Create path and custom-event goals

A goal marks an action that matters to the site.

Examples include viewing a signup-complete page, submitting a form, starting checkout, downloading a resource, or activating a product feature.

Path goals

Use a path goal when the outcome has a unique tracked URL, such as:

/signup/success

Path goals are simple to verify because the matching pageview appears in the page and session history.

Avoid broad matches that also include unrelated pages.

Custom-event goals

Use a custom-event goal when the action occurs without a unique page. Your site sends a named event, and the goal matches that event name.

Examples:

• signup_started
• demo_requested
• checkout_opened
• report_exported

Use stable names and document when the event fires. Do not include raw personal data in event names or properties.

Name the outcome

Name goals around what the visitor completed, not the implementation detail.

Prefer “Signup completed” over “Button click 4.” A clear name remains understandable in a funnel and when the UI changes.

Verify the goal

After creating a goal:

1. Complete the action once.
2. Check the incoming pageview or custom event in Realtime.
3. Confirm the goal count in the selected period.
4. Check that retries or repeated route handling do not double count it.

Next steps

Combine goals and tracked steps in a funnel, or learn what conversion rate means.