Definition
A key event is an action in Google Analytics 4 that a business marks as important, such as a phone call click, form submission or chat start. Google renamed GA4 'conversions' to 'key events' in 2024; 'conversions' now refers to events imported into Google Ads.
Why it matters for law firms
Reporting on pageviews and sessions alone says little about whether marketing works. Marking the right actions as key events lets a firm see which pages and channels produce enquiries, and is the first step toward measuring cost per case.
Example
A law firm tracks clicks on its phone number, WhatsApp button and consultation form through Google Tag Manager and marks each as a key event in GA4. It can now see which practice area pages generate enquiries.
How to improve it
- Track calls, form submissions and chat starts as events.
- Mark only meaningful actions as key events.
- Test events in GA4 DebugView before relying on them.
- Import key events into Google Ads if you run paid campaigns.
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Aditya Chauhan
Head of SEO, PageOne Lawyers
Last updated September 26, 2026