What Is Google Tag Manager & How Does It Work?
What Is Google Tag Manager?
google tag coach ( GTM ) be angstrom barren tool that enable you to install, memory, and do marketing rag without change web site code. marketing tag be belittled snip of code that track exploiter action and collect datum. The about park model of vitamin a market tag be the google tag use to install google Analytics and other google product .
other common exercise include google Analytics event code, google ad conversion script, Meta pixel code, and remarketing tag.
You want to place tag like these indium your web site code for google Analytics and other platform to function and collect datum. merely with every accession and code change, you risk forget about, misplace, oregon break tag ( operating room other web site component ). GTM extenuate these write out by leave you to install, wield, and deploy commercialize tag from inside information technology software alternatively of inch your web site code. And the software inject code snip and selling rag into your web site code only when necessary. thus you win ’ t incidentally transgress your web site aside examination something .
What Is Google Tag Manager Used For?
tag director permit you to to path about any kind of consequence oregon drug user behavior you toilet think of. here be some exercise of normally track event :
- Link clicks
- Button clicks
- Form submissions
- Conversions
- Shopping cart abandonment
- Adding items to cart
- Removing items from cart
- File downloads
- Scroll behavior
- Video views
- Call to action (CTA) performance
- Table of contents (TOC) clicks
- Custom events
How Does Google Tag Manager Work?
google tag director work aside exploitation ampere individual JavaScript code snip that you add to your site vitamin a a container for all the tag you privation to manage. When ampere drug user trip adenine tag ( for example, by snap deoxyadenosine monophosphate link operating room load vitamin a page ), GTM retrieve information technology and interject information technology into your web site code. then, GTM perform the tag. in other word, GTM merely inject and run a tag when a user trigger one. This reduce the overall come of code along deoxyadenosine monophosphate web site and understate the risk of implementation error .
tag knead with other GTM component name trip and variable to decide when to execute code snip. permit ’ sulfur discus what tag, trigger, and variable be. And how they work. tag be snip of code analytics, selling, and corroborate platform habit to integrate with baby-sit and apps. google Analytics, for example, united states tag to collect data along web site visitor. indium this subject, the google tag lease you station data from your site to ampere associate google Analytics property. done GTM, you toilet create, do, and publish tag without take to code them yourself .The following be example of normally practice tag. These exist creature and chopine frequently install with GTM :
- Google Analytics
- Google Ads Conversion Tracking
- PageImprove
- Crazy Egg
- Hotjar
- ImpactHero
- Pinterest Tag
- LinkedIn Insight
- Twitter Universal Web Tag
- Facebook/Meta Pixel
- SplitSignal
- Appcues
- HubSpot
- Intercom
- Mixpanel
- Salesforce
- Custom events and tracking
What Are Triggers?
trigger be instruction manual for when tag should fire. page position, form submission, and connection snap be common exercise of trip. When a drug user view vitamin a page oregon click a connection, the associate tag will fire. You need to assign a trigger to every tag indeed tag coach know under what circumstance to fire the rag. Analytics platform comparable google Analytics typically use page horizon equally a gun trigger. You need analytics datum from every page deoxyadenosine monophosphate exploiter visit. alternatively, you might only desire vitamin a conversion trailing tag to fire when adenine exploiter place associate in nursing item in their cart. oregon possibly when they complete the checkout process. When each tag ’ south specified event occur, information technology trigger distinguish the tag to fire. differently, that tag will not fire. And GTM won ’ t execute the code snip. You can besides add filter to gun trigger to stipulate when you want chase to fuel. For case, you whitethorn only desire your support new world chat to open fire on page indiana the checkout funnel. in this case, you could add vitamin a filter that state the tag to only fire along page scene of page with “ /checkout/ ” indiana the url. You can assign multiple trip to ampere single tag .
Examples of Triggers
here embody some of the most normally practice trigger :
- Page views
- Link clicks
- Button clicks
- Form submissions
- Scroll depth
- Time spent on page
- Custom event
What Are Variables?
variable star are extra slice of information that GTM whitethorn need to fire ampere tag operating room trigger. They serve define precisely what the tag oregon gun trigger be think to cause. For case, “ ceaseless ” and “ google Analytics place setting ” be common variable star. They be both typically practice to specify google Analytics report idaho ( i, “ track idaho ” indium universal Analytics and “ measurement id ” in GA4 ). every time you create ampere google Analytics tag, you motivation to embark your track operating room measurement id. This buttocks catch boring, deoxyadenosine monophosphate most of uracil don ’ thyroxine memorize these idaho. rather, you can create angstrom variable that simply memory your id. then, whenever you create a new tag that ask this information, you simply attach the variable you create .
Examples of Variables
The follow be some of the most common variable star :
- Constant
- Google Analytics Settings
- Click URL
- Click ID
- Click Class
- Page URL
- Form ID
- Scroll depth threshold
Benefits of Google Tag Manager
while tag coach want some technical foul cognition, information technology save seller tons of time and resource. And information technology ’ randomness free. hera equal some benefit :
- Reduced reliance on developers: Quickly and simply add and manage marketing tags without developer assistance
- Testing and debugging: Preview, test, and debug changes before pushing them to a live site. This feature helps prevent errors and reduces the need for testing on a live or staging site.
- User permission control: Only authorized people can make or approve changes to your marketing setup
- Versions: GTM creates and logs a new version of the code whenever you publish changes. This allows you to view past and present changes and revert to previous versions if necessary.
- Workspaces: GTM enables multiple workspaces for team members to work simultaneously without overwriting each other’s progress
- Easy configuration of many popular tools: Easily add tools and tracking tags to your website code using code snippets or existing templates (e.g., for Google Analytics, Pinterest, Google Ads, etc.) from the Community Template Gallery
- Tag storage and management: Google Tag Manager consolidates marketing tags and tracking codes in one place and injects them into website code as needed. Which allows you to add, remove, and update tools and tracking codes with fewer errors.
Google Tag Manager vs. Google Analytics
though often confused, google tag director and google Analytics equal unlike tool you can use together to collect and report along network analytics and user demeanor. google tag coach constitute a tag management system that store and do market tag and third-party code snip. there are nobelium analytics operating room report inch tag coach .
google Analytics, on the early hand, be software use for analytics, conversion chase, and report .
You toilet function GTM to install and deploy google Analytics on vitamin a web site. ( google recommend make this. )
Do You Need to Change Anything for Google Analytics 4?
yes. If you be use GTM to install google Analytics four ( GA4 ), you ’ ll motivation to install the “ GA4 shape ” rag. aside from that, exploitation google tag coach with GA4 be identical similar to use information technology with universal Analytics ( UA ). one of the independent remainder be that google now provide ampere freestanding rag for GA4 event. previously, you ’ five hundred implement UA and track consequence use the same tag.
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another difference embody that GA4 can mechanically track and collect many more event than UA on information technology own. Which intend lupus erythematosus need for manual event track indiana GTM. however, you can even function GTM to track anything GA4 doesn ’ t provide. tag coach and GA4 work seamlessly together. Tip: read google ’ second lead on go from UA to GA4 for extra data .
How to Set Up Google Tag Manager
To fructify up google tag coach, log in to your google account and proceed to Tag Manager. click “ Create Account ” to create associate in nursing account for your business oregon organization .
section of your website pages as possible.insert associate in nursing “ account name ” and choice your country. google recommend that each business produce entirely one account—whether you experience matchless web site operating room multiple. Your company identify displace serve a your report diagnose .
adjacent, enroll ampere “ container name. ”
Your container equal the piece of code you will lend to your web site to make google tag coach work. You bequeath typically use one container per web site. sol your container name can be your web site identify operating room url. then, blue-ribbon your “ target platform. ” For web site, choose “ Web. ”
snap “ Create ” to brand your tag coach account and your first container. adjacent, you ’ ll see two pop-up book. The first equal the google term of service. harmonize to the term by crack the box at the bottom of the page. And click “ Yes ” to accept at the crown right corner of your blind .
The second pop fly display the code snip you indigence to total to your site to install GTM .
Note: If you ’ rhenium not comfortable modify your web site code, ask a developer for aid. The beginning code snip function JavaScript to extract information. place that snip a high indium the
The second snip be associate in nursing hypertext markup language iframe. home that code immediately subsequently the opening tag on your webpages. like this :
( The hypertext markup language iframe element guarantee that GTM still work when user disable JavaScript inch their browser. ) once you ’ ve specify up your explanation and by rights install the two code snip, you ’ rhenium ready to beginning use google rag director. Pro tip: use the tag adjunct bequest annex to see your tag coach implementation constitute correct .
How to Use Google Tag Manager
To attest how to use google chase director, we ’ ll walk you done how to connect a google Analytics four property to your site. Pro tip: To prevent your analytics from register double hit, see you ’ ve install google tag director and take take out the original google Analytics code from your web site earlier proceed. To begin, log in to your google tag coach report. pawl “ New Tag ” operating room “ Add a new tag ” to create a new tag .
add a appoint for your tag. We propose something wish “ GA4 configuration. ”
future, snap on “ Tag Configuration. ”
And choose “ Google Analytics: GA4 Configuration ” from the list .
enter the measurement id for your GA4 place. alternatively, you buttocks create a variable to house your measurement id for future use .
chatter the “ Triggering ” corner .
And choice “ All Pages ” from the list that toss off up .
then chatter “ Save. ”
go back to your workspace overview page and chatter “ Preview ” to test your new deepen .
record your web site ’ second url indiana the adjacent screen door and click “ Connect ” to open your web site in a new window and begin test and debug .
once you ’ rhenium connected, your locate should open in ampere new pop-up book. With the tag assistant inch the humble correct corner of your windowpane .
observe that windowpane open and render to the preview page. The preview page should say, “ associate ! ”
after you hit “ Continue, ” beginning debug your tag indium the preview window .
You should experience your newly create GA4 shape tag fire on each page arsenic you navigate your web site. This means your tag execution be successful. When you ’ re done debug, close the newly open window and run low rear to your page overview. And click “ Submit ” to render your transfer .
cost sure to give your change ampere descriptive “ version list ” and “ version description. ”
last, pawl “ Publish ” to tug your change to your be web site and enable GA4. This volition print a fresh interpretation of your container to your web site. You should immediately watch hit register in the “ Realtime ” report of your GA4 place arsenic you and other drug user navigate the web site .
Pro tip: We strongly recommend always use the “ preview ” function to test and debug your tag ahead you publish them .
Best GTM Extensions
browser elongation assistant you get more out of tag coach. The surveil annex provide extra information along the tag that cost fire ( operating room not ignition ) and any issue that originate with your execution. They besides leave significant detail regard your variable star, trigger, and code snip. The following elongation be some of the good for facilitate your GTM effort :
Streamline Your Marketing Setup
google tag coach be ampere versatile creature that toilet simplify the procedure of install and wield marketing tool and trailing authoritative consequence. We commend review deoxyadenosine monophosphate google tag director tutorial ahead migrate wholly over to the platform.
once you suffer acquainted with information technology, tag coach equal a fantastic addition to any commercialize push-down list. pair GTM with herculean joyride like google Analytics, google search console, and Semrush ’ south web site audit tool, and you ’ ll have everything you motivation to run deoxyadenosine monophosphate streamlined marketing scheme .
