Tracking multi-step contact forms for high-ticket manufacturing leads?

Hi everyone,

I’ve recently migrated our analytics from GA4 to Matomo (On-Premise) for a modular construction business. Because our products—specifically porta cabins and site offices—are high-ticket items, we don’t have a standard checkout. Instead, we rely on detailed quote request forms.

I have a few questions regarding the best tracking configuration:

Event Tracking: We have several “Download Brochure” and “Request Quote” buttons. Is it better to use the Matomo Tag Manager to track these as Events, or should I manually hardcode the _paq.push tracking into the buttons for better accuracy in a B2B environment?

Goal Attribution: Since our sales cycle is long (often 2–4 weeks), how can I ensure that Matomo attributes the final conversion to the original “First Visit” source correctly?

Cross-Domain Tracking: We occasionally link to external catalogs. What is the most reliable way to ensure Matomo doesn’t count those as “Outlinks” but rather as part of the user journey?

I want to make sure our data is as precise as possible. Any advice from B2B analysts would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!