What does Google Analytics 4 refer to as interactions on a website or app?

You will wonder how easily you can pass the Google Ads Measurement Certification. In this post, I will cover a real question with a full answer. If you follow this entire post, you can easily pick the right answer, and in the conclusion, I will mention the full sources of the questions. So, no delay—let’s get to the main point.

Question and Correct Answer

What does Google Analytics 4 refer to as interactions on a website or app?

  • Incident
  • Goal
  • Conversion
  • Event

Here is the correct answer: ✅ Event

Correct answer is in the audio version:

Although a conversion is a very important kind of event, “Event” is the general term for any user action GA4 tracks.

Why is the correct answer “Event”?

Illustration showing Google Analytics 4 event tracking system with user interactions like clicks, video views, form submissions, and purchases.
Every click counts—GA4 tracks all user interactions as events.

In GA4, every single thing a person does on your website or app, whether it’s big or small, is called an event. Examples include:

  • Clicking a button ✅
  • Watching a video ✅
  • Scrolling down a page ✅
  • Viewing a product ✅
  • Buying something ✅

GA4 uses an event-based tracking system. This gives businesses more flexibility to understand real user behavior on different devices (like phones, tablets, or desktops).

Universal Analytics (the older version) used a session-based model and had “goals,” but that’s old news! Now, it’s all about events.

Why are the other options wrong?

❌ Option🚫 Why It’s Wrong
IncidentNot used in GA4. Sounds like an error or a problem—not a user action.
GoalOld term from Universal Analytics. In GA4, goals have been replaced by conversions.
ConversionConversions are important events (like a purchase), but not every event is a conversion. You decide which events to mark as conversions.

Real-life exam example

Question:
Sarah runs an online shoe store. She wants to track every time a customer adds a pair of shoes to their shopping cart. In Google Analytics 4, what is the best way to categorize this interaction?

  • A) Goal
  • B) Incident
  • C) Conversion
  • ✅ D) Event

Answer:Event
Why? Because “add to cart” is first tracked as an event. Sarah can later label it a conversion if it’s a key step in the buying journey.

Quick reference chart

GA4 TermWhat It MeansExample
EventAny user action GA4 tracksPage views, button clicks, scrolls, etc.
ConversionA specific event marked as a business goalPurchase, lead form submission
Goal (Old)Legacy term from Universal AnalyticsNo longer used in GA4
IncidentNot used in GA4 for user actions(Not applicable)

GA4: About Events – Google Support
Ruler Analytics: Full Guide to GA4 Events
How to Prepare for GA4

Conclusion

In Google Analytics 4, “event” is the magic word. If someone clicks, scrolls, watches, or buys, GA4 sees it as an event. Once you grasp that, you’re well on your way to understanding how GA4 works and passing the Google Ads Measurement Certification exam.

✨ Bonus Tip: You can turn any important event (like a sale or form submission) into a conversion by just flipping a switch inside GA4!

Finally, I can say that if you are ready, you can take the exam on Skillshop – Google Ads Measurement Certification. If you want more real exam questions and answers like this one, which have already been covered, follow along. I’ll be breaking down more Google Ads Measurement Certification exam questions with full solutions in the next posts on Google Ads!

FAQs

1. What are “interactions” called in Google Analytics 4 (GA4)?

They’re called events. Any user action—like clicks, video plays, or page views—is treated as an event in GA4.

2. How does GA4 define an “event”?

An event is any user action or system activity GA4 tracks. These include scrolls, clicks, purchases, and more. Some are automatic; others can be customized.

3. What’s the difference between an event, a conversion, and a goal?

An event is a tracked action. A conversion is an event you mark as important (like purchases). “Goals” were used in Universal Analytics and have been replaced by conversions in GA4.

4. Why did GA4 switch to an event-based model?

The event model gives more flexibility and tracks user behavior across devices, which helps you get better insights.

5. Can you customize which actions GA4 tracks?

Yes! GA4 lets you customize tracking. You can enable enhanced measurement or create your own custom events.