Managing tracking scripts for third-party software such as Google Analytics for your website can present numerous challenges and, due to the complexity of installing these tracking scripts to a site, many turn to the expertise of a website developer. However, doing so can prolong the process and, if a web developer is not available in-house, it can be a costly investment for your business.
Here at Digital Pilots, we’re taking a closer look at how using Google Tag Manager can reduce the difficulty of adding and managing tracking scripts on your website.
What Is Google Tag Manager?
In the words of Google, Google Tag Manager “is a tag management system that allows you to quickly and easily update tracking codes and related code fragments collectively known as tags on your website or mobile app.”
“When Tag Manager is installed, your website or app will be able to communicate with the Tag Manager servers. You can then use Tag Manager’s web-based user interface to set up tracking tags, establish triggers that cause your tag to fire when certain events occur and create variables that can be used to simplify and automate your tag configurations.”
Containers & Triggers
While Google Tag Manager is easy to use, there are a few things that you will need to understand. These are containers and triggers:
Containers
In order to set up Google Tag Manager, you will need to create a container that will store all the tags for your website. Once a container has been created, you will receive your container code which must then be added to the source code for it to display on the pages of the site. Certain content management systems such as WordPress feature plugins that can assist in adding the container code to your site.
Triggers
Compared to containers, triggers are broken down into two components. These are events and filters. When it comes to configuring a trigger in Google Tag Manager, there will be a list of different triggers available to choose from called events. Once an event has been chosen, you can set up the required filter.
Reasons To Start Using Google Tag Manager
There are several benefits of setting up and installing tag managers from the ability to continue tracking pixels and other third-party scripts in one place, to being able to identify that scripts are working correctly at the click of a button.
Easily Add Scripts To A Website
Whether you are a Social Media or PPC Specialist and use Facebook daily to set up paid campaigns or have previously worked in the backend of a website, you won’t necessarily understand how to add a script to a site. Fortunately, Google Tag Manager can do most of the hard work for you and it is simple to install. When you create a Google Tag Manager account a new container will be created by default allowing you to install it straight away.
Version Control
Version control is something that many marketers often struggle to master. However, with Google Tag Manager, actions can easily be reverted with the click of a button. This will prevent the need of a developer fixing broken tags as a result of new website updates and will help to avoid further installations being made.
Conversion Tracking
Unlike manually installing and tracking third-party software, Google Tag Manager enables users to create unique goal tags. This is because Google Tag Manager uses pre-built tags and triggers that allow users to identify new means for tracking. Users can then set up the goal using the required tag.
Save Money & Time
One of the major benefits of Google Tag Manager is the chance to save money and valuable time. SME’s often do not have access to a web developer meaning that they must arrange for an individual to install any third-party software on their behalf. Not only is this a time-consuming process, but it can be expensive when the work is needed to be outsourced on a regular basis.
Debug Features
Google Tag Manager also provides users with a range of debugging tools that help ensure that each tag works correctly before it is installed on a site. By testing each update, you can rest assured that each tag works correctly before they are put live. This will help to ensure that all the required data is being collected.
Event Tracking
Previously event tracking required a marketer to add code to a website in order to track various visitor events such as form submissions and link clicks. However, the Google Tag Manager auto-event tracking feature banishes the need for adding code to a site. Instead, users can target links by attributes that are already present on the link.
Security Feature
Google Tag Manager boasts several security features that can help to put marketers’ minds at ease. In addition to being able to control your account permissions, the platform has a built-in error tracker that allows its users to identify and fix issues. When an error occurs, the user will receive an error message that not only points out what went wrong but where it occurred too.
For more information about Google Tag Manager or the digital marketing services we provide at Digital Pilots, get in touch with a member of our expert team on +91 141 267 09 08, today.
