January 20, 2025 Varun

How do you install Google Tag Manager on your website?

Introduction

In today’s digital age, understanding user behavior and optimizing marketing strategies are essential for online success. Google Tag Manager (GTM) simplifies these processes, enabling marketers to deploy and manage tracking tags without the need for direct code editing.

According to HubSpot, businesses leveraging data-driven marketing are six times more likely to see year-over-year profitability. GTM makes advanced tracking accessible by providing an easy way to manage tags and tracking codes.

This guide provides a step-by-step process to install Google Tag Manager and maximize its benefits for your website.

Table of Contents

What is Google Tag Manager?

  1. Key Advantages of Implementing Google Tag Manager
  2. Troubleshooting Tips for Google Tag Manager
  3. Preparing Your Website for GTM
  4. How to Install Google Tag Manager: A Step-by-Step Guide
  5. Common Issues and Troubleshooting Tips
  6. Practical Takeaways and Examples
  7. Conclusion
    Google tag manager
  1. What is Google Tag Manager?

    2. Google Tag Manager (GTM) is a free tool provided by Google that allows you to easily manage JavaScript and HTML tags on your website enhancing your ability to track user interactions efficiently. According to BuiltWith, over 1.5 million websites use GTM, making it a go-to tool for digital marketers aiming to simplify tag management and website owners to efficiently track and optimize their online presence.

    GTM
  2. Key Advantages of Implementing Google Tag Manager
    • Ease of Use: GTM’s user-friendly interface allows even non-developers to manage tags effortlessly, with over 70% of marketers saying they can manage their tags without developer assistance
    • Centralized Control: By managing all tracking and marketing tags in one location, businesses can improve efficiency by 50%.
    • Faster Deployment: By eliminating the need for developers, GTM helps deploy tags up to 3x faster, allowing marketing teams to stay ahead in a fast-paced environment.
    • Version Control: Keep a history of changes made and revert to the previous if needed.
    • Built-in Debugging: Use the preview mode in GTM to test and verify the tags before they go live.
    • Reduce Errors: Cut down the chances of code errors that would make your site go down.
  3. Troubleshooting Tips for Google Tag Manager

    4. Although GTM provides many benefits, you may face some problems:

    • Problem: Incorrect placement of GTM code snippets can lead to errors in tracking.
    • Solution: Use tools like Google Tag Assistant to verify the correct placement of GTM snippets during installation.
    • Problem: Too many choices for new users.
    • Solution: Begin with simple tags such as Google Analytics and then discover more complex features.
    Website
  4. Preparing Your Website for GTM
    • Create a Google Tag Manager Account:

      • Sign up for a free GTM account at the official website.

    • Create a Container:

      • The container is where all your tags will be stored, and it’s unique for each website.

    • Backup your site:

      • This is important to ensure you have a chance to revert back if issues arise during the installation process.

    Surprisingly, over 60% of website owners fail to back up their sites before making changes, putting their data at risk (WPEngine).

  5. How to Install Google Tag Manager: A Step-by-Step Guide

    6. Login to GTM and create your first container

    • Select the target platform e.g. Web and accept terms of service.

    Copy the two code snippets provided by GTM.

    • One for the (head) section.
    • One for the (body) section.

    Paste the code into your website

    • WordPress Users: Use plugins like WPCode for easy integration.
    • HTML Websites: Manually add the snippets in your site’s HTML.

    Publish and preview.

    • Use GTM’s interface to preview your changes and test your tags before publishing.

    Verify the installation.

    • Install the Google Tag Assistant extension to check if your tags are firing correctly.
  6. Common Issues and Troubleshooting Tips
    • Tags not firing: Use GTM’s preview mode to identify misconfigurations.
    • Website loading slowly: Optimize your tags and remove unnecessary ones.
    • Tracking discrepancies: Ensure all related tools (e.g., Google Analytics) are configured correctly.
  7. Practical Takeaways and Examples

    8. Example: To track user interactions with Google Analytics, create a GA4 configuration tag and set it to track pageviews, user sessions, and conversions. This ensures that you can seamlessly gather data for more detailed reports.

    Take Away: Always check your GTM tags for consistency with current marketing goals.

Conclusion

Installing Google Tag Manager is very easy and, of course, unlocks powerful tracking and analytics capabilities for the site. Both newcomers to marketing and seasoned marketers enjoy smoother tag management and better-informed decision-making through data-based information through GTM.

By following the guide, you can seamlessly implement Google Tag Manger, optimize your website’s tracking capabilities, and unlock data-driven insights to improve your marketing efforts. With over 80% of businesses relying on GTM for efficient tag management, you’ll be in great company as you take your website’s performance to the next level.

Need professional assistance in setting up GTM? Contact Tecobytes – your trusted partner in achieving digital excellence!