Google Tag Manager
Your Best Friend For Tracking
Overview:
Set Up
- Implemented by just putting a snippet of code on the clients site.
- Once there it acts as a portal to your list of tracking rules you’ll set up through tag manager.
Benefits
- Simplicity: The rules are very straightforward.
- Speed & Agility: Add tracking as needed without having to use a developer.
- Precision: The less code added to the website the less chance there is for tracking errors.
Set up – Account
- You will need one GTM account per company.
- You can link your Tag Manager account to a Tag Manager MCC.
Container Setup
- After creating the account you will be prompted to create a container. Containers hold all of the tags for a specific website.
- You can create a new container at any time by going to the company GTM account page. Then click New and select container.
Set Up – Container Snippet
- Each container has a snippet of code attached to it. When first creating the container it will show you the code.
- You can also find it at any time by going to Admin and select Install GTM.
Set Up – Placing Snippet
- Then take the snippet of code and put it in the body of every page of your site.
- Be sure to remove any previous tracking codes to prevent tracking duplicate data. Those codes will be handled through Tag Manager.
- GTM is now ready for you to add new tags.
Set Up – Creating Tags
- Create all of the tracking tags you will be using for your site.
- To add a tag, click the “new” button then select tags. Give the tag a logical name depending on its purpose.
- Then select the type of tag you want to create. Tag Manager will then tell you what information you need to provide to create that specific tag.
- For example, to the left is an example of setting up google analytics.
Set Up – Firing Rules
- From there you add the rules for when you want it to fire. Whether it be on certain pages, all pages, or even events on the site.
- The option to fire on all pages already exists, but if you want a more specific rule you’ll have to create it yourself.
- Once you create the rule and save it, you can then save the tag.
- Then click preview to double check the tag before hitting publish to make the tag live.
Example: Google Analytics
- Create a new tag in the container for the site of your choice.
- Name the tag “Google Analytics”.
- Select tag type Universal Analytics.
- For Track Type select page view.
- Then select firing rules on the top right of the page. Select all pages.
- Next you’ll have to find your Universal Analytics tracking ID. To do this you’ll first happen to open the analytics account you’re using on the website.
- To find the ID, first click the admin button then select tracking info. From there select Tracking Code and the ID will be on top of the page.
- Copy this ID into the Tracking ID section in Tag Manager. Then save your tag.
- Before publishing your tag, click preview to makes sure everything works. Then click publish.
- Your Analytics code will now be tracking on your site
Example: Adwords Conversion Code
Setting up Adwords Conversion Code is a little more complicated than setting up Analytics, but is still easily accomplished.
- First, set up your conversion in Adwords.
- You’ll need the Conversion ID and The Conversion Label for tag manager.
- Create a new tag and name the tag “Adwords Conversion” or something similar and select Adwords conversion tracking as the tag type.
- Then go to firing rules and set the tag to fire upon reaching the thank you page on your site.
- Save.
Conclusion
- Google Tag Manager takes a process that often requires coordination between multiple parties and simplifies it to a one person job.
- All tags can be installed on a website through GTM, quickly and easily.
- Less tags, also mean faster load times.