Google Tag Manager Tutorial: A Beginner’s Guide to Installing & Using GTM

GTM is now one of the most important tools in the hands of marketers, site owners, and amateurs who want to monitor user behavior without relying on developers. It allows you to add and remove tracking codes (tags) in your site without needing to change the backend code every time.

It is easy to track the number of button clicks, measure conversions, monitor page performance, and even integrate analytics tools, but GTM offers an organized, flexible and user-friendly system.

In this tutorial, you will have a good idea of what Google Tag Manager is, how it serves, why it is needed, and the kind/types of things you can tracktrack using it.

We are also going to discuss its underlying features, merits and its demerits along with its relative merits and demerits compared to Google Analytics. Within the scope of this guide, you will have a well-defined outline to start applying GTM on your site.

What do we mean by Google Tag Manager?

Google Tag Manager is a free tag management system (TMS) given by Google with which you can add, manage, and organize tracking codes. GTM also enables you to control everything on your site.

It may be the addition of the JavaScript snippets without the need to add them manually on various sections of your site.

As an example, when you want to track clicks, measure conversions, or remarketing tags, GTM is capable of doing so.

You don’t need to rewrite the code of the site several times. One myth is that GTM and Google Analytics are equivalent. They are not. GTM merely controls and implements tracking codes.

The data is collected and reported using Google Analytics. GTM merely provides commands to analytics tools specifying what should be monitored.

Why Use Google Tag Manager?

Google Tag Manager has numerous benefits, particularly for novices and marketers who rely on tracking information. Some of its greatest advantages are:

Faster Implementation

You do not need to involve a developer whenever a new tracking change is needed, but you can create new tags or update existing ones in GTM. This will save hours or even weeks of waiting.

Centralized Tag Management

Every tag, trigger, and tracking configuration exists within a single container.

Better Website Performance.

A lot of manually added tags on your site slow down page load time. To resolve this, GTM loads a single container snippet- so that your site is faster and more optimized.

Built-In Error Checking

GTM also automatically validates tags and warns about errors, so beginners don’t often make the same mistakes.

Easy Version Control

You can revert to past versions of your GTM configuration if something goes awry, ensuring security and flexibility.

Works With 100+ Tools

From Google Analytics to Meta Pixel, TikTok Ads, LinkedIn Insights, and numerous others, GTM works well with virtually any tracking tool.

Google Tag Manager (Core Components)

Google Tag Manager includes several important components. These factors are important to know before installing and using GTM.

Triggers

Tags are defined by their triggering points and times. Tags are useless without triggers.

Common triggers include:

Page view
Click on a button
Form submission
Link click
Scroll event
Custom events

As an example: “Fire the tag on clicking the Buy Now button.

Variables

Variables give more details to your triggers and tags. They assist GTM in knowing the conditions.

Examples include:

Click URL
Page path
Form ID
Data layer values
Custom variables

If you would like a tag to fire when the user clicks a link containing the word pricing, use variables to set this condition.

Data Layer

One of the GTM’s strongest functions is the data layer. It is a JavaScript object that stores structured information used by GTM.

For example:

Product price
Product category
Login status
Transaction ID

The data layer ensures that the eCommerce websites send the transaction and product information to Google Analytics or Google Ads.

Containers

A container is treated as a folder that contains all your tags, triggers, and variables. By placing GTM on your website, you install the container snippet. Since then, everything can be controlled using a single container.

Google Tag Manager versus Google Analytics.

Despite being used in close coordination, GTM and Google Analytics are used differently:

Google Tag Manager

Implements and sets up tracking code.
Attendance to when and how tracking is to fire.
Marketers can install the tools without altering the web code.
Manages event tracking configuration.

Google Analytics (GA4)

Gather and archive user information.
Creates reports and dashboards.
Offers insights: traffic, engagements, conversions.
Performs data analysis

In simple terms:

GTM transmits the data; GA4 transmits and reports it.

The combination of the two is the most effective way of tracking websites accurately and in detail.

What You Can Track Using Google Tag Manager

GTM is highly versatile and can monitor nearly all interactions on your website. The most monitored activities are these:

Pageviews & Screen Views

Monitor page hits and site navigation.

Link Clicks

Clicks on buttons, call-to-action links, menus, or outbound links.

Form Submissions

Monitor use of contact, newsletter, or sign-up forms.

File Downloads

Track the number of users who are downloading PDFs, images, or documents.

Outbound Clicks

Check the time people spend on your site before leaving to visit other sites.

Scroll Tracking

She measures the distance that people scroll down pages to measure engagement.

Video Engagement

Monitor YouTube or embedded video play, stop, and end.

eCommerce Activities

GTM is capable of tracking:

Product views
Add to cart
Checkout progress
Purchases
Revenue

Custom Events

All custom behavior can be tracked using event-based triggers.

Use case: Monitoring a user interaction within a web application or pop-up.

What You Could Not Track With GTM.

Although GTM is a strong tool, it also has several weaknesses:

iFrame Elements

There are some embedded widgets, such as booking systems or third-party payment modules, that cannot be tracked by default as they exist within an iframe.

Actions

Having No-Code Visibility.

If a particular element lacks an ID, a class, a click event (or any other attribute), it cannot be tracked and might not be easily identified in GTM unless it is custom-built.

Turnkey Tag Limitations

The built-in tag templates are not available in all third-party tools, and technical expertise or a custom HTML installation is required.

Nevertheless, all the challenges of tracking can be addressed using custom events, data layers, and developer assistance despite these limitations.

How to Set Up Google Tag Manager (Step-by-Step)

To build your account, install the container, delete the existing scripts, and begin monitoring your website activity in one interface, follow these steps.

After installing GTM, subsequent tracking updates can be implemented within the platform, eliminating the need for backend changes.

This will guarantee a cleaner structure, performance, and easier interaction with the marketing or development teams. This is the way to start your setup smoothly and properly:

Create a GTM Account

Begin by using Google Tag Manager and opening a free account. Enter your company name and choose the country. All your containers, settings, and tracking tools for your websites or apps will be stored in this account.

Create a Container

Once you have created your account, add a container and name it after your site. Choose “Web” as the platform.

The container is where all your tags, triggers, and variables are stored and executed on your site using GTM.

Install GTM Code on Your Website.

GTM creates two snippets, one of which is the head section and another one is the body one. Paste the head code right after the opening tag. Paste the head code after you open the <head> tag.

Then put the body code next to the <body> tag. Then put the head code and the body code. After installation, GTM handles your tracking configuration. So you do not need to install scripts on your webpage.

Remove Old Tracking Codes

Duplication can be prevented by uninstalling all previously installed tracking scripts, including GA4, Hotjar, Facebook Pixel, and ad tags. These will now be included in GTM rather than hard-coded into your site.

Publish Your Container

Add tags and triggers, then press submit and publish. This triggers any changes to your live site. GTM maintains a history of versions that is automatically saved and can be used in the future and for rollbacks.

Preview & Debug Your Setup

Test your tags in GTM’s Preview Mode beforehand. This mode will load your site with a debugging panel that shows which tags trigger trivariables and load properly.

Testing eliminates the possibility of tracking errors and provides correct analytics. Review the changes and confidently publish them.

Installation of Google Tag Manager on Popular Platforms.

The process of installation is quick and effective, regardless of CMS-based installation or a custom-written system. The approaches to the methods that can be used on various platforms vary, yet the outcome is the same.

Insert the GTM container code into the head and body. Proper installation also leads to proper shutting of tags, collection of data without failures and the successful loading of scripts. The following is the installation of GTM on the most used platforms:

WordPress

For WordPress sites, GTM can be installed with a minimalist tool like Insert Headers and Footers or a GTM-specific tool. Enter the GTM head and body snippets into both fields. When using a page builder such as Elementor, make sure the container is loaded globally and not in the templates.

Shopify

When you open Shopify, you have to go to the online store. Then go to the themes and then you can edit the code. Copy the head code in the theme.

Liquid file: put it between <head> and < body>, and place the body code immediately after <body>. On Shopify, checkout tracking is done through the Additional Scripts section. Save and ensure that GTM is working in Preview Mode.

Custom HTML Websites

On Custom HTML Websites, use both snippets of GTM, then manually insert them into your HTML files. Place the head code at the top of the head and the snippet of the body right after the body. Publish the new files to your server and verify them with the GTM debugger.

How to Use Google Tag Manager

GTM enables a beginner to handle complex tracking tasks without coding skills. The platform makes it easy to implement analytics, marketing tags, and event tracking to collect useful user data.

Install GA4 via GTM

Invent a new tag and select “GA4 Configuration.” Enter Google Analytics Measurement ID. Have the All Pages trigger to make sure that the GA4 tag is loaded on all pages of the site. Publish and verify page views in the real-time reports of GA4.

Track Button Clicks

Add built-in Click Variables, add a Click Trigger, and filter by Click Text, Class, or URL. Make a GA4 Event Tag to capture button clicks. This helps you monitor CTA interactions, menu clicks, and user activities.

Track Form Submissions

The Form Submission Trigger should be used to process successful form completions. In case the form is not fired automatically, it should be triggered either by click triggers or by its own JavaScript events. Post event to GA4 with a special event tag.

Set Up Custom Events

Custom events are used to track actions such as video plays, downloads, or specific interactions. Define a trigger on a peculiar condition and associate it with a GA4 event tag. Check in Preview Mode before publishing.

Common GTM Mistakes Beginners Make

Problems can also be encountered by beginners when using GTM, mostly due to a misplaced setup. A common error is failing to publish container changes, which causes new tags to activate.

Conflicting triggers may cause multiple tags to be triggered in a haphazard manner. The other problem is the lack of data-layer values, which leads to incomplete tracking, particularly in eCommerce.

This is because of duplicate tracking, where the same tags are entered in GTM and old scripts remain on the site. These mistakes should be avoided to ensure clean data and a seamless GTM workflow.

Advantages & Drawbacks of GTM

Advantages

GTM eases the administration of tracking, reduces reliance on the programmer,, and enables scripts to run more expeditiously. It ensures that all tags are under a single location, improves server performance, and offers strong testing features such as Preview Mode. GTM is also compatible with GA4, Ads, and marketing tools.

Drawbacks

Novices can be challenged by sophisticated equipment. Misplaced triggers will disrupt the tracking, and improperly handled containers will cause clutter. Some platforms require advanced event coding.

What Is Google Tag Manager 360?

Google Tag Manager 360 is the enterprise version of GTM which is intended to serve large companies. It provides better capabilities, such as enterprise-level support, high API quota, robust workspaces, and security controls.

GTM 360 is best aligned with companies with complicated analytics infrastructure, multiple teams and a rigid data governance need. It has additional collaboration, service-level agreements, and integrations with Google Marketing Platform tools than the free one.

Final Thoughts

Google Tag Manager has redefined how websites are managed in terms of tracking, and as such, there is a robust and adaptable platform that is easy to use for a beginner. It eliminates reliance on developers and enables marketers to deploy tags quickly and safely.

GTM enables proper tracking with features such as triggers, variables, data layers, and preview debugging, thereby keeping websites fast and organized. GTM makes all processes easier, whether you are configuring GA4, conversions, or marketing pixels.

Acquiring GTM nowadays will provide amateurs with the necessary skills of digital marketing. With GTM, you will not need to read many book chapters until you get the fundamentals. Once you do, it is indispensable to analytics, optimization, and long-term growth.