google tag manager: the basics

Google Tag Manager Basics Why and How to Get Started

Provided by: Blue Fountain Media

Why am I doing this?

1. Limited development needed

2. Easy to roll back changes

3. Custom macros are awesome

4. Consolidated view of all tracking, across tools

5. Clean code means a fast site and happy developers

6. Instant testing

7. …also Universal Analytics means you have to swap code anyway


Initial Setup

• Create an account – Each web property that you own should have a unique account

within a single login so that everything is easily accessible

– If you are running Google Analytics, your Tag Manager accounts should be owned by the same email as your analytics account


Initial Setup

• Create a container – Containers hold all of the tags for a

specific property

– Applies to websites as well as apps


Initial Setup

• Send code snippet to your development team, or simply enter it yourself after the opening <body> tag for your website

– This ONE CODE controls ALL of your event tracking*

*mostly


Initial Setup

• Install the Tag Assistant plugin for Chrome [here: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/tag-assistant-by-google/kejbdjndbnbjgmefkgdddjlbokphdefk/details]

Verifies tag placement – Makes suggestions for tagging

improvements

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/tag-assistant-by-google/kejbdjndbnbjgmefkgdddjlbokphdefk/details









Initial Setup

• GTM Mechanics:

Tag complete tracking snippet • GA code • Event tracking • Goal tracking

What do I want to track?

Rule when a tag should fire • On /thank-you • After 10 seconds • On social click

Where/when should this be tracked?

Macro what dynamic info should be passed through a tag • Event name • URL • Referrer What elements will trigger a tag?


Initial Setup

Versions & Drafts • As you create tags, all new elements

will be saved in a “Container Draft”

• When you are ready to launch new tags, view Container Draft > Overview

• Click “Create Version” to bundle new tags with any existing tracking

• You can “Preview” what your site looks like with a new Container applied to it

• After QA-ing, click “Publish” to launch the latest version of your tracking

• At any time, you can easily roll back to an earlier “version” of tracking

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Use Cases A step-by-step view of common


Task: Set up Google Analytics

• Create a new tag with Tag Type “Universal Analytics”

• Insert Analytics tracking ID

• Set Track Type to “Page View”

What do I want to track? Google Analytics data!


Task: Set up Google Analytics

• Create a new rule called “All pages”

• Set conditions to be:

{{url}} matches RegEx .*

Where/when should this be tracked? All pages!


Task: Set up Event Tracking

In this example we’ll set up event tracking for PDF downloads.

First we have to tell Tag Manager to monitor all user clicks throughout the site.

• Create a new tag called “Link Click Listener”

• Set Tag Type “Event Listener > Link Click Listener”

• Add a Firing Rule of “All pages” – This should already exist from Analytics tag

setup

What do I want to track? Site clicks!



Now we can specify which link clicks we’re most interested in

• Create a new rule called “PDF link click”

• Set the first condition {{event}} equals gtm.linkClick

• Add second condition {{element url}} matches RegEx \.pdf

Repeat this step for any additional link clicks that should be tracked as events.

Where/when should this be tracked? PDF download buttons!



• Create a new tag called “Analytics Event – PDF Download”

• Set Tag Type to “Universal Analytics” • Insert Analytics tracking ID • Set Track Type to “Event” • Enter the Category, Action & Label you

want to log in Analytics • Add a Firing Rule of “PDF link click” that

you just created

Repeat this step for any additional events that need to be created based on unique links. Save a new “version” of the container and publish to activate event tracking.

What do I want to track? Google Analytics events!


Task: Set up Form Submission

In this example we’ll set up event tracking for form submissions.

First we have to tell Tag Manager to monitor all form submissions throughout the site.

• Create a new tag called “Form Submit Listener”

• Set Tag Type “Event Listener > Form Submit Listener”


setup

What do I want to track? Form submissions!



Now we can specify which form submissions we’re most interested in

• Create a new rule called “Contact form submit”

• Set a condition {{event}} equals gtm.formSubmit

Where/when should this be tracked? Form submission buttons!



• Create a new tag called “Analytics Event – Form Submit”

• Set Tag Type to “Universal Analytics”


• Set Track Type to “Event”

• Enter the Category, Action & Label you want to log in Analytics

• Add a Firing Rule of “Contact form submit” that you just created

Save a new “version” of the container and publish to activate event tracking.



Task: Set up Ecommerce Tracking

• Send the following link to the development team and request that they setup a data layer on checkout confirmation pages. https://support.google.com/tagmanager/answer/3002596?hl=en

https://support.google.com/tagmanager/answer/3002596?hl=en




Task: Set up Ecommerce Tracking

• Create a new tag called “Analytics – Ecommerce Tracking”

• Set Tag Type to “Universal Analytics”


• Set Track Type to “Transaction”


setup

Save a new “version” of the container and publish to activate event tracking.



z

THANK YOU.

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google tag manager: the basics

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