the parameters you configured in GTM, and the user properties row should show has_contacted set to TRUE.

After the GTM tags are configured, move into Google Analytics. GA4 can receive event parameters, but custom definitions make those values easier to use in reports and explorations.

Create event-scoped custom dimensions for generate_lead, page_url, lead_type, click_url, and form_id. Create the has_contacted custom definition as a user property so it can describe the user after they have taken a contact action.

The reason for adding event parameters and user properties is not just cleaner GA4 setup. The real value appears when the data reaches Looker Studio and stakeholders need to understand which pages and actions create leads.

With this structure, a dashboard can separate softer contact intent from stronger form submissions, compare lead actions by page, and show whether users are moving from visibility into actual enquiry behaviour.