Track Content to Inquiries: Funnel Analysis in Google Analytics

Funnel analysis in Google Analytics (GA) helps you visualize and measure how users move from one step of your site or app to another—ultimately giving you insight into which parts of your content or pages might be causing users to drop off before completing an inquiry form (or any other goal). Below is a step-by-step guide on how to set up and use funnel analysis for a Content Marketing → Inquiry Form flow.

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1. Clarify Your Funnel Steps

Before you dive into Google Analytics, outline the user journey you want to analyze. A typical funnel for content marketing to inquiry form might look like:

1. Content Landing Page(s) – This could be a blog post, resource page, or any piece of content you’re promoting.

2. Key Conversion Page – A product/service page or a specific CTA page leading to the form.

3. Inquiry Form Page – The actual page containing the inquiry form (if on a separate URL) or an on-page form.

4. Form Submission Confirmation – A “Thank You” page or event that signifies the form was successfully submitted.

Tip:

• If your website uses a single-page form and does not redirect to a thank-you page upon submission, you’ll need to set up an event-based goal (Universal Analytics) or a conversion event (GA4) to track the successful submission.

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2. Decide Between Google Analytics 4 (GA4) vs. Universal Analytics (UA)

Because Universal Analytics (UA) was sunset in 2023, new properties default to Google Analytics 4 (GA4). The process differs slightly depending on which version you’re using:

1. GA4 – You’ll configure “Events” and then create a “Funnel Exploration” in the “Explore” section.

2. Universal Analytics – You can still see funnels in the “Admin” → “Goals” section (if your UA property is still functioning, but support is limited).

Below are instructions for both, with a focus on GA4 given its current relevance.

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3. Tracking the Inquiry Form Submission

GA4:

1. Set Up a Form Submission Event

   • If you have a thank-you page after submission:

     • Enable page_view tracking for that thank-you page and name the event appropriately (e.g., “form_submission”).

   • If the form does not redirect to a new page, add an event trigger in Google Tag Manager (GTM) or your website’s code that fires when the form is successfully submitted.

2. Mark the Event as a Conversion

   • In GA4, go to Admin → Events, and toggle on “Mark as conversion” for the form submission event.

Universal Analytics:

1. Set Up a Goal

   • In Admin → Goals → New Goal, select a type (e.g., Destination if there’s a thank-you page or Event if you’re using GTM to track form submissions).

2. Define Your Funnel (if using Destination Goal)

   • You can add the steps (Content Page → Key Conversion Page → Inquiry Form Page) in the Funnel section while creating the goal.

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4. Create the Funnel Visualization

GA4 (Funnel Explorations)

1. Navigate to “Explore”
   In your GA4 property, click on Explore (on the left-hand side).

2. Create a “Funnel Exploration”

   • Click + to create a new exploration.

   • Select Funnel as the exploration technique.

3. Define Your Steps
   For a content-to-inquiry funnel, you might define your steps as follows:

   1. Content View

      • Condition: page_location or page_title matches your content URLs (e.g., your blog’s URL structure).

   2. Key Conversion Page (Optional)

      • Condition: page_location or page_title matches your product/service or lead magnet page.

   3. Inquiry Form Page

      • Condition: page_location or page_title matches your form page. (If you have a single page with an embedded form, you might need a different approach, such as event triggers.)

   4. Form Submission

      • Condition: event = form_submission (the event you configured and marked as a conversion).

4. Adjust the Funnel Settings

   • Funnel Type: Choose between Open (users can join at any step) or Closed (users must start at the first step).

   • Time Window: Decide how long you want to give users to complete all steps.

5. Apply Segments/Filters (Optional)

   • If you only want to see traffic from certain campaigns or channels, apply a segment or filter so you can narrow down results to your content marketing campaigns specifically.

6. Analyze the Drop-Off

   • GA4’s Funnel Exploration will show you how many users progress from each step to the next, as well as the drop-off rate.

   • Use these insights to identify where most users abandon the funnel.

Universal Analytics (Goal Flow / Funnel Visualization)

1. Navigate to Conversions > Goals > Funnel Visualization

   • If you created a Destination Goal with funnel steps specified, you’ll see how many users entered each step and how many dropped off.

2. Check Goal Flow

   • Under Conversions > Goals > Goal Flow, you can see the path users took and how they reached or abandoned the goal.

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5. Interpreting the Results

Once your funnel is set up, you can answer questions like:

1. Which piece(s) of content produce the highest click-through rate to the inquiry form?

2. Where do users drop off most frequently?

   • If a high percentage of visitors from your content pages never reach the inquiry form, you might need stronger CTAs or more direct links.

   • If users land on the form but fail to submit, review the form’s UX or required fields.

3. Which channels (e.g., email newsletter, social media, paid ads) drive the most inquiry form completions?

   • Compare segments or apply filters to see performance by source/medium.

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6. Optimize the Funnel

A. Improve Content Relevance and CTAs

• Make sure your content contextually leads users to the inquiry form.

• Place clear calls-to-action that direct readers from the content to the form page or pop-up.

B. Simplify the Inquiry Form

• Reduce the number of required fields.

• Ensure the form is mobile-friendly and loads quickly.

• Provide trust signals (e.g., privacy statement, short disclaimers) to encourage submissions.

C. Retarget or Re-engage Drop-Offs

• Use remarketing campaigns for users who viewed content but did not submit the form.

• Build email or ad retargeting lists with users who visited the form page but didn’t complete it.

D. A/B Test Landing Pages

• If a significant drop-off happens between a content page and form page, test different layouts, copy, or calls-to-action to see if you can nudge more people toward the form.

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7. Best Practices & Tips

1. Tag Your URLs and Campaigns Properly

   • Use UTM parameters in your content marketing efforts so you can filter by source, medium, campaign, or content.

2. Keep Funnel Steps Clear and Linear

   • Too many steps or ambiguous paths can complicate analysis.

3. Use Event Parameters/Custom Dimensions (GA4)

   • Pass extra data with your form submission events (like the type of content that led the user there) for deeper analysis.

4. Leverage Real-Time Testing

   • After implementation, open your site in a new browser or device and walk through the funnel yourself. Check if the events and funnel steps trigger properly in Real-Time reports (GA4) or DebugView.

5. Monitor Data Regularly

   • Funnel metrics can shift if you make content changes, redesign pages, or alter the form. Keep an eye on the funnel to see the impact of any changes.

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Conclusion

Using funnel analysis in Google Analytics for your Content Marketing → Inquiry Form flow provides valuable insights into user behavior and bottlenecks. Whether you’re using Google Analytics 4 or legacy Universal Analytics, the key is:

1. Identify clear steps in your funnel.

2. Set up goals or events (and mark conversions).

3. Visualize and interpret user drop-off in each step.

4. Optimize content, calls-to-action, and the form to increase inquiry submissions.

Following the above steps will help you understand how effective your content is at driving users toward inquiry, and pinpoint exactly where you can improve to get more qualified leads.