HelpScout Beacon GTM Event Listener

Track HelpScout Beacon chat and knowledge base interactions in GTM. Monitor open/close, messages, search queries, article views, and email captures with chatBeaconId and chatAction.

helpscoutbeaconchatknowledge-basegtmga4supportsaas

Event fired

Helpscout_Interaction

Key variable

chatBeaconId

HelpScout (Beacon)

Overview

HelpScout's Beacon widget combines live chat, a help center knowledge base, and a contact form. This listener hooks into Beacon's JavaScript API to track opens, closes, message sends, article views, knowledge base searches, and email captures.

Event fired: Helpscout_Interaction Variables: chatBeaconId, chatAction

Common Use Cases

Track support deflection (article views vs. messages)
Measure knowledge base search effectiveness
Build GA4 segments of users who needed support
Fire lead events on email capture

Tracked Events

chatAction	Description
`beacon opened`	Beacon widget opens
`beacon closed`	Beacon closes
`message sent`	User sends chat message
`email captured`	Email submitted via Beacon
`article viewed`	Knowledge base article opened
`search performed`	User searched the help center
`suggest shown`	Article suggestions displayed
`suggest article clicked`	Suggestion article clicked

Installation

html

<!-- GTM Custom HTML Tag: HelpScout Beacon Listener -->
<script>
(function() {
  function beaconPush(action, extra) {
    window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];
    window.dataLayer.push(Object.assign({
      'event': 'Helpscout_Interaction',
      'chatAction': action,
      'chatBeaconId': window.Beacon ? '' : '' // Beacon ID from init
    }, extra || {}));
  }

  var initBeacon = function() {
    if (typeof window.Beacon === 'undefined') return;
    Beacon('on', 'open', function() { beaconPush('beacon opened'); });
    Beacon('on', 'close', function() { beaconPush('beacon closed'); });
    Beacon('on', 'email-submitted', function(data) {
      beaconPush('email captured', { visitorEmail: data.email });
    });
    Beacon('on', 'message', function() { beaconPush('message sent'); });
    Beacon('on', 'article-viewed', function(data) {
      beaconPush('article viewed', {
        articleId: data.id,
        articleTitle: data.text
      });
    });
    Beacon('on', 'search', function(data) {
      beaconPush('search performed', { searchQuery: data.query });
    });
    Beacon('on', 'suggest', function() { beaconPush('suggest shown'); });
    Beacon('on', 'suggest-article-clicked', function(data) {
      beaconPush('suggest article clicked', { articleId: data.id });
    });
  };

  window.addEventListener('load', initBeacon);
})();
</script>

Data Layer Output

Article Viewed

json

{
  "event": "Helpscout_Interaction",
  "chatAction": "article viewed",
  "articleId": "article_123",
  "articleTitle": "How to reset your password"
}

Search Performed

json

{
  "event": "Helpscout_Interaction",
  "chatAction": "search performed",
  "searchQuery": "billing issue"
}

Trigger Configuration

Trigger: Custom Event | Helpscout_Interaction

Per action:

Condition: DLV – HC Action | equals | message sent

Variables to Capture

Variable Name	DL Key	Example
DLV – HS Action	`chatAction`	`"message sent"`
DLV – HS Article ID	`articleId`	`"article_123"`
DLV – HS Search Query	`searchQuery`	`"billing issue"`

GA4 Mapping

GA4 Event	Condition	Parameters
`chat_widget_open`	beacon opened	chat_platform: "helpscout"
`search`	search performed	search_term
`view_item`	article viewed	item_name (article title)

Best Practices

Track search performed vs. message sent ratio, high search rate with low message rate means your docs are working
Use articleId to identify which knowledge base articles prevent support tickets
Track email captured for lead generation from Beacon contact forms

Related Listeners

More Chat Widgets

Artibot AI

artibot_event

Chaport Chat

chaport_Action

ChatBot

chatBot_Interaction

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