If you’re struggling with how to use google tag manager, then we’ve got your back. 

In this article, we will know more about Google Tag Manager and how it works, its importance, and more. 

There are many tools in the digital marketing world to make life easier. Such a tool by Google is the Google Tag Manager. It is a free tool that allows you to add web analytics, tracking, and codes for measurement to a website or even an application.

So, What is Google Tag Manager? 

Google Tag Manager is an essential tool for a website owner as it manages a website’s tags. It makes tag management easy, quick, and efficient to understand, especially if you are not adept with coding. It is a vital tool for a website owner or even a webmaster. 

It does for a website’s tags what a CMS or content management system does for content. 

This article will help you to understand how to use Google Tag Manager for websites and apps.

What are Google Tags?

Tags are bits of code that one needs to embed in your website’s javascript or HTML. For any digital marketeer today, the tag information is important to determine how long users are on your site, form submissions, sources from where they visited, what did they click on, and what they may have added to their cart.

Normally, each tag is for tracking something different and specific. For example, a particular tag will track how many people clicked on the ‘contact us’ page. That information can be used further with Google Analytics or any other software for further insights.

Manually coding for each page is a lot of work and very time-consuming. One would need a developer with coding experience.

With Google Tag Manager, this process is taken care of. You simply need to embed the code only once on your website and then every time you wish to create a tag, GTM codes as well as embeds it for you.

How does Google Tag Manager work?

Google Tag Manager has its own container tag and hence can be put on your website pages. This means that you do not need to have many different codes on the website.

The same code is placed for each page, hence you do not need to have it re-written for individual pages of a website. You do not need to manually code tags on your site, you can have them automatically updated without all the hard work or even hiring someone. 

You can also use GTM to keep track of your mobile apps. You can also use it to tag multiple websites, making it cost-friendly and easy to manage various websites. 

Once you put up snippets of your code that are related to your app or website, you can connect to GTM. Once this is done, the interface will automatically put the codes on your page. GTM manages the tags you have on your website so that you do not have to put in the time and effort to do the same.

To break it down for you, Google Task Manager does 3 things – 

• Google Tag Manager allows you to focus on bigger things to grow your company. The burden of embedding each tag is eliminated.
• It reduces the possibility of human errors as it is fully automated.
• Your marketing department can create and monitor any new tags. This gives them complete control over your strategy. This not only increases efficiency but also gives them the knowledge vital to understand the analytics system. Understanding GTM also will enable you to understand your marketing reports as well. 

Importance of using Google Tag Manager 

If you have this question looming in your mind – “Should I use Google Tag Manager?’ then we have the answers for you. Listed below is the importance of using Google Tag Manager –

• Easy to use

The biggest advantage of GTM is that it is very user-friendly. It requires absolutely no programming knowledge. This is a huge advantage for companies without much technical support. 

• Puts your mind at ease

Since it is automated, you can really put your mind at ease.  If you’re on vacation, on leave, or just really invested in other things – it is taken care of by Google Tag Manager.

• Saves time and money

Without the need for any developers, you have full control over the launch time. No changes need to be made to the source code or even the need to wait for any developer to install the code. You can do tag management and save time as well as money. 

• Add or change tags easily

One can easily implement tracking codes without reaching out to any developers. You can add, test, update, change and delete tags as and when necessary. 

• Multiple codes from a single dashboard

All the tags are in one place with GTM and can be managed from a single interface. This also reduces the instances of missing tags, human errors, etc., and improves efficiency. 

• Tag Templates

Google Tag Manager has built-in tag templates and Google ads conversion, remarketing, etc. can be done using these templates. You can easily customize codes using these functionalities.

• Reduces any risks

Google Tag Manager is free of cost! You can try it out without any commitment and risks. You can learn how to set up a new account, create new tags, edit tags, and manage your tags.

How to use  Google Tag Manager? 

Wondering how to use a Google Tag Manager account? Here’s how –

1. Understand your Goals

You need to understand your goals and also have a strategy in place. Who will be managing your account over the long run? What are your end goals? 

2. Create an account

The next step is to create an account. You can use an existing account if you have one. A new container is created and you can create a new container within each account. 

3. Install the Container

Install the container for your mobile or website. 

4. Add and publish your tags

It is time to publish the tags.

5. Configure your tag

Choose a tag type and then select configure your tag. 

6. Choose your tag type

Choose the type of tag it is.

7. Choose a trigger 

You need to then select a trigger for when you want the tag to be recorded. A trigger is a term for when you want the tag recorded every time someone visits the page. You can also choose all pages to gain insights every time someone visits any page on your website. This largely depends on what your end goal is and what insights you’d like to keep a record of.

8. To add tags

Select the tag type and triggers for when the tag should fire. Then, click on submit tags.

9. To edit a tag

Click on the edit tag and make changes. For example, you may need to update the trigger for the tag.  

10. To delete a tag

You have the option to delete a tag in the edit tag section.

Additional Tips/Hacks for Google Tag Manager

Here are a few additional GTM tips and tricks –

• Preview and publish

Always preview, then audit, and finally, publish your tags. First, make the changes in the workspace, then conduct an audit for these changes, and finally publish them for users to see. 

• Use the data layer

Make use of the data layer functionality and then go on to publishing your GTM tags.

• Re-use GTM containers

The import and export of GTM layers allow you to re-use the GTM functionalities available with very few or no changes required for new GTM tagging.

FAQs

Q. How to use Google Tag Manager with Google analytics? 

Using tag manager, you can add the Google Analytics tracking code to your site. You do not need to edit your website’s code for this.

Q. How to use the data layer in Google Tag Manager?

You can use the data layer in Google Tag Manager by following these steps –

• Open Google Tag Manager
• Select the container of your website
• Select variables
• Scroll to press on the ‘new’ button under ‘user-defined variables ‘
• Select the data layer variable

Q. What does a Google Tag Manager do?

Google Tag Manager is a tag management system that enables you to update the codes or tags for your websites and apps.

Q. How do I use Google Tag Manager for SEO?

Google Tag Manager can help you gain more insights into what is happening on your website. It helps you add tags and add Google Analytics as well for digital marketing professionals to really improve their SEO.

Q. Is Google Tag Manager easy to use?

Google Tag Manager is easy to use and also free. It saves you time and money as you can change the code of your website yourself. 

Q. How do I add tags to Google Tag Manager?

This is how you can add tags to your Google Tag Manager – 

• Create a new tag 
• Configure your tag
• Select a tag type
• Link your tag to Google Analytics tracking
• Save the tag
• Activate your tag by clicking on submit

Conclusion

We really hope that you enjoyed reading this article on how to use Google Tag Manager. This online short course in digital marketing will help you ace digital marketing especially if you’re looking to expand your knowledge in the field. 

Our MBA in Digital Marketing is recommended to professionals and entrepreneurs seeking in-depth knowledge in the world of digital marketing. Reach out to our team at IIDE for guidance to identify the right path for you.