Accurate conversion tracking starts with proper event naming in Google Tag Manager (GTM) and GA4. When multiple actions—like form submissions, call button clicks, and WhatsApp clicks—share the same event name, your analytics data becomes confusing and unreliable. In this article, we explain why consistent GA4 event naming matters, how to assign unique event names for different actions, and share best practices to ensure your conversion tracking in Google Ads and GA4 reflects the real customer behavior that drives results.
Event Naming: A Small Detail That Can Break Conversion Tracking
- Tracking can break without warning. A custom event may be firing in your interface, yet GA4 or Google Ads may not receive any data—simply because of the event name.
- Character limits are strict. GA4 does not process event names longer than 40 characters
- Reserved names and prefixes are off-limits. Stick to allowed formats to avoid conflicts with GA4’s internal functionality
| Do This | Avoid Doing |
| Use snake_case (all lowercase, underscores): e.g., form_submit, add_to_cart | Don’t use spaces, hyphens, or special characters: e.g., generate lead |
| Keep names short, clear, descriptive | Don’t exceed 40 characters: GA4 will ignore or truncate longer names |
| Ensure each action has a unique event name | Don’t reuse names for different actions |
| Avoid reserved names like form_submit or page_view for custom events | GA4 may interpret reserved names differently in reports |
Real-Life Lesson
Imagine someone set a long, specific event name like Christmas_gift_package_purchase_for_new_couple, over 40 characters and nothing ever registers. They look at their dashboard and see everything firing; they assume it’s fine. But no conversion appears because GA4 never accepted the event. This kind of silent failure is insidious. You may never realize your tracking is broken… unless you’re watching for it.
Key Technical Constraints (GA4 Limits)
According to Google’s documentation:
- Event names: Max 40 characters; longer names are ignored or not logged
- Event parameters: Max 25 parameters per event. Parameter names are limited to 40 characters, and parameter values to 100 characters
- These limits cannot be increased—even with GA4 360
How to Do It Right — Example List
| Category | Action | Recommended Event Name | Notes |
| Page Interaction | Page view | page_view | Standard GA4 event |
| Scroll 50% | scroll_50 | Custom scroll depth | |
| Scroll 75% | scroll_75 | Custom scroll depth | |
| Button click | button_click | Generic clickable element | |
| External link click | external_link_click | Links to other domains | |
| Lead Generation | Form submission | form_submit | Standard for leads |
| Contact form | contact_form_submit | Optional detailed form name | |
| Call button click | call_click | Track call conversions | |
| WhatsApp click | whatsapp_click | Track WhatsApp engagement | |
| Live chat open | chat_open | Chat widget engagement | |
| Newsletter signup | newsletter_signup | Email capture events | |
| E-commerce | Product view | view_item | GA4 recommended |
| Add to cart | add_to_cart | GA4 recommended | |
| Remove from cart | remove_from_cart | Optional for analytics | |
| Begin checkout | begin_checkout | GA4 recommended | |
| Add payment info | add_payment_info | GA4 recommended | |
| Purchase | purchase | Final conversion event | |
| Refund | refund | Track refunded transactions | |
| Promotions & Campaigns | Promotion view | view_promotion | GA4 standard |
| Promotion click | select_promotion | GA4 standard | |
| Coupon applied | apply_coupon | Discounts and coupons |
Notice: each event is concise, lowercase, snake_case, and under the character limit.
Conclusion
Event names may look trivial, but they’re the highway on which your data travels. Too long, too obscure, or using reserved terms—and your tracking can fail quietly. Always:
- Keep names short (≤ 40 characters), clear, unique, and snake_case.
- Avoid reserved or problematic names.
- Document your naming scheme to ensure consistency.
