“What is Google Tag Manager? A simple solution for complex tracking.”
You can be a beginner in digital marketing or the analytics of websites and Google Tag Manager, but most likely, this name has been mentioned to you numerous times. But what exactly is it?
How does it work? And why are so many marketers, bloggers and business owners depending on it? You will be taught in this guide, what is Google Tag Manager, how it operates and why it is necessary in order to monitor the performance of your website without having to write anything complicated.
At the conclusion of this, you will learn the fundamentals of tags, triggers, variables and how GTM simplifies tracking websites to beginners.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
What Is Google Tag Manager?
The Google Tag Manager (GTM) is a free tool of Google which enables you to add and administer all your web monitoring codes, known as tags, in a single control board, and without ever editing the code of your webpage.
In simple words:
GTM is a box which contains all your tracking scripts in a single place.
In the normal course of things, to add the following features, Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, event tracking, or conversion tracking, you would require the help of a developer who will have to manually add the codes to your site. GTM removes this need.
It is just that you place the GTM container code once and then you can add, delete or edit tracking tags any time on your GTM dashboard.
why you need to use Google Tag Manager?
The following are the best reasons why people use GTM:
1. No Need for Coding
You do not have to change the code of your website in order to add tracking each time. GTM does it automatically.
2. Manage All Tags in One Place
GTM keeps the scripts in one container as opposed to manually creating them and adding them to your site.
3. Faster Website Performance
GTM goes about loading tags in an efficient and asynchronous manner, which decreases the time it takes to load a page.
4. Improved Tracking and Analytics.
You can track:
- Button clicks
- Form submissions
- Page views
- Scroll depth
- External link clicks
- Video engagement
- And more
5. Saves Time
Marketers do not have to wait until the developers develop tracking setups but can set up tracking setups immediately.
The Google Tag Manager (Simple Explanation) works.
To learn about the concept of what is Google Tag Manager, you have to be familiar with the inner mechanics of it.
There are three basic elements of GTM:
1. Tags
2. Triggers
3. Variables
The three aspects synergize to trace the activities of the users in your site.
Let’s break them down.
1. Tagging What It is and Why It Matters.
Tags consist of small tracking code. They gather the information on the behavior of users on your site.
Examples of tags include:
- Google Analytics 4 tag
- Google Ads conversion tag
- Facebook Pixel tag
- Scroll tracking tag
- YouTube video tracking tag
- Custom HTML tags
Your site will not be able to transmit data to analytics without tags.
In simple terms:
The data collecting tools are called Tags.
2. Triggers – Tags Firing Requirement
A trigger is a message that tells GTM when a tag is to be enabled.
Examples of triggers:
- When someone clicks a button
- When a form is submitted
- When a page loads
- When a person scrolls half down the page.
- Each time a person clicks on an external link.
For example:
You would create: if you would like to know when a person clicks your Buy Now button.
- A Click Trigger, and
Fix it to your Google analytics event tag.
Answers to the question are triggers.
When should the tag fire?
3. Variables Additional Tags and Trigger Information
The variables provide additional information which might be required by tags or triggered.
Examples of variables:
- Page URL
- Click text
- Click ID
- Video title
- Form ID
We shall take the case of tracking clicks on a particular button. Variable that can be captured by a variable:
- The text on the button
- Certain attributes
- The class or ID
Variables provide the response to the question:
What are the additional information to carry out the task?
What these three elements do in collaboration with each other.
Here’s a simple example:
Or suppose you would like to know when users would be clicking on your “Contact Us” button.
You would:
- Create a Click Trigger
- Determine the button with massive variables.
- Generate an event tag on Google Analytics.
- Connect the tag and trigger
- Test and publish
When the user presses on the button:
Trigger activation moves on to Tag fires and then on to analytics.
This is the whole reasoning of GTM.
What You Can Track in Google Tag Manager.
GTM enables you to follow nearly all the activities on your site:
✔ Click tracking
Buttons, links, menus, banners
✔ Form submission tracking
Contact forms, email subscriptions, lead forms.
✔ Video tracking
Within the YouTube, play, pause, and time watched.
✔ Scroll depth
The distance that your users scroll through.
✔ Ecommerce events
Shopping, order, product view.
✔ File downloads
PDFs, images, documents
✔ Outbound clicks
When you are left on your site.
✔ Custom conversions
Any practice of yours you wish to quantify.
It renders GTM one of the most effective digital marketing tools.
Installation of Google Tag Manager (Introduction): an overview
The following is a rough description of the start procedure:
Step 1: Create a GTM Account
Go to: Google tag manager [https://tagmanager. Google.com]
Step 2: Create a Container
Each container = one website
Step 3: Install Container Code
You need to copy the GTM code and paste it into your body and header of your site.
You only do this once.
Step 4: Start Adding Tags
Add tags like:
- Google Analytics 4
- Google Ads
- Facebook Pixel
Step 5: Test Using Preview Mode
Make sure that the tags are set up properly and then release them.
Step 6: Publish
Your new tracking system comes online immediately.
Advantages of Google Tag Manager.
- Improved Website Tracking
You receive better information on your visitors.
- No Developer Required
GTM eliminates complicated tracking.
- Cleaner Code
As opposed to including several scripts in your web site, it is all stored in GTM.
- Faster Deployment
Marketers are able to achieve the launch of campaigns real time.
- Easy Debugging
Preview Mode assists in testing all that is to be live.
Google Tag Manager vs Google Analytics: The difference.
Novices tend to mix GTM with Google Analytics.
Here’s the simple difference:
Google Tag Manager
- Manages and deploys tags
- Controls when tags fire
- Helps with event tracking
Google Analytics
- Receives data from tags
- Displays reports, graphs, knowledge.
- Helps examine site traffic.
In short:
where GTM transmits the data, and Analytics receives the data.
Should Google Tag Manager be an Important Part of SEO?
Yes—indirectly.
GTM can help you add:
- Schema markup
- SEO scripts
- User engagement user tracking.
- Monitoring tools
All these assist to enhance the learnings on websites and their searchability.
Final Thoughts
The first step in being able to master the techniques of tracking and collecting data in websites is by understanding what is Google Tag Manager. Google Tag Manager makes the whole tracking process easier through which you can add, edit, test and manage tags without writing a line of code in your site.
GTM is an essential tool with regard to making precise analytics, improved marketing choices, and ensuring a streamlined workflow.
“When you ask ‘What is Google Tag Manager?’ the answer is freedom from manual coding.”
“Ask ‘What is Google Tag Manager?’ and you unlock the secret to smart, code-free tracking.”
“Ask ‘What is Google Tag Manager?’ and you open the door to data clarity.”
“What is Google Tag Manager? A tool that puts your data in your hands.”
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