What is Google Tag Manager?

Hi! I’m Kendall Wavro, Data & Insights Specialist at Marcel Digital. Today, we're taking a closer look at Google Tag Manager, or GTM—a tool that's a game-changer for managing your website's tracking without the need to code. Whether you’re a marketer, developer, or small business owner, GTM simplifies your life.

So, what exactly is GTM? It’s a free tool from Google that allows you to manage all the tags on your website from one dashboard. Tags are small pieces of code that track events like form submissions, video plays, or even eCommerce conversions. The best part? You can update or add these tags without needing a developer to get into your website’s code.

Now, let’s break down how GTM works. GTM operates using four key components:

1. Data Layer - This is where all the information about user interactions is stored.
2. Tags - These are the code snippets that perform specific actions like tracking page views or conversions.
3. Triggers - These tell GTM when to fire a tag. For example, a trigger could be a page load, button click, or form submission.
4. Variables - These provide additional details to your tags, like URLs or visitor information.

Why use GTM? First, it makes your site more efficient by reducing the need for multiple snippets of code. It also allows you to quickly test and deploy new tags, making your marketing efforts more agile. Plus, GTM integrates with a wide range of tools, including Google Analytics, Google Ads, Microsoft, Meta, and other third-party platforms.

GTM shines in multiple key areas: tracking page views, monitoring events like button clicks or video plays, and enhancing eCommerce tracking. A few best practices include setting up a strong naming convention for your tags and regularly testing your tags and triggers to make sure they’re firing correctly.

Whether you’re looking to streamline your analytics or improve your website’s performance, Google Tag Manager is a powerful tool to have in your digital toolbox. Want to learn more or need help setting it up? Contact us at marceldigital.com!