If you spend much time figuring out how to market your product, service, or self, you’ve likely heard rumblings about Google Tag Manager (GTM). Or maybe you’re wondering: Isn’t that just another name for Google Analytics? No, but they can work really well together. Let’s take a closer look:

First, what is Google Tag Manager?

It’s a free tool that anyone can use to manage marketing “tags”—snippets of code—on your website or app without having to deal with complex code modifications. GTM enables you to store and manage code in one place then share information from your website with Google Analytics, Google AdWords, or other tracking platforms. Once there, the data can be used or analyzed.

With Google Tag Manager, all of the tracking codes you currently implement on your site can be stored in one nice, neat “container.” This container code is installed on your site and communicates with the tags inside your manager, which are triggered when the appropriate action occurs.

What kind of code do you need to manage? Google Analytics events, such as pdf downloads, scrolling, and video plays, no longer have to be individual snippets of code strewn about your site. Instead, you can house and manage them all within GTM.  

Google describes GTM as a tool that, “helps make tag management simple, easy and reliable by allowing marketers and webmasters to deploy website tags all in one place.” While this statement might lead some to believe they can employ this tool without any prior knowledge or experience with coding, the reality might be surprising.

Google Tag Manager Basics

Google Tag Manager has 3 main components:

• Tags — tracking pixels or snippets of Javascript that tell GTM what to do. Examples of common tags are: Google Analytics Universal tracking code, Adwords Remarketing Code, Adwords Conversion tracking code, Facebook pixels
• Triggers — these tell GTM when or how to deploy a tag, such as when a video is played or when a contact form is submitted.
• Variables — a value that can change in order for tags or triggers to work. The most basic constant variable is the Google Analytics UA number.

Without some technical knowledge, well-intentioned, if misguided, users can damage their website’s structure and function by attempting GTM. However, with some training about setting up tags, triggers, and variables, most people can get the hang of using GTM. And once you get the hang of it, it’s actually pretty amazing what you can do. Want to track PDF downloads, outbound links and button clicks, and ecommerce promotions? You can do it all in one place with GTM.

It’s also really flexible so users can try out different tags to see what works and what doesn’t while storing all the codes in one place. GTM comes equipped with developer tools that show you what tags are firing and what’s not working as anticipated.

Overall, it’s a great tool to see how your audience is interacting with your products and services so you can make sure you’re reaching them with the best content to reach your goals.

Tracking marketing efforts can be overwhelming. Let the Green Arrow Marketing experts do the heavy lifting so you are freed up to do what you do best: running your business. Call us at 888-248-2134 or contact us today for more information.