Google Tag Manager - The Basics

Last year I wrote a series of articles on Google Tag Manager that covered the basics of setting it up and creating some simple tags. It was intended for non-programmers and no Javascript knowledge was required. 

While Google Tag Manager is in widespread use, the majority of websites are not using it. In fact, two of the most popular fast, templated website builders (Wix and Squarespace) make it very hard to use Google Tag Manager. 

This will change as Google Tag Manager becomes mainstream and the templates allow for it.

I have just updated the first part of the series with new images and some additional text. It shows you the steps to follow to replace a standard Google Analytics website (sending page views only) to a standard Google Tag Manager website (sending page views only).

Google Tag Manager 101 Part 1 - The Basics

Once you have completed Part 1, you will be ready to begin configuring the tags that will record more user interactions in your Google Analytics account.

Part 2 creates the first trigger and tag. It shows how to trigger when a user clicks to view a non-HTML document (such as PDF) so that you can implement a tag to send a virtual page view to Google Analytics

Google Tag Manager 101 Part 2 - Creating a Tag

Part 3 covers how to create tags to send events when links such as mailtos or external links are clicked. This gives you useful information on the way people are leaving your website.

Google Tag Manager 101 Part 3 - Creating Link Tags

Part 4 is all about social media and how to send social tags when a user clicks through to your Facebook or Twitter page or shares your content on a social platform.

Google Tag Manager 101 Part 4 - Social Media

Part 5 covers forms and sending tags based on the completion of online forms.

Google Tag Manager 101 Part 5 - Forms

The final Part 6 shows how to create a page timer and then use it to calculate the "real bounce rate" of your content pages.

Google Tag Manager 101 Part 6 - Real Bounce Rate

I am planning another couple of articles in the near future but in the meantime, if you have any queries please don't hesitate to contact me directly.