Setting Up Google Tag Manager (GTM) For The Non-Techie Person

If you are hopelessly trying to set up Google Tag Manager (GTM) and are not a techie person, this post is for you.

For those of you who may be unfamiliar with GTM, it’s a fantastic tool that allows marketers to track their website visitors without adding any extra code or changes to the site itself. 

It can also help with things like optimizing your conversion rates and monitoring customer behavior on your website i.e. button clicks or form submissions.

In this article, I’ll go over everything you need to know to set up GTM properly and start tracking your or your client’s website.

Even if you have set up Google Tag Manager before, this guide helps make sure you cover your bases.

 

Google Tag Manager: What Is It?

Google Tag Manager is a tag management system (TMS) that allows you to quickly and easily update measurement codes or tags on your site.

Pixels or conversion tracking codes can be implemented through Google Tag Manager instead of adding it directly to your site.

Remember, it is important for SEO (Search Engine Optimization) to keep your website loading fast.

The less code on your website the better for site speed. 

You can also implement your Google Analytics (G-Tag), GA-4, Microsoft, and Facebook pixels through GTM.

You will keep all the same tracking, while keeping the least amount of code on your site.

When Tag Manager is installed, your website or app can communicate with the servers to obtain their signature. 

You’ll then use its web-based user interface and establish tags that will fire based on certain events or otherwise referred to as triggers. 

 

Google Tag Manager For Dummies

To understand a GTM tag, it is broken down into two parts:

• The Tag Configuration
• The Trigger

The Tag Configuration is typically used to determine the platform you want the tag to work for (ex: Google, Facebook, Twitter, etc.).

The Trigger is what the user does on the site to make the Tag record an action.

For example, you may choose the Google Analytics Tag Configuration and a Trigger of ‘Click – All Elements’. 

This would tell that Tag to fire only when someone clicks a button on your website.

You could also simplify configurations by using variables in place of hard coding values.

A variable, for example, could be used for ‘product purchase value’ in your conversion event. 

Here is a better example: 

Facebook Ad Conversion Tag > Fires when the “Complete Purchase” button is triggered > Collected the ‘purchase amount’ and ‘transaction value’ through the Variable

A tag manager container is a collection of tags, triggers, and variables that can be installed on any website or mobile app. 

If you create a new website or use a landing page builder, like Unbounce, you can implement the same GTM code and all your tags transfer over. 

Your Google Analytics and Facebook Pixel will start collecting data on the new site through GTM.

I don’t know about you, but I think that is pretty cool.

Now let’s get into how to actually set up Google Tag Manager properly.

 

How to Set Up GTM For Your Site (With HTML Injection)

Setting up Google Tag Manager (GTM) on your site isn’t difficult at all.

However, there are some steps involved to do so correctly. 

I have set up GTM probably over 100 times for various clients and I still get tricked up. 

Here’s how it’s done.

 

The Short & Sweet Steps:

Create a new account and container

• In Tag Manager, click ‘Accounts’ and then ‘Create account’.
• Enter an account name and optionally indicate whether you’d like to share data anonymously with Google and others.
• Enter a descriptive container name and select the type of content: Web, AMP, Android, or iOS (Most likely you will select ‘Web’).
• Click Create.
• Review the Terms of Service and click ‘Yes’.

Add a new container to an existing account

• In Tag Manager, click Accounts and then More next to the relevant account name.
• Choose Create Container.
• Enter a descriptive container name and select the type of content: Web, AMP, Android, or iOS (Most likely you will select ‘Web’).
• Click Create.
• Review the Terms of Service and click Yes if you agree to those terms.

Install the GTM container on your website

 

• In Tag Manager, click Workspace.
• Near the top of the window, find your container ID, formatted as “GTM-XXXXXX”.
• Click your container ID to launch the Install Tag Manager box.
• Copy and paste the code snippets into your website as instructed in the Install Tag Manager box.

 

If you need additional help, the long and spicy steps below go into more detail.

 

The Long & Spicy Steps:

Account Creation & Container

To set up Tag Manager, click Accounts and then Create an Account.

Enter an account & container name that is descriptive of the client’s company or your business.

If you are a marketer and have several clients, you would want 1 account and a different container for each client.

Choose ‘Web’ for Target Platform – this is for most websites.

Click ‘Create’ and review the Terms & Conditions.

When your new container first loads, you will be prompted with the web container installation code snippet. 

You can install it now or click ‘OK’ to clear this dialog, and then come back later when you are ready for setup.

 

Adding Containers to Existing Accounts

Click the ‘+’ button next to your account name in the top right or under your ‘Admin’ tab, then choose Create Container. 

Enter a descriptive container name for the business it is for.

Then click “Create.”

Once finished with selections, click ‘Accept’ when presented with terms & privacy policy. 

 

Installing the Container

In Tag Manager, go to your workspace by clicking Workspace in the top right corner. 

Next, find and click on container ID “GTM-XXXXXX” with that format.

After this, copy/paste code snippets into the website. 

If you are using a WordPress site, there is a helpful plugin called Insert Headers and Footers that allows you to copy and paste this code into it.

If you are using Squarespace or Wix you will need to navigate to the ‘Advanced’ section and then ‘Code Injection’. 

You should see where to paste into the <head> and where to paste into the <body>.

If you need more help with this Google has a helpful quick start guide for installing your G-Tag.

 

Adding Tags

Click ‘Tags’ from the navigation menu. 

You can add a tag by clicking ‘New’, and then choosing the Tag Configuration.

Some basic tags include: 

• Google Analytics: Universal Analytics for goal tracking 
• Google Ad Conversion Tracking for your SEM campaign 
• Custom HTML for Facebook or pretty much any other platform 

If this tag is for a new platform you are using for advertising, heatmaps, retargeting, etc., use the Custom HTML tag type and paste the tracking code supplied by that platform.

Once you select the Tag Configuration type, enter in the requested information (ex: Measurement ID for GA-4).

Now you have to add your trigger.

Typically I set main analytic tags to a “Page View” trigger and to fire on ‘All Pages’.

If you are trying to track a button you can choose the “Click – All Elements” trigger. 

Then under “This trigger fires on” click “Some Clicks”.

Choose “Built-In Variables” then “Click Text”.

After the ‘contains’ box enter the text that is used on your button (ex: ‘Submit’). 

After you have chosen the proper configuration and trigger you can save your tag.

 

Publishing Your Changes

When you’re ready to publish your site or app’s changes, click the “Submit” button on the top right of your Workspace.

It will ask you to enter a version name and add a description of what you changed.

This is very helpful to look back on past changes. 

Version name could be “+ Facebook Pixel”

The Version Description could be “Added the Facebook Pixel to the GTM container”.

Click “Publish” and you’re done!

 

How To Integrate Google Tag Manager With Google Analytics (Universal & GA-4)

Google Analytics Universal Property:

• Within the GTM Workspace, click ‘New Tag’.
• Click Tag Configuration and choose Universal Analytics.
• Select ‘Page View’ for Track Type.
• Select or create a new Google Analytics Settings Variable:
  • To reuse a Google Analytics Settings Variable that has already been set up:
    • Select the variable from the menu. Your Google Analytics ID and all other settings from that variable will be applied to your tag.
  • To set up a new Google Analytics Settings Variable:
    • Select New Variable…
    • In the Variable Configuration screen, enter your Google Analytics ID.
    • Click Save.
    • You will have to name the variable. Click Save to complete the tag setup.
• Click Triggering to choose a trigger that will make the tag fire. You may select an existing trigger, or click the ‘+’ icon on the top right to set a new one.

 

Google Analytics 4 (GA-4):

 

• Click ‘Tags’, then ‘New’.
• Click ‘Tag Configuration’.
• Select Google Analytics: GA4 Configuration.
• Enter your measurement ID.
• Click Triggering and select appropriate events that would cause the tag to fire.
• Save the tag configuration and publish your container.

 

How to Install Facebook Pixel With Google Tag Manager: 

The Short & Sweet Steps:

• Log in to your Google Tag Manager account.
• Select your website’s container and click ‘Add a new tag’.
• Click ‘Custom HTML Tag’ and enter a name for your tag.
• Go to your Facebook Ads Account, then Events Manager (https://business.facebook.com/events_manager2/list) and select ‘Add Events’.
• Select ‘From a New Website.’
• Click ‘Install code manually.’
• Select ‘Copy Code’ to copy the entire pixel base code.
• Return to Google Tag Manager and paste the code in the HTML container.
• Click the ‘Advanced Settings’ dropdown and select ‘Once per page’ under ‘Tag firing options’.
• Under ‘Fire On’, select ‘All Pages’.
• Click ‘Save’.

 

Long & Spicy Steps:

Select the website’s container and click ‘New’ to add a new tag, then enter Custom HTML tags for the name of your choice.

Go over to Facebook Events Manager, where you will find an option under Install Code Manually called “From New Website.” 

Click this and your pixel code should pop up.

Copy this entire code, then paste it into your Google Tag Manager and click “Save.” 

Select one option from the Advanced Settings dropdown menu under ‘Tag firing options’ click ‘Once per Page’ so that you are tracking each page view.

Click ‘Save’, ‘Submit’, then ‘Publish’ and you are finished.

 

Check Pixel

After you have created your Facebook Pixel Tag in GTM, now it is time to see if the pixel is working properly.

You can do this two ways.

• Test Events within Facebook’s Event Manager
• Use the Facebook Pixel Helper

Test Events

Navigate to your Facebook Ad Dashboard and go to ‘Events Manager’.

Select your Facebook Pixel and click ‘Test Events’ in the top left of the screen.

You should see a ‘Test Browser Events’ box with a search bar within.

Enter your URL in the search bar and click ‘Open Website’.

This should open your website. 

Navigate back to the Facebook Events Manager Tab. 

If your pixel is working properly, you should see a ‘PageView’ event received. 

If you are seeing ‘No data’, you may have to redo the previous steps.

 

Facebook Pixel Helper 

Much like how Google has their own browser extension, Facebook does too. 

This extension is very simple to use.

Just download this extension to your browser (if you are using Google Chrome). 

Then navigate to your website. 

You should see that extension icon in your browser bar turn blue if it detects a pixel on your website. 

You can click on the extension and it should tell you the pixel ID that is found on the page.

Make sure this pixel ID matches the pixel within your Events Manager.

 

Facebook GTM Easy Integration:

If installing GTM on your own is becoming too complicated, you can also utilize the native integration within Facebook to connect GTM.

 

Here’s how you install your Facebook Pixel with the GTM integration within Facebook:

 

• Go to your Facebook Ads Account then select Events Manager (https://business.facebook.com/events_manager2/list)
• Click ‘Add Events’
• Select ‘From a New Website.’
• Click ‘Use a Partner Integration’
• Select ‘Google Tag Manager’
• Select ‘Next’ & ‘Next’
• Sign into your Google Account and Select the right Account & Container
• Select ‘Finish Setup’

The integration will have added a new tag into your GTM container automatically. 

I typically prefer this method because I am ensured that the tag is implemented correctly.

 

How to Add “Button Click” Tracking In GTM

Short & Sweet Steps:

 

• Click Triggers and then New.
• Click Trigger Configuration and choose a click trigger type:

• • All Elements: Track clicks on any element on a page, e.g. links, images, buttons, etc.
  • Just Links: Track clicks only on HTML links that use the <a> element, e.g. <a href=”www.google.com”>Google.com</a>.

• Optional for “Just Links” triggers:

• • Wait for Tags: Select this option to wait until all tags have fired, or the specified timeout has elapsed.
  • Check Validation: Only fire tags when the link click is considered a valid action. If unselected, the trigger will fire tags whenever a link is clicked.

• Optional, but recommended for improved performance: Specify conditions (usually a URL pattern) for pages where you expect a click to occur:

• • Under the heading “This trigger fires on”, select “Some Clicks”.
  • Under “Fire this trigger when an Event occurs and all of these conditions are true”, add a filter to enable this trigger only on pages that require it, e.g. Click URL contains /path/to/promo.

• Click ‘Save’
• Go to ‘Tags’ and create a new tag (typically with a Google Analytics ‘Tag Configuration’)
• Use your new Button Click trigger 

 

Long & Spicy Steps:

 

To track button clicks on your website, you’ll need to create a new tag within GTM. 

To do this quickly and easily without code, click ‘New’ from within the ‘Tag’ tab at the top right corner of your screen.

Afterward, choose a name for your new tag before clicking over into the triggers tab (ex: Button Click).

In the Tag Configuration choose ‘Google Analytics: Universal Analytics’.

Change ‘Track Type’ to ‘Event’

For Category, type in ‘Button’.

Type in ‘Click’, for Action.

(Optional) Then for the ‘Label’ enter in the name of this button click for data collection within Google Analytics (Ex: Button Click).

Under ‘Non-Interaction Hit’ change this to ‘True’.

The ‘Google Analytics Settings’ should be set to ‘{Google Analytics – Universal}}.

Now we have to add our Tag’s Trigger.

Click into the triggering box then in the top right corner press the ‘+’ button.

Name the trigger for the button click (ex: Button Click).

Now click ‘Trigger Configuration’ and select ‘All Elements’.

Under ‘This trigger fires on’, select ‘All Clicks’.

If you want to track only certain button clicks you would select ‘Some Clicks’ and enter the Button Class.

Your Tag should be finished now, click ‘Save’ > ‘Submit’ > ‘Publish’.

This will fire every time someone clicks on any buttons within your website. 

It is important to have specific tags for “Add to Cart” or “Checkout” buttons for conversion tracking and ad optimizations.

 

How to Add “Form Submission” Tracking In GTM

Short & Sweet Steps:

• Click ‘Triggers’ and then ‘New’.
• Select ‘Trigger Configuration’ and choose the ‘Form Submission’ trigger type.
• Click ‘Save’
• Create a new tag (typically with a Google Analytics ‘Tag Configuration’) and use your new Form Submission trigger 

 

Long & Spicy Steps:

 

So far, we’ve only focused on tracking clicks or events related to buttons, but what about your contact forms? 

This will help you track form submissions within Google Analytics.

First, go ahead and create a new tag by clicking “Tags” then “New” at the top of your screen. 

Select ‘Google Analytics: Universal Analytics’ for your Tag Configuration.

Then change ‘Track Type’ to ‘Event’. 

Under ‘Category’ type in ‘Form’.

Type in ‘Submit’ under ‘Action’.

Then type ‘Form Submit’ under ‘Label’.

Under ‘Non-Interaction Hit’ change this to ‘True’.

The ‘Google Analytics Settings’ should be set to ‘{Google Analytics – Universal}}.

Now we have to add our Tag’s Trigger.

Click into the triggering box then in the top right corner press the ‘+’ button.

Title this trigger ‘Form Submission’.

Click the ‘Form Submission’ Trigger Type. 

Keep this trigger on ‘All Forms’. 

If you want to track only a specific form, you would select ‘Some Forms’ and add the ‘Click Text’ of that form’s submission button.

Click ‘Save’ > ‘Submit’ > ‘Publish’.

 

Verifying Google Tag Manager Is Installed Properly

 

Google Tag Assistant 

To verify your Google Tag Container is properly installed on your site, here is how you would do it with the Google Tag Assistant Chrome Browser Extension:

 

• Just install the Tag Assistant extension
• Go to your website (or your client’s website)
• Click the extension icon in the top right of your search bar
• Click ‘Enable’
• Refresh the webpage

 

You should now be able to tell if your GTM container is properly installed.

 

Now if you need to test your website to make sure all your tags are firing properly, here is how you would do that:

 

• Within the Google Tag Manager Workspace dashboard, click ‘Preview’ in the top right corner
• Under “Your website’s URL” type in your website
• Click ‘Connect’ 
• Now navigate back to the Google Tag Assistant tab (usually it redirects you to your site in a new tab)
• You should now see a summary of the tags that exist on your website
• Your Click tracking or Form Submission triggers should not fire unless you click those buttons or submit those forms
• After you test those buttons or forms, you should see those tags move from ‘Tags Not Fired’ to ‘Tags Fired’

 

Google Tag Manager Made Easy

You did it! You’ve now successfully installed Google Tag Manager for the non-techie person who wants to track their website’s data and keep their site running as fast as possible.

If you are a business owner of one business, you should have a single Google Tag Manager account and container.

However, if you are a marketer or you own several businesses, you will have one Google Tag Manager account and each business you work with will have a separate container. 

As a marketer, you can create your client’s containers or if they already have a GTM account, you can request access to their container. 

This helps marketers save time while also allowing them to easily track any data they’re trying to collect without the need for too much coding or development.

I only use GTM for the tracking codes on my website and I have had no issues to date. 

Hopefully, this article helped you install GTM and set up conversion tracking. 

Please bookmark this resource, as I will be updating it frequently with more GTM set up processes. 

Need more help? Feel free to drop me a line.

Tired of all the complexities of Digital Advertising and just want someone else to do it for you? 

Schedule a call with the Half Past Nine team.