File download statistics?

Question

Search Engine Optimization

The site has a link to download the catalog of the form https://website/createpdf/index/download/
When you click on it, the catalog file is downloaded, the user is not redirected anywhere.
Smart goals in GoogleAnalytics show createpdf/index/download (Goal value 4) is always zero, apparently because there is no such page and, accordingly, there is no analytics code on it.
Link shortening services like Goo.gl are also not an option, since outbound links, especially from the main one, will have a bad effect on SEO.
How can I still collect statistics on directory downloads by day?

Answer 1

Use Google event tracking .
Attach an onClick handler to the link to download the file, in which you place a line like:
ga('send', 'event', 'download', 'catalog');
In statistics, you will receive the number of events triggered.

Answer 2

Google Analytics doesn't track clicks on download links by default unless a new page opens, unlike Metrica. You need to add an onclick event to the html code of the link, assign it the function of sending an event to the GA using the virtual page method or the event itself, and you will have everything.

Answer 3

Target a download link and count clicks