Custom Events Guide

Introduction

Custom events allow you to track events beyond standard e-commerce events. This guide explains how to create and track custom events for your specific business needs.

What are Custom Events?

Custom events are events you define for your specific tracking needs:

• Any Event Name: Use any name that describes your event
• Flexible Parameters: Include any parameters relevant to your event
• Business-Specific: Track actions specific to your business

When to Use Custom Events

Use custom events to track:

• Business-Specific Actions: Actions unique to your business
• User Engagement: Video views, downloads, signups, etc.
• App-Specific Events: Events specific to your application
• Conversion Goals: Custom conversion goals beyond purchases

Event Naming Conventions

Best practices for custom event names:

• Descriptive: Use clear, descriptive names
• Consistent: Use consistent naming across your site
• PascalCase or camelCase: Use consistent capitalization
• Avoid Spaces: Don't use spaces in event names

Examples:

• VideoPlay
• NewsletterSignup
• DownloadPDF
• ContactFormSubmit

Custom Event Structure

Custom events follow the same structure as standard events:

st('track', 'YourCustomEventName', {
    // Your custom parameters
    custom_param_1: 'value1',
    custom_param_2: 'value2',
    value: 99.99,        // Optional: numeric value
    currency: 'USD'      // Optional: currency code
}, userData);

Implementation Examples

Example: Video Play

function trackVideoPlay(videoId, videoTitle) {
    const userData = {
        country: "US"
    };
    
    st('track', 'VideoPlay', {
        video_id: videoId,
        video_title: videoTitle,
        content_type: 'video'
    }, userData);
}

Example: Newsletter Signup

function trackNewsletterSignup(email) {
    const userData = {
        em: email,
        country: "US"
    };
    
    st('track', 'NewsletterSignup', {
        content_type: 'newsletter',
        method: 'website'
    }, userData);
}

Example: File Download

function trackDownload(fileName, fileType) {
    const userData = {
        country: "US"
    };
    
    st('track', 'DownloadPDF', {
        file_name: fileName,
        file_type: fileType,
        content_type: 'download'
    }, userData);
}

Parameter Guidelines

For custom event parameters:

• Use Meaningful Names: Parameter names should be descriptive
• Consistent Data Types: Use consistent data types (strings, numbers, arrays)
• Include Value When Relevant: Include value and currency if event has monetary value
• Follow Standards: When possible, use standard parameter names (value, currency, content_type)

Platform Limitations

Consider platform limitations:

• Facebook: Custom events work, but standard events are preferred for optimization
• TikTok: Custom events are supported
• GA4: Custom events are fully supported

Best Practices

• Use Standard Events When Possible: Prefer standard events for common actions
• Clear Naming: Use clear, descriptive event names
• Consistent Parameters: Use consistent parameter names and structures
• Document Your Events: Keep documentation of your custom events

Summary

Custom events allow you to track business-specific actions. Use descriptive names, include relevant parameters, and follow naming conventions. Custom events work across all platforms supported by ServerTrack.