Last Updated on by Azib Yaqoob
If you rely on contact forms to generate leads or inquiries from your WordPress website, it’s essential to know whether people are actually submitting them. With Google Analytics 4 (GA4), tracking form submissions has become easier—thanks to built-in features like Enhanced Measurement. But depending on how your forms are built, you might still need a custom setup.
This guide covers both methods—automatic tracking using GA4’s built-in events, and manual setup for advanced or custom WordPress forms.
Table of Contents
✅ Why Tracking Contact Form Submissions Is Important
Your contact form is often where a visitor becomes a lead. If you can’t measure form submissions, you’re missing key data—like which pages convert best, what channels drive leads, or how your marketing efforts are performing.
Knowing exactly how many people are submitting forms, and where they came from, can help you:
- Improve user experience
- Focus your SEO and ad budget
- Boost conversion rates
- Justify your marketing investments
🔍 Method 1: Track WordPress Forms Automatically Using GA4
If you’re using standard contact forms (especially from builders like WPForms or Elementor), GA4 might already track them using its Enhanced Measurement feature.
📌 How Automatic Form Tracking Works
GA4’s Enhanced Measurement can track:
form_start: When someone begins filling out a formform_submit: When they submit the form
These events are captured automatically—no coding or setup required—if your forms are compatible.
🧩 How to Enable It
- Open your GA4 Admin Panel
- Go to Data Streams under “Property”
- Click on your website data stream
- Make sure Enhanced Measurement is turned ON
- Click the gear icon and confirm that Form Interactions is enabled
That’s it—GA4 will begin tracking form submissions automatically.
⚠️ Important Caveats
- This works well for basic HTML forms, not all WordPress plugins.
- If your form uses AJAX or JavaScript to submit, GA4 may not detect it.
- If you have multiple forms, GA4 doesn’t label them separately—so you won’t know which form was submitted.
🔧 Method 2: Custom Setup with Google Tag Manager (GTM)
If GA4’s automatic tracking doesn’t capture your WordPress forms properly—or you want more detailed tracking—you can use Google Tag Manager to manually track form submissions.
✅ Step-by-Step Guide (Using GTM):
1. Identify the Form
Inspect your form in the browser and check for:
- A unique ID (e.g.,
id="contact-form") - A class name (e.g.,
class="wpforms-form")
2. Create a Trigger in GTM
- Go to Triggers > New > Form Submission
- Choose “Some Forms” and define conditions (like Form ID or Page URL)
3. Create a Tag
- Go to Tags > New > GA4 Event Tag
- Set it to fire on your Form Submission trigger
- Name your event something like
contact_form_submit
4. Preview and Test
Use GTM’s Preview mode to test and verify your tag is firing correctly. Then, publish the changes.
5. View in GA4
In GA4, go to:
- Reports > Engagement > Events
- Look for your custom event (
contact_form_submitor whatever name you used)
📝 Pro Tip: Label Your Forms
Send custom parameters with each event to specify:
- Form name
- Page URL
- Lead type (e.g., “Quote Request”, “Newsletter Signup”)
🧠 Which Method Should You Use?
| Use Case | Recommended Method |
|---|---|
| Simple WordPress forms (HTML-based) | GA4 Automatic Tracking |
| Forms built with WPForms, Elementor, etc. | GA4 Automatic (Test first) |
| AJAX or JavaScript-based forms | Google Tag Manager |
| Need to track specific forms/pages | Google Tag Manager |
🛠 Compatible WordPress Form Plugins (Tested)
| Plugin | GA4 Auto Events | GTM Recommended? |
|---|---|---|
| WPForms | ✅ Likely works | ✅ Yes (for control) |
| Contact Form 7 | ⚠️ Mixed | ✅ Recommended |
| Gravity Forms | ⚠️ Mixed | ✅ Recommended |
| Elementor Forms | ✅ Likely works | ✅ Optional |
| Fluent Forms | ⚠️ May need GTM | ✅ Yes |
Always test to confirm. Even if automatic tracking works, GTM gives you better reporting.
📊 How to See Form Submissions in GA4 Reports
Once tracking is working, head to:
- Reports > Engagement > Events
- Search for
form_submit,form_start, or your custom event name
For more insights, create Conversions and set up Exploration Reports to analyze what leads to form submissions.
Final Thoughts
If you want to know how well your WordPress website is converting visitors into leads, tracking form submissions is not optional—it’s essential.
- Use GA4’s automatic tracking if you have basic forms.
- Use Google Tag Manager if you need more accuracy, control, or are using complex form plugins.
💬 Want Help Setting It Up?
Need help integrating GA4 or GTM into your WordPress site? Let’s chat. I help businesses set up smart, clean analytics that actually deliver insight. Contact me here.
