How to Setup Google Tag Manager (GTM) on Your Website – Step by Step Guide

Last Updated on September 3, 2022

What is Google Tag Manager

It’s a Google’s free tool that you can use to deploy a lot of actions on your website that are vital for its growth. You can use certain snippets and codes on your website to track certain actions that are happening on your website.

The codes don’t necessarily change your website’s coding. So, without bothering about your website’s main framework of coding, you can keep an eye on all the actions that you wish to track.

This answers your query on what is Google Tag Manager. So, in case somebody asks you what is GTM, then that is also Google Tag Manager.

One of the major benefits of Google Tag Manager is that you can apply any code yourself. You can define what a valuable asset for you is. Then you can simply start tracking that asset with the application of various codes in it.

In many of the Digital Marketing interviews, interviewers ask this question about what is Google Tag Manager or what is GTM. So, read this blog and be prepared and confident.

So, if you are new to tracking, snippets, and insertion of codes, then you may need to practice how to use Google Tag Manager on a dummy site before you actually make the experiments on your live site.

How To Use Google Tag Manager

Like mentioned earlier, it’s used to deploy a lot of actions on your website that are vital for its growth.

In case you have not set up GTM, then let’s see how to use Google Tag Manager on your website.

1. Go to https://tagmanager.google.com 

2. Login with that email ID through which you want to have a Google Tag Manager account

3. Click on Create Account on the top right corner of your screen

google tag manager

4. Then, the next screen would require you to set up the Google Tag Manager dashboard.

google tag manager add account

5. Here, you have to specify an Account Name. Make sure that whichever name you are trying to mention here, it specifies your brand or website.

6. After that, select the country of operation of this business and your Google Tag Manager.

7. Now as per your wish, share your data with Google & others anonymously.

8. Now, comes the step to make a Container.

gtm container setup

9. A Container is that part of your Google Tag Manager that consists of all the Tags, Triggers, and Variables. So, whatever you decide to track with the help of your Google Tag Manager, everything will be stored in this Container.

If you learn how to use Google Tag Manager well, you’ll be able to understand the complications behind various reasons your site breaks and the “whys” to every tracking related problem of your website.

So, this Google Tag Manager tutorial aims to tell you how to use Google Tag Manager (if you’re a complete newbie).

Now, you’ll have to select which platform you wish to track. For example: Website, iOS, Android, and AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages).

Once you’re done with this step, you’ll be redirected to your Google Tag Manager Dashboard where you’ll be able to see.

10. The last step is accepting the terms and conditions. 

  • Copy and paste the codes on your website
  • After the previous step, you’ll get two codes in front of your screen.

In case you have a WordPress website, then you can use Plugins such as DuracellTomi’s Google Tag Manager for WordPress. The plugins like these help you a lot by saving your time.

  • All you have to do is copy the code given by Google Tag Manager Dashboard.
  • Then paste the code on all your pages with the help of any plugin or you may manually do this as well.
  • After this, in the Google Tag Manager, you’ll be able to set Variables, Tags, and Triggers.

Now, let’s focus on the main part of this Google Tag Manager tutorial which is understanding the frequent terminologies you’ll encounter.

Important Terminologies

In your Google Tag Manager dashboard, you’ll come across these terms: Tags, Triggers, and Variables.

Tags: They are the small bits of coding that help in tracking a certain action on your website

Triggers: A trigger is a value that you define which tells GTM when or how to fire a Tag

Variable: It is the extra information that you give to GTM that it needs to keep into consideration while firing a Tag

Let’s take this blog forward by understanding these terms in detail.

What are Tags in GTM

Tags are those small pieces of snippets or codings that help in connecting Google Tag Manager with third party trackers.

Some of the common uses of Google Tag Manager are found in

  1. Google Analytics Universal targeting code
  2. Facebook Pixel
  3. AdWords conversion tracking code
  4. AdWords Remarketing code
  5. Heatmap tracking code

Tags in GTM

These are some of the types of Tags in Google Tag Manager that you can use. If any of your required Tag is present in the list, then you can opt for the Custom HTML option to add that code.

What is Trigger in GTM

The term Trigger itself tells you that there is something which will either make something run or do a certain action.

Trigger is your website’s part that tells the GTM as to when & how to fire any specific Tag. This way, you can define whether you wish to fire a Tag for a certain activity or not.

You can choose to select this option in Choose Trigger Type.

Now, let’s see what is a Variable.

What is Variable in GTM

There are some built in Variables in Google Tag Manager that may instruct GTM with more information that it needs to keep while Triggering a certain Tag.

Variables in GTM

There are various Built-in variables to choose from. In case you want to define something on your own, then you may choose the Configure option.

Benefits of Google Tag Manager

The Google Tag Manager is a very helpful tool that can do a lot of things for you.

For Example: Keep an update on the trends that are working well on your website. Suppose you’re running offers on different products. So, you can find out which of the offers have been doing fine. You may also find out how many people are checking out your offers, but not purchasing them.

It’s the right way to understand your audience’s likes, wants & behavior.

You must not only use this Google Tag Manager Tutorial will not only tell you how to use it but also the benefits.

Access All Tags in One Place

One of the best parts about Google Tag Manager is that you don’t have to find different pieces of snippets hidden in your website’s coding.

With the help of Google Tag Manager, you have access to all the codes on your website – all in one place.

On the dashboard itself, you can check your: View, Tags, Variables, etc.

All tags in GTM

You can define your required Tags and access them from one panel.

Find Troubleshooting and Tags that Cause Errors

Sigh! Such a relief if you’ve ever run a website years before Google Tag Manager’s launch.

If you understand a little bit about the coding of a website, then let’s tell you that with just an extra space in your coding, you can get a 404 error on your website.

But, with Google Tag Manager’s Preview and Debug Mode, you can test a code on your website before you apply it. So, you can check out whether some codes are working fine on your website or not.

Basic Events You Can Track With GTM…

  • Clicks
  • Link Clicks
  • Offsite visits
  • Form submission
  • Video views
  • Time spent on page
  • Percentage of page seen

So, this is it in our Google tag manager tutorial. If there’s any doubt, then you can always test any of your snippets with Google Tag Manager’s Preview and Debug Mode.

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