Google Tag Manager (GTM) is a powerful tool that can help website owners and digital marketers easily manage and track their website’s data. If you’re new to GTM, it can be a bit intimidating at first, but with this beginner’s guide, you’ll be up and running in no time.
What is Google Tag Manager?
Google Tag Manager is a free tool from Google that allows you to manage and deploy various marketing and analytics tags on your website without having to edit the code directly. With GTM, you can easily add tags for Google Analytics, AdWords, and other third-party marketing tools.
Getting Started with Google Tag Manager
The first step in getting started with GTM is to create a Google Tag Manager account. You can sign up for a free account by visiting the Google Tag Manager website and following the instructions.
Once you have created your account, you will need to add the GTM container code to your website. The container code is a small piece of JavaScript code that allows GTM to communicate with your website. You can find the container code by clicking on the “Admin” button in the top menu and selecting “Install Google Tag Manager.”
After adding the container code to your website, you can start adding tags. Tags are snippets of code that track specific actions on your website, such as pageviews, clicks, and form submissions. To add a tag, click on the “Tags” button in the left-hand menu and select “New Tag.”
From here, you can choose which type of tag you want to add. Google Analytics and AdWords are the most common tags, but you can also add tags for other marketing tools and services. Once you have selected your tag type, you will need to configure the settings and triggers for your tag.
Triggers are the events that will cause your tag to fire. For example, you might set up a trigger to fire when someone clicks on a specific button on your website. To set up a trigger, click on the “Triggers” button in the left-hand menu and select “New Trigger.”
Once you have added your tags and triggers, you can preview and test your setup to make sure everything is working correctly. To preview your setup, click on the “Preview” button in the top menu and open your website in a new tab. You should see a preview mode that shows you which tags are firing and when.
Conclusion
Google Tag Manager is a powerful tool that can help you track and analyse your website’s data. With this beginner’s guide, you should be able to get started with GTM and start adding tags to your website. Remember to test your setup before going live to ensure everything is working correctly. Good luck!