Key takeaways
- GA4 renamed conversions to key events: the vocabulary changed, not the workings.
- Any collected event can be marked as key, which makes the setup as flexible as it is dangerous.
- A key event in GA4 isn't automatically a conversion in Google Ads: the import must be done explicitly.
Definition
A key event is a GA4 event declared as important, serving as a success marker in the reports.
Worked example
A property declares three key events: form submission, phone call and pricing-page view. The reports show 640 key events, of which 520 pricing-page views. The figure looks excellent and measures almost nothing: viewing a page isn't a commercial commitment.
The most common mistakes
- Declaring too many events as key. The total becomes uninterpretable and the conversion rate loses all meaning.
- Marking page views as key events. It's the most widespread and most misleading shortcut.
- Assuming Google Ads picks them up. You have to import the event from Google Ads, then mark it as a primary conversion action.
Where to find the metric
In GA4, the Admin menu then Events, by toggling Mark as key event. The reports show them under Key events, with the breakdown by event name.
Frequently asked questions
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The Adwise team connects Google Ads, Meta Ads, LinkedIn Ads, GA4 and Search Console so agencies and freelancers can run their campaigns from a single place.