remarketing campaigns<\/a> that help stimulate return visits and repeat business.<\/p>\nFloodlight Counter: <\/strong>This tag is used to count how many times a person visits your page after they\u2019ve interacted with an ad. It can help you keep leads in sight and measure their interest.<\/p>\nFloodlight Sales: <\/strong>Similar to the Counter, this tag tracks how many items an individual user purchases and the value of those products or services.<\/p>\nConversion Linker: <\/strong>The Linker Tag is placed on pages related to the desired conversion activity. This is designed to work with the Conversion Tracking Tag to ensure that every conversion is logged efficiently.<\/p>\nGoogle Optimize: <\/strong>The Google Optimize tag helps you measure performance against a specified goal. It is widely used to test landing page variants to see which one is best at converting traffic. However, it can be used for other optimization experiments as well.<\/p>\nGoogle Surveys Website Satisfaction: <\/strong>If you sign up for Google Surveys, you can use this tag to implement a code to your site that allows for easy tracking of website satisfaction.<\/p>\nCustom Image and HTML Tags: <\/strong>If you can\u2019t find the tag you need, you can create custom tags within GTM. The Custom Image option will allow you to create and deploy a pixel tag, while the Custom HTML option lets you develop scripts that are not yet included in the GTM library.<\/p>\nWhat Are Triggers In Google Tag Manager?<\/h2>\n
When adding a tag, you\u2019ll be asked for a trigger. This is the specific action or event that triggers <\/em>the tag. For example, a conversion tracking tag may have the trigger set on a form submission button. The trigger waits for this button to be pressed and then knows to fire the conversion tracking tag,<\/p>\n![\"google](\"https:\/\/ppcexpo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/google-tag-manager-example-7.png\")
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When you create a trigger, the default setting is that it will ping the tag every time that the event occurs. However, you can also add filters to your triggers to influence when they do and don\u2019t go off.<\/p>\n
![\"google](\"https:\/\/ppcexpo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/google-tag-manager-example-8.png\")
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For example, you may want to only trigger conversion tags once for each unique visitor, instead of every time the same person completes the action.<\/p>\n
Once you select to add a trigger type, you\u2019ll have a drop-down menu with all of the various trigger actions and types.<\/p>\n
![\"google](\"https:\/\/ppcexpo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/google-tag-manager-example-9.png\")
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Page View: <\/strong>A simple trigger \u2014 when a page is viewed, the tag is fired. It is useful if you want to look at data for individual page impressions. You can also set a page view tag to track conversions by targeting a page that can only be reached through a conversion, such as a \u201cThank you for your purchase\u201d screen.<\/p>\nWindow Loaded: <\/strong>A trigger that is similar to page view, except that it waits to trigger until it sees that the page has been fully loaded, including images, scripts and other resources.<\/p>\nDOM Ready: <\/strong>This trigger fires the connected tag when the visitor\u2019s browser fully loads the page in HTML and the Document Object Model (DOM) is completely read. This is similar to Page view and Window Loaded, but DOM Ready happens in the middle of these two events. Using all three can help you detect slow page loads or other problems relating to high bounce rates. For example, if the Page View and DOM Ready triggers both fire, but Window Loaded did not, then you know the person left the page before all elements on the page finished loading.<\/p>\nAll Elements: <\/strong>Trigger the tag after any <\/em>click on a page, whether a link, image, button, etc.<\/p>\nJust Links: <\/strong>Trigger only after a user clicks a link that uses the <a> element. This is handy for tracking user movements and how they link from one page on your site to the next.<\/p>\nElement Visibility: <\/strong>When a designated element on the page comes into view, this trigger fires. For instance, an image or link that requires the site visitor to scroll in order to reach.<\/p>\nForm Submission: <\/strong>This trigger waits for a form submission to be completed and then fires the tag.<\/p>\nScroll Depth: <\/strong>Sets a trigger to fire after a user has scrolled to a certain point on the page.<\/p>\nYouTube Video: <\/strong>If you embed content from YouTube on your site and want to know if it is being utilized, this will trigger tags to fire after any interaction with the YouTube player.<\/p>\nHistory Change: <\/strong>If your site uses HTML 5 pushState API, then the History Change trigger can be used to track virtual pageviews within a browser application.<\/p>\nJavaScript Error: <\/strong>Track and log JavaScript errors that may otherwise go undetected. Error messages will be listed in your chosen analytics tool. You can make changes to correct JavaScript exceptions, such as window.onError<\/em>.<\/p>\nTimer: <\/strong>The GTM Timer trigger fires after a user spends a certain amount of time on the page. It\u2019s a valuable trigger tool to measure how long it takes someone to read a blog post or finish a conversion activity.<\/p>\nTrigger Group: <\/strong>The trigger group feature allows you to link more than one trigger together. The tag only fires if every trigger is met. If you add multiple instances of the same trigger, then it needs to fire the same number of times.<\/p>\nCustom event: <\/strong>You can create a custom event trigger in GTM to measure behaviors on your site that are not tracked with Google\u2019s normal trigger types.<\/p>\nWhat Are Variables In Google Tag Manager?<\/h2>\n
Variables are values you set that impact both tags and triggers. A variable adds an additional condition that must be met. For instance, you can set a URL variable to specify a certain address snippet that must be hit before a page view trigger fires.<\/p>\n
![\"google](\"https:\/\/ppcexpo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/google-tag-manager-example-10.png\")
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Variables also affect tags by defining exactly what information and data is collected. For example, if you\u2019re using the Floodlight Sales tag, you may use variables to designate that the tag collects product ID information and the total value of the transaction.<\/p>\n
Built-In Variables Versus User-Defined Variables<\/h3>\n
GTM gives users the option to choose between a wide selection of built-in variables. The majority of your variable needs will be covered by this preset list of options. These variables are found in the \u201cBuilt-In Variables\u201d section of the \u201cVariables\u201d menu in the GTM interface.<\/p>\n
![\"google](\"https:\/\/ppcexpo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/google-tag-manager-example-11.png\")
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If you don\u2019t find the variables to suit your data analysis needs, you can scroll down the page and find the \u201cUser-Defined Variables\u201d section. These custom variables will allow you to create your own values, like a specific numerical input, a name string, or a particular URL component.<\/p>\n
![\"google](\"https:\/\/ppcexpo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/google-tag-manager-example-12.png\")
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When you click to add a \u201cNew\u201d user-defined variable, you can choose between a number of variable types that you want to customize for your tags.<\/p>\n
![\"google](\"https:\/\/ppcexpo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/google-tag-manager-example-13.png\")
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HTTP Referrer: <\/strong>This variable looks at the URL of the previous page the person visited. You can use this variable to fire tags only when people come from a specific page. For example, if you want to track conversions that result from a specific landing page, you would use the URL of that landing page as the HTTP referrer.<\/p>\nURL: <\/strong>This variable looks at the URL components of the current page. The URL variable sees a lot of use because it can assess which query parameters or hash fragments are in the URL, which helps determine key data about an individual\u2019s behaviors on your site.<\/p>\n1st Party Cookie: <\/strong>The variable uses the value of the 1st party cookie that corresponds with the domain name of the page that the user is on. If there are more than one cookies used in the same domain, this variable will choose the value of the first cookie. You can determine this value by the first result of the page\u2019s document.cookie <\/em>file.<\/p>\nCustom JavaScript: <\/strong>With this variable option, you can set the value based on the result of a JavaScript function. In this scenario, the JavaScript function must return a value. In the following example, a JavaScript function is used to turn a specific URL\u2019s variables to lowercase:<\/p>\nFunction 0 {<\/em><\/p>\nReturn {{url}}.toLowerCase();<\/em><\/p>\n}<\/em><\/p>\nData Layer: <\/strong>The variable value is determined by data being pushed to the data layer through the dataLayer.push() call: dataLayer.push({\u201cData Layer Name\u201d: \u201cValue\u201d}).<\/em><\/p>\nJavaScript Variable: <\/strong>If you\u2019ve specified a global value in your JavaScript, you can use this option to use the JavaScript variable as the chosen value. This is helpful if the required value is not available in the data layer or elsewhere.<\/p>\nUndefined Value: <\/strong>Use an undefined JavaScript value.<\/p>\nAuto-Event Variable: <\/strong>When a certain effect occurs, such as clicks, form submissions, element visibility and so on, the variable collects information specific to the event being triggered.<\/p>\nDOM Element: <\/strong>If an important value is not available in the data layer, but is present in the Document Object Model, this variable can be used to guarantee that the value is set based on the text of the DOM.<\/p>\nElement Visibility: <\/strong>Similar to the element visibility trigger, this value is based on a user seeing a specific component on the page. The difference is that the element visibility variable only reports the visibility of one page element. You can choose whether this element is chosen based on an ID or CSS Selector. If there are multiple elements that fit the CSS Selector\u2019s criteria, the first option is chosen.<\/p>\nConstant: <\/strong>If you have multiple tags using the same value, the constant variable option allows you to manually provide a constant string to set the value yourself.<\/p>\nCustom Event: <\/strong>Use a custom event name as the value.<\/p>\nEnvironment Name: <\/strong>The value is set to the preview mode environment name.<\/p>\nGoogle Analytics Settings: <\/strong>If you are using the Google Analytics tag for Universal Analytics, Google will ask you to also use the Google Analytics Settings variable. This is used to ensure that various tags are configured using the same Google Analytics settings.<\/p>\nContainer ID: <\/strong>The value is determined by the ID of the GTM container.<\/p>\nContainer Version Number: <\/strong>When using preview mode, this variable option will return the value of the container\u2019s preview version number. Outside of preview mode, it will use the container\u2019s live version number.<\/p>\nDebug Mode: <\/strong>This variable returns a \u201ctrue\u201d value if the container is in preview or debug mode, otherwise it reads false.<\/p>\nWhat Are Folders In Google Tag Manager?<\/h2>\n
Folders are used for organizational purposes in the GTM tool. As you add more tags, triggers, variables and other options, it becomes difficult to keep track of everything. You want your tags to be organized into groupings that make sense and help you efficiently use your GTM account.<\/p>\n
![\"google](\"https:\/\/ppcexpo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/google-tag-manager-example-14.png\")
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Creating a new folder is very easy.<\/p>\n
\n- Select the Folders option from the left-hand menu.<\/li>\n
- Then, click \u201cNew Folder.\u2019<\/li>\n
- Once a folder is created, you can click the checkboxes next to tags, triggers and\/or variables from the \u201cMove\u201d menu.<\/li>\n
- You can also create new triggers, tags or variables right in a folder to have them automatically placed in this grouping.<\/li>\n
- Be sure to name your folders with a specific title that helps you identify the contents.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
<\/p>\n
What Are Templates In Google Tag Manager?<\/h2>\n
Templates are helpful for organizations where there may be multiple people using the same GTM account. This feature allows you to save your customized tags and variables so that others can access them for their own projects. Templates are permission-controlled to ensure privacy.<\/p>\n
Plus, the sandbox environment of the custom templates feature allows for custom tags and variables to be developed in an efficient way, especially compared to custom HTML tags or JavaScript variables.<\/p>\n
Tag Templates: <\/strong>As described above, tag templates allow you to create your own tag-variable combinations for others to use.<\/p>\nVariable Templates: <\/strong>Through the use of JavaScript framework and APIs, you can create variable templates that return custom values.<\/p>\n![\"google](\"https:\/\/ppcexpo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/google-tag-manager-example-15.png\")
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Why Use GTM Templates? <\/strong>It\u2019s all about efficiency and safety with regards to implementing marketing and measurement tags. You want your teams to be able to collaborate and use tags to achieve the best possible results. With GTM templates, you can ensure that there is some control over what\u2019s being tagged and why.<\/p>\nWhen adding new tags, you can quickly refer to your existing templates to find the right tag and variable definitions that you need to deploy.<\/p>\n
How To Create A Template In Google Tag Manager<\/h3>\n
To create a GTM template, select \u201cTemplates from the left menu. Then, click the \u201cNew\u201d button in the right hand corner of the Templates menu.<\/p>\n
![\"google](\"https:\/\/ppcexpo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/google-tag-manager-example-16.png\")
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\n- First, fill out the \u201cInfo\u201d section of your tag, which will ask that you supply a name, description and icon.<\/li>\n
- Refresh to ensure that your template name, description and icon appear correctly.<\/li>\n
- Click \u201cFields\u201d and \u201cAdd Field.\u201d<\/li>\n
- For this example, select \u201cText Input and change the default name to \u201caccountID.\u201d<\/li>\n
- (Optional) You can refresh again in the Template Preview to check your progress.<\/li>\n
- Select the \u201cCode\u201d menu to enter a JavaScript editor mode.<\/li>\n
- Once finished, you can \u201cRun Code\u201d to test your work. Any errors or problems will appear in the Console window.<\/li>\n
- Save and close the template editor.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
<\/p>\n
What Are Workspaces In Google Tag Manager?<\/h2>\n
Templates are not the only way that the Google Tag Manager helps teams collaborate and work together. Workspaces are another handy feature for businesses to use. Essentially, a workspace acts like a drawing board for your tag configurations. You can work on changes, develop new configurations or test potential triggers\/variables.<\/p>\n
![\"google](\"https:\/\/ppcexpo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/google-tag-manager-example-17.png\")
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When you want to add the changes to your live tags, it becomes a new version. If you decide you liked the old configuration better or your new changes were not ready, you can quickly revert back to the old version. This makes it very stress-free to modify or add new tags to your website.<\/p>\n
You can add a workspace by clicking the Workspace tab and then selecting the blue \u2018+\u2019 symbol in the menu.<\/p>\n
![\"google](\"https:\/\/ppcexpo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/google-tag-manager-example-18.png\")
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Add a name to your workspace. Again, the title should relate to the purpose of this workspace, especially if you have multiple teams using different workspaces to test their own changes.<\/p>\n
![\"google](\"https:\/\/ppcexpo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/google-tag-manager-example-19.png\")
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Best Practices For Google Tag Manager Workspaces<\/h3>\n
To ensure that you use your workspaces effectively and safely, here are a few tips to keep in mind. They will help you manage your workspace projects.<\/p>\n
Small changes are best: <\/strong>Changes to your tags should be made little by little, instead of all at once. When you slowly trickle out changes, it is easier to detect where a potential problem occurs. For instance, if you update your tags with every small, incremental change, then you know as soon as a problem arises that the last change was the culprit. Conversely, if you release huge updates all at once, finding the source of an error can be painstaking.<\/p>\nGroup related changes together: <\/strong>A new workspace should be created every time there is a group of related changes that will likely be published at the same time or in a particular order. Grouping changes together in different workspaces will keep you organized. If you need to revert back to an earlier version, it is much easier to do so when each change from the group is related to one another. For instance, changes affecting your Google Analytics tags won\u2019t interfere with Floodlight tag changes and vice versa.<\/p>\nManage your teams appropriately: <\/strong>You can also use different workspaces for each team member or department. This allows people to work on their own tag changes separate from one another and eliminates the risk of someone accidentally publishing another team member\u2019s unfinished changes.<\/p>\nAdopt descriptive naming practices: <\/strong>The importance of proper naming and descriptions has been hinted at a few times in this guide. As you develop more workspaces, it is crucial that you give them a proper name and relevant description. You want to find the right workspace quickly. You also want to be able to identify where certain changes are originating from. You may want to change the names of your workspaces based on the latest live version.<\/p>\nTest configurations: <\/strong>Workspaces are invaluable when it comes to testing new configurations and simply playing around with the GTM features. If you don\u2019t like what you\u2019ve created or it doesn\u2019t create the intended results, you can always scrap it and start new. Be sure that you and your team are running plenty of workspace tests before publishing any changes live.<\/p>\nWhat Is The Data Layer In Google Tag Manager?<\/h2>\n
A data layer is a valuable tool used in conjunction with the Google Tag Manager. A data layer is a common JavaScript object that is used to deliver data back and forth between your website and the GTM. Data layer information can be used to influence variables and set off triggers in your tags.<\/p>\n
In other words, the data layer is an alternative method to pulling variables that are spread out across various page categories, transaction data and other disjointed containers. The data layer gathers this data and ensures that it is readily available for use.<\/p>\n
How To Implement Data Layer In Google Tag Manager<\/h3>\n
Unless you plan to use custom data in your tag manager, enabling the data layer is very simple. As soon as you add the GTM tag into your website\u2019s source code, Google Tag Manager automatically creates and initiates the data layer.<\/p>\n
Data Layer Declaration Versus dataLayer.push<\/h3>\n
When your data layer is first created, it is basically an empty bucket. It only becomes useful when data and info begins to populate that layer. There are two ways that data can be added to the data layer:<\/p>\n
\n- Utilizing the dataLayer snippet in GTM<\/li>\n
- Adding data via the dataLayer.push<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Data Layer Declaration: <\/strong>There is a Data Layer code snippet in the Google Tag Manager that can be added to your site above the GTM container. This code looks something like this:<\/p>\n<script><\/em><\/p>\ndataLayer= [{<\/em><\/p>\n\u2018pageCategory\u2019: \u2018google-tag-manager-tips\u2019\u00a0 <\/em>\u2192 This must be replaced by a real page category<\/p>\n}];<\/em><\/p>\n<\/script><\/em><\/p>\n<!– Google Tag Manager \u2192<\/em><\/p>\n\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n<!– End Google Tag Manager \u2192<\/em><\/p>\nThis code will create a layer that will specifically hold the pageCategory data point. Then, you can use that pageCategory data in your management of tags. There are some limitations when working with the data layer declaration method.<\/p>\n
dataLayer.push: <\/strong>Alternatively to the data layer declaration, you can use the dataLayer.push technique. This small snippet of code acts as a triggering device in Google Tag Manager.<\/p>\nHere is a scenario for a newsletter signup form. In this case, data layer declaration may not be able to accurately track form signups. Thus, you want to push a Data Layer event every time someone subscribes with their email address on your website.<\/p>\n
The code is as follows:<\/p>\n
window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];<\/em><\/p>\nwindow.dataLayer.push ({<\/em><\/p>\n\u2018Event\u2019: \u2018new_subscriber\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n});<\/em><\/p>\nAfter a person subscribes, their information is stored to the data layer, which can then be sent to Google Analytics or another third-party platform.<\/p>\n
What Are Containers In Google Tag Manager?<\/h2>\n
All of the tags, triggers, variables and other configuration components that relate to a single website or app is collected into a container. This is similar to folders discussed earlier. However, folders are much smaller groups, whereas a container typically pertains to an entire website. In other words, you\u2019ll likely have one container for an entire website and that container may have several folders helping to keep the work organized.<\/p>\n
There are a few rules when structuring your containers, each with some exceptions.<\/p>\n
One Container Per Website Or App: <\/strong>Most users manage a single website with one domain. This means that you only need one GTM container for all of your tags, triggers, etc. This is because your tagging needs are going to be consistent across the site and managed from one location, even if you have multiple people managing the site and GTM tool.<\/p>\nMultiple Websites Or Apps, Multiple Containers: <\/strong>If you are managing multiple websites and apps, using a separate container for each entity is a better approach. This is especially true if the websites or apps have very different objectives or are handled by separate teams. In example, if you have an athletic wear company that also makes a fitness-focused app, you would want multiple containers. One container would handle the website\u2019s tagging management. You would also create separate containers for the Android and iOS versions of the mobile app.<\/p>\nMultiple Websites, One Container: <\/strong>There is one exception to the above rule, where you would only need one container for multiple websites. This can be acceptable if each site has very similar tagging needs and uses the same content management system, site template and platform. The sites are so closely related that you do not need separate containers.<\/p>\nWhat Are Environments In Google Tag Manager?<\/h2>\n
Environments are a GTM feature designed to help organizations test their changes in stages before publishing them to the live version. You can create multiple environments to align with the different stages of your site development.<\/p>\n
For example, you may have a development environment and a quality assurance environment. The day-to-day development changes are handled in the Dev environment. The successful changes are passed to QA to make sure that changes follow organizational standards and policies. Then, they can be passed on to the live site version where users can experience the changes.<\/p>\n
How To Setup Environments<\/h3>\n
Before you enter the following steps, be sure that you have clear definitions for each environment. If you don\u2019t need a multi-tiered development flow, then you\u2019re better off using workstations instead of environments.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re certain that you need to create environments for your tag management, follow these steps:<\/p>\n
\n- Click the \u201cAdmin\u201d option on the primary GTM screen.<\/li>\n
- Press \u201cEnvironments,\u201d under \u201cContainers,\u201d then click \u201cNew.\u201d<\/li>\n
- Click the \u201cCreate Environment\u201d box.<\/li>\n
- Enter a name for your environment. You can also add a description and destination URL, but these are optional.<\/li>\n
- If you plan to use the environment exclusively for testing, then be sure to put a check next to \u201cEnable Debugging by Default.\u201d<\/li>\n
- Click \u201cCreate\u201d and then \u201cPublish Now\u201d to start the environment.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Next, you will need to install the container snippet on the environment\u2019s corresponding server. For example, if you have a server dedicated to development, then your dev environment needs to be linked to this server via this snippet.<\/p>\n
Once you\u2019re finished, you should see the environments appear on your Versions list.<\/p>\n
What Is Debug Mode In Google Tag Manager?<\/h2>\n
GTM features a Preview and Debug mode that allows users to browse their site with a debugger pane available. This allows you to closely inspect your tags and ensure they are firing in the proper order. You can enter the Debug mode by clicking \u201cPreview\u201d in the upper right corner of the GTM menu.<\/p>\n
There are five features available in the Preview and Debug mode:<\/p>\n
\n- Event Timeline: <\/strong>See all of the events happening in the data layer and the order that they happen.<\/li>\n
- Tags: <\/strong>See a listing of each tag connected to an event and whether or not they fired.<\/li>\n
- Variables: <\/strong>Similarly, you can see a list of variables impacting a specific event.<\/li>\n
- Data Layer: <\/strong>See message objects as they are pushed to the data layer and how the data layer looks after the event is over.<\/li>\n
- Errors: <\/strong>Check for error messages in your tags.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
<\/p>\n
![\"google](\"https:\/\/ppcexpo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/google-tag-manager-example-20.png\")
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What Is A Tracker Object In Google Tag Manager?<\/h2>\n
Google Analytics uses a tracker object data structure to make sure that interactions on the website are compiled into well-formed Google Analytics requests and hits, it has some serious implications for Google Tag Manager Implementations. Tracker objects (also known as “trackers”) are objects that can collect and store data and then send that data to Google Analytics.<\/p>\n
How does it works?<\/strong><\/p>\nWhen creating a new tracker, you must specify a tracking ID as well as a cookie domain, which specifies how cookies are stored. If a cookie does not exist for the specified domain, a client ID is generated and stored in the cookie, and the user is identified as new. If a cookie exists containing a client ID value, that client ID is set on the tracker, and the user is identified as returning. Upon creation, tracker objects also gather information about the current browsing context such as the page title and URL, and information about the device such as screen resolution, viewport size, and document encoding. When it’s time to send data to Google Analytics, all of the information currently stored on the tracker gets sent.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
What Are GTM API?<\/h2>\n
The Google Tag Manager API provides access to Google Tag Manager configuration data for an authorized user. With this API you can manage:<\/p>\n
\n- Accounts<\/li>\n
- Containers<\/li>\n
- Workspaces<\/li>\n
- Tags<\/li>\n
- Triggers<\/li>\n
- Folders<\/li>\n
- Built-In Variables<\/li>\n
- Variables<\/li>\n
- Container Versions<\/li>\n
- Container Version Headers<\/li>\n
- User Permissions<\/li>\n
- Environments<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
What resources and methods are available through the API:<\/strong><\/p>\nThe fundamental concept in any API is the resource. A resource is an object with a type, associated data, relationships to other resources, and a set of methods that operate on it. It is similar to an object instance in an object-oriented programming language, with the important difference that only a few standard methods are defined for the resource (corresponding to the standard HTTP GET, POST, PUT and DELETE methods), while an object instance typically has many methods.<\/p>\n
Resources can be grouped into collections. Each collection is homogeneous so that it contains only one type of resource, and unordered. Resources can also exist outside any collection. Collections can exist globally, at the top level of an API, but can also be contained inside a single resource. In the latter case, we refer to these collections as sub-collections. Sub-collections are usually used to express some kind of \u201ccontained in\u201d relationship.<\/p>\n
Part 3: Troubleshooting Common Problems With Google Tag Manager<\/h1>\n
There are many issues and roadblocks that can arise with implementing tags, triggers and variables with GTM. That\u2019s why it is so crucial to test your changes and new configurations. Even if your tests are successful, future changes may interrupt certain tags and create malfunctions. While the tool makes it much easier to detect and manage these potential problems, it is still helpful to learn some of the most common issues that can occur.<\/p>\n
Your Tag Is Firing Incorrectly<\/h3>\n
Sometimes a tag will start to fire when it is not supposed to. Or, it doesn\u2019t fire when it is supposed to. These issues can lead to inaccuracies in your data that have the potential to lead you towards incorrect conclusions. In most cases, this occurs because there are more than one triggers or rules at play.<\/p>\n
Look at all of your trigger settings. You may have added different triggers to the same group or added additional settings that are overriding what you actually intended the trigger to do. Remember, when you use different trigger conditions, they all need to be met before the tag will run.<\/p>\n
Your Tag Is Not Firing On Clicks<\/h3>\n
You have a click trigger enabled on your tag, but it isn\u2019t firing when an individual clicks the targeted element on the page. This is a very common issue and typically can be resolved by looking at the specific element IDs or attributes that are targeted.<\/p>\n
What happens is that when you have more than one element on top of each other, your tag may only fire when clicks occur on one element and not the other. For example, you may have a link within a button element. Thus, the tag may only fire when clicks occur on the link and not the button itself.<\/p>\n
Your Data Layer Variables Are Incorrect<\/h3>\n
If you have specified variables in your data layer that are not properly firing on page loads, or an event in the data layer is not hitting the designated trigger, this can also create a problem that needs to be resolved.<\/p>\n
Your first step is to make sure that your data layer is properly enabled. It may seem like a no brainer, but just double-check. Specifically, check that the data layer tag is populated before <\/em>the GTM container loads. Otherwise, your data layer variables will not be available. You can check this in the debug mode in GTM by looking at the data layer during a page view event.<\/p>\nYour Latest Changes Are Not Visible<\/h3>\n
Every time you make a change in your GTM account that affects your website code, you need to check your work. Sometimes, you may find that the changes you\u2019ve made do not appear right away. This can be a common and silly mistake where you finalized your changes but didn\u2019t publish them and update the live version of your tags.<\/p>\n
While it is rare that this happens when you\u2019re working with GTM by yourself, it can occur frequently when you have a team of people using the tool. Someone else may unknowingly revert to a previous version without realizing that it interrupts the changes you\u2019ve just made. It is good to have a log that tracks what changes are live and who is making updates.<\/p>\n
Your Tags Are Not Registering In Google Analytics<\/h3>\n
This is easy to spot; your tags are firing and registering in GTM, but they are not showing up in your Google Analytics reports. It\u2019s also fairly easy to fix. Take a look at your Google Analytics Property ID. It looks something like UA-XXXXX-X.<\/p>\n
Whenever you enter a new Google Analytics tag, this ID must be present. It is possible that you\u2019ve neglected to enter this variable or the wrong ID has been submitted. Review the Property IDs in any Google Analytics tags that you are having problems with.<\/p>\n
For the future, you may want to create a custom variable with your Google Analytics Property ID, which will save you the trouble of entering this variable manually each time.<\/p>\n
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Avoiding Issues With Debugging Tools And Google Analytics Real-Time Reports<\/h2>\n
One of the best strategies for resolving possible issues in Google Tag Manager is to create steps to avoid them in the first place. Using external debugging tools and monitoring Real-Time reports in Google Analytics are two great strategies for mitigating the risk of issues cropping up in your tags.<\/p>\n
With Real-Time reports, you can instantly find out if your Google Analytics tags are firing properly. Sometimes, GTM sends data to the wrong ID. Real-Time reporting will allow you to see up-to-the-second GTM tag statuses and have an absolute guarantee that your tags are implemented correctly.<\/p>\n
Helpful debugging tools, like the Tag Assistant chrome extension and Google Analytics debugger, will make your life and GTM management tasks much easier. Tag Assistant is great when installing Google-related tags (GTM, Google Analytics, Google Ads Conversion Tracking, etc.).<\/p>\n
With the Google Analytics debugger, you can see all data that is traveling from your tags to the analytics tool. This allows you to find areas that need improvement and troubleshoot problems much more efficiently.<\/p>\n
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Frequently Asked Questions About Google Tag Manager<\/h2>\n
Some errors and problems regarding Google Tag Manager are due to a lack of information or, even worse, the result of misinformation<\/em>. To help remedy some of this confusion, here is a list of frequently asked questions about GTM.<\/p>\nWhat\u2019s The Difference Between Google Tag Manager And Google Analytics? Do you need both?<\/h3>\n
Many website owners and marketers are confused about the relationship between Google Tag Manager and Google Analytics. GTM helps you place Google analytics tags more easily and with fewer errors. In this respect, GTM acts as a middle-man between your website and Google Analytics. Both tools can exist without the other. That said, Google Analytics adds value to GTM and vice versa.<\/p>\n
Who Should Use Google Tag Manager?<\/h3>\n
Digital marketers, web analysts, SEOs, PPC marketers, ecommerce business owners<\/a> and many other types of professionals can benefit from adding, removing, and editing tracking scripts on their websites (or the sites of their clients). Thus, all of these individuals can also benefit from using Google Tag Manager.<\/p>\nDoes Google Tag Manager Only Work With Google Solutions?<\/h3>\n
As mentioned, Google Tag Manager shares a close relationship with Google Analytics, Google Ads and other platforms in the Google family.\u00a0 However, it can also be used with other tools outside of the Google brand. There are even tag templates available for popular third-party tools and companies can develop their own tags to work with their products and services.<\/p>\n
Is Google Tag Manager Free?<\/h3>\n
Yes. Google Tag Manager is free to use, especially for small-to-medium sized businesses. There is also a premium version that may be necessary for larger companies with multiple websites and apps to tag.<\/p>\n
Are There Other Solutions Like Google Tag Manager?<\/h3>\n
Yes. There are many tools and solutions available that offer similar services to GTM. Matomo, Adobe\u2019s Dynamic Tag Management, Tealium, and Ensighten are just a few of the alternatives out there.<\/p>\n
Do You Need A Web Developer If You Are Using Google Tag Manager?<\/h3>\n
If you don\u2019t have access to your website files and don\u2019t have understanding to alter them then most likely you will need a developer. Google Tag Manager does a great job of helping website owners add tags to their pages without having to open up their website and get involved with technical coding. However, you will still need your web developer, especially if you are creating complicated tag-trigger-variable configurations.<\/p>\n
My CMS Does Not Allow Codes In The <head>, What Then?<\/h3>\n
While the tool will work best if the GTM script code is in the heading, it isn\u2019t absolutely necessary. The higher in the code you put this script, the sooner it loads, which improves the accuracy of your tracking. Placing it in the <body> is fine, as long as there is not a <noscript> code in your heading.<\/p>\n
Is Google Tag Manager Just For Websites?<\/h3>\n
No! You can use GTM to configure tags for Android and iOS mobile apps, as well as AMPs.<\/p>\n
Can The Same Analytics Account Be Included In Several GTM Containers?<\/h3>\n
Yes. This commonly occurs when a marketing agency is in charge of multiple client websites. They want to manage all of their clients from a single Google Analytics dashboard. Thus, they use the same ID for each client\u2019s container.<\/p>\n
Can Adblocks Prevent Google Tag Manager?<\/h3>\n
Yes, but it is rare that an adblocker is set up to stop GTM tags. If it is, then this same extension would have probably stopped hard-coded tracking tags as well.<\/p>\n
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Can A Website Break Because Of Google Tag Manager?<\/h3>\n
Yes, but it is highly unlikely. If you use GTM responsibly, then this won\u2019t happen. But, if you use unknown scripts that you\u2019ve found online or deploy custom scripts that aren\u2019t created properly, you may damage some functionality on your site. It\u2019s best to consult a developer first. The good news is that if you do cause harm to your website, you can always click back to a previous version and reverse the damage!<\/p>\n
Is Google Tag Manager Used To Store Data About Visitors?<\/h3>\n
No. What Google Tag Manager does is send visitor data to third-party tools, which happens on the visitor’s browser and only with permission.<\/p>\n
Wrap Up<\/h2>\n
Google Tag Manager is a powerful platform that will help you gather marketing analytics data more efficiently. You\u2019ll take full advantage of the data goldmine that is your website! Not only will this help you further your understanding of what motivates your customers to act, but you\u2019ll also be able to use insights gathered through marketing tags to increase site traffic and revenue!<\/p>\n
And, it is free service, which means there is nothing but a little effort required to get started with tagging your site pages.
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