How can I use Google Analytics to track clicks on images and text?

Question

Before setting my website up, I want to be able to setup Google Analytics correctly to track my requirements.

I am looking to be able to track clicks on images and text links that contain the same destination URL, and if there is also a way to integrate or categorize them as free and paid.

The reason I want to to do this is to be able to see which does better: the image vs text.

I know there are options with Google Tag Manger and enhanced link attribution, but I'm not certain which to use, or does one do both...or if there's another way.

Answer 1

The easiest way would be to give your tags a specific class and data- attributes. Something like:

<a href="url" class="paid-text" data-reftype="Paid Text" data-refname="Text Block Name">Paid Text</a>

Then you would go into Google Tag manager and set up the following:

1) Link Click Listener tag to fire on all pages

2) Event Tracking tag

3) Custom Javascript Macros for each field of you Event Tracking Tag in the following format:

function(){return {{element}}.dataset.name;}

Where .name equals the part right after data- that you used in your link. So in this case it would be reftype and so on.

4) Create a new firing rule that will look for the class you assigned to your link. In this case its "paid-text". Use the following format:

{{event}} equals gtm.linkClick

{{element class}} equals paid-text

You can find a full description of this in a question I asked a while back:

Tracking rotating Ads with Google Tag Manager