Google Analytics Tracking Guide for Online Booking
Meevo's Online Booking comes ready to track user actions like viewing services, starting a booking, and completing a purchase. This guide explains what data is tracked automatically with Google Analytics 4 (GA4) and how you can interpret this data.
Note: For details on how you can extend tracking with Google Tag Manager (GTM), and what you need to know if you're running ads on platforms like Google or Facebook, see our Using Meevo with Google Tag Manager Guide.
What’s tracked automatically (GA4)
As soon as you enter your GA4 Measurement ID into Online Booking Settings, Meevo begins sending data into your GA4 property, with no code or setup needed.
GA4 events automatically tracked by Google
The following events are collected by Google Analytics 4 automatically when Enhanced Measurement is enabled in your GA4 property.
Note: To enable Enhanced Measurement in Google Analytics, go to Admin > Data Streams > Enhanced Measurement.
These events are not specific to Meevo or Online Booking, but will be part of your tracking data:
| Event Name | Auto-Collected | What It Does |
|---|---|---|
| page_view | Yes | Captures every page load. |
| scroll | Yes | Fires when a user scrolls to 90% of the page height. |
| session_start | Yes | Triggers when a session begins. |
| first_visit | Yes | Fires the first time a user visits your site. |
| user_engagement | Yes | Captures session engagement (for example, "time on page"). |
| click | Yes | Tracks clicks on outbound links to other domains. |
| view_search_results | Yes (if applicable) | Tracks when a user performs a site search with a URL query parameter like ?q=. |
Ecommerce and booking events sent by Meevo OB
Online Booking goes beyond default GA4 tracking by firing additional events that detail out the customer journey. These events are visible in GA4's Events and Engagement reports and can be used for funnel analysis, remarketing, and ROI measurement.
| Event Name | When It Fires | What It Helps You Analyze |
|---|---|---|
| form_start | User begins the booking form | Funnel initiation rate |
| add_to_cart | Service added to booking | Service interest and cart building |
| begin_checkout | User enters final booking confirmation step | Drop-off risk and conversion progress |
| purchase | Booking is successfully completed | Revenue and booking conversion tracking |
| select_item | Service or resource selected | What services people engage with most |
| remove_from_cart | Service removed from the booking | Friction or booking reconsideration |
| ui_action | User interacts with UI components (tabs, buttons) | Engagement and usability measurement |
| login / logout | User signs in or out of their account | Returning customer behavior |
| serviceSelect | User selects a service (may alias select_item) | Entry point to booking funnel |
| setSelectedScanOpening | A specific time slot is selected | Booking readiness |
| changeEmployee | Staff member or provider is selected | Impact of provider on conversion |
| getCategoryServices | User views a service category | Interest by category |
How to set up a Booking Funnel in GA4
Funnel Exploration is one of the most powerful tools in GA4. It helps you visualize how users move through key steps, like starting a booking, adding a service, and completing a purchase.
Use Booking Funnels to:
- Identify where users drop off in your booking flow.
- Compare performance across service categories, devices, or locations.
- Monitor funnel conversion rates over time.
To set up a Booking Funnel
- Go to GA4 > Explore > Funnel Exploration.
- Click Blank to start a new report.
- In the Steps section, build a funnel like this:
Step Name Event Name Started Booking form_startAdded a Service add_to_cartReached Checkout begin_checkoutCompleted Booking purchase - Under Segment comparisons, optionally add:
- Device type (desktop vs mobile)
- Service category (if you're tracking it as a parameter)
- Referral source (e.g., Google Ads vs Direct)
- Click Apply and view the results!
Setup tips
- Use Open funnel if users can skip steps (for example, some go straight to checkout)
- Use Trended funnel to track how conversion rates change over time
- Compare user segments (for example, new vs returning users, campaign A vs B)
To view these Events in GA4
- Reports > Engagement > Events provides an overview of all tracked events.
- Reports > Monetization > Ecommerce purchases displays booking revenue and conversion details.
- Explore > Funnel or Path exploration is a deep-dive into drop-offs and user behavior.
- DebugView offers live testing during the booking flow (great for validation).
Understanding Your Booking Data
Once you’ve connected GA4 (and optionally GTM, described further below) to your Online Booking site, you’ll begin collecting valuable data about how people engage with your services, providers, and booking flow. But this data is only useful if you know how to act on it.
Use this section to interpret common events and identify opportunities to improve your funnel and conversions.
Common booking events and what they tell you
| Event | What It Indicates | What to Watch For | Suggested Action |
|---|---|---|---|
form_start |
User started the booking process | High form starts, low purchases = drop-off | Check UX on form, simplify required steps, test mobile load time |
add_to_cart |
Service added to booking | Frequent adds but low purchases | Revisit pricing, descriptions, availability |
remove_from_cart |
User removed a service | High removal rate = hesitation or confusion | Clarify service value or streamline selection process |
begin_checkout |
User entered final confirmation step | Drop-offs before purchase | Add trust signals, test page speed, simplify confirmation process |
purchase |
Booking completed | Low conversion rate from checkout | Review booking funnel, consider incentives |
select_item |
Service selected or viewed | Services with high clicks but low bookings | Promote most viewed services, revisit booking flow logic |
changeEmployee |
Staff member selected | Frequent changes may show provider preference or confusion | Highlight top providers, review scheduling constraints |
getCategoryServices |
Category of services opened | Trending service categories | Optimize navigation or promote popular categories |
How can I see how many clients are visiting my pages?
Determining how many clients are visiting your pages isn't as simple as just counting pageviews. To track how many users are visiting your Online Booking site, use the Engagement > Pages and screens report in GA4. This shows:
- Users: Unique visitors (based on device/browser)
- Views: Total pageviews, including repeats
- Average engagement time: How long users spend on each page
How can I tell which clients are new and which are returning?
GA4 uses browser/device and Google signals to estimate this. It may not be perfect, but it’s consistent and reliable for trend analysis.
There are two options for viewing new vs returning users; they both provide a more detailed look at how many new vs repeat users are viewing or interacting with Online Booking.
Option 1: User Attributes Report
- Go to Reports > User > Tech > User Attributes.
- Add a "Dimension: new/returning" filter or comparison. This will show user counts split between
- New users (first-time visitors)
- Returning users (visitors who've been to your site before)
Option 2: Explorations
- Go to Explore > Free Form.
- Drag in the following elements:
- Dimension: new/returning
- Metrics: Users, Sessions, Views
How do I identify the services that clients are booking most frequently?
To do this, you'll need to view historical item_list_name values tied to the select_item event over a large sample size.
- Register item_list_name as a Custom Dimension by going to Admin > Custom Definitions.
- Click Create Custom Dimension and enter the following:
- Name: item_list_name
- Scope: Event
- Event parameter: item_list_name
- Save your custom dimension. Custom dimensions do not apply retroactively, so GA4 will now start collecting this parameter into reporting tables going forward.
- Once enough data is collected, go to Explore > Free Form, and set the following:
- Rows: item_list_name
- Filters: Event name = select_item
- Values: Event count or users
- This will give you a table showing which services were selected and how often across your chosen date range.
How do I measure client drop-off points in the booking process?
To identify drop-off points in the booking flow, use the Funnel Exploration tool in GA4 (see above for setup instructions).
Once the funnel is created, you can interpret the data as follows:
- A high drop-off between form_start and add_to_cart may mean your services aren't clear or compelling.
- Drop-offs from form_start or begin_checkout to purchase might signal checkout hesitancy.
- A sudden spike in completions after a change could indicate a successful optimization (like better descriptions or clearer pricing).
Tip: Use Trended Funnel to monitor progress over time and spot improvements after changes.
Online Booking Event Reference Table
| Event Name | When It Fires | GA4 Tracked | GTM-Ready | Sample Parameters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| form_start | Booking form started | Yes | Yes | — |
| add_to_cart | Service added to booking | Yes | Yes | item_id, item_name, price |
| begin_checkout | Booking enters final confirmation step | Yes | Yes | — |
| purchase | Booking is completed | Yes | Yes | transaction_id, value, currency |
| select_item | Service selected | Yes | Yes | item_name, item_id |
| remove_from_cart | Service removed from booking | Yes | Yes | item_id, item_name |
| ui_action | General UI interaction | Yes | Yes | action_type, label (if sent) |
| login / logout | User logs in or out | Yes | Optional | — |
| serviceSelect | Service selected (custom event) | Yes | Yes | service_name |
| setSelectedScanOpening | Time slot selected | Yes | Yes | — |
| changeEmployee | Provider selected | Yes | Yes | employee_name |
| getCategoryServices | Category browsed | Yes | Yes | category_name |