How to Configure Scroll Tracking to Measure user Engagement in Google Tag Manager

How to Configure Scroll Tracking to Measure user Engagement in Google Tag Manager

Scroll tracking is a valuable tool to measure how far users scroll down your web pages, providing insights into user engagement and content effectiveness. Google Tag Manager (GTM) simplifies setting up scroll tracking and sending this data to Google Analytics (GA). Here’s a step-by-step guide to configure scroll tracking using GTM.

 1. Set Up Google Tag Manager and Google Analytics

  1. Create GTM and GA Accounts:
    • Ensure you have a GTM account with a container set up for your website.
    • Ensure you have a GA account with the tracking code implemented on your website.
  2. Link GTM to GA:
    • In GTM, create a GA tag to link your GTM container to your GA property:
      • Go to “Tags” > “New” > “Tag Configuration”.
      • Select “Google Analytics: Universal Analytics”.
      • Choose “Page View” as the track type.
      • Enter your GA Tracking ID.
      • Set the triggering to “All Pages”.
      • Save the tag and publish the container.

 2. Enable Built-In Scroll Variables

  1. Enable Scroll Variables in GTM:
    • Go to “Variables” in the GTM interface.
    • Click “Configure” in the “Built-In Variables” section.
    • Check the boxes for “Scroll Depth Threshold”, “Scroll Depth Units”, and “Scroll Depth Direction”.

 3. Create a Scroll Depth Trigger

  1. Create a New Trigger in GTM:
    • Go to “Triggers” > “New” > “Trigger Configuration”.
    • Select “Scroll Depth” as the trigger type.
    • Configure the trigger to fire at desired scroll percentages (e.g., 25%, 50%, 75%, 100%):
      • Select “Vertical Scroll Depths” and enter the percentages you want to track.
      • Ensure “Scroll Depth Units” is set to “Percent”.
      • Set “Scroll Direction” to “Vertical”.
    • Name the trigger (e.g., “Scroll Depth Trigger”) and save it.

 4. Create a Tag to Track Scroll Depth Events

  1. Create a New Tag in GTM:
    • Go to “Tags” > “New” > “Tag Configuration”.
    • Select “Google Analytics: Universal Analytics”.
    • Choose “Event” as the track type.
  2. Configure Event Tracking Parameters:
    • Category: Scroll Depth
    • Action: {{Scroll Depth Threshold}}%
    • Label: {{Page Path}}
    • These parameters will appear in GA and help you identify the scroll depth events. Using {{Scroll Depth Threshold}} dynamically captures the scroll percentage, and {{Page Path}} captures the URL.
  3. Set the Trigger for the Tag:
    • Under “Triggering”, select the “Scroll Depth Trigger” created in Step 3.
    • Name the tag (e.g., “GA – Event – Scroll Depth”) and save it.

 5. Test the Setup

  1. Use GTM Preview Mode:
    • Click on “Preview” in the GTM interface to enter preview mode.
    • Navigate to your website and scroll down a page.
    • Check the GTM preview pane to ensure the tag is firing correctly at the specified scroll depths.
  2. Verify in Google Analytics:
    • Go to GA > “Real-Time” > “Events” to see if the scroll depth events are being tracked.
    • Verify that the events are being recorded with the correct category, action, and label.

 6. Publish the Changes

  1. Publish the GTM Container:
    • Once you have tested and confirmed that the scroll tracking is working correctly, publish the GTM container to make the changes live:
      • Click on “Submit” in GTM.
      • Add a version name and description for the changes.
      • Click “Publish”.

Example Scenario: Tracking Scroll Depth on a Blog Post

Objective: Track how far users scroll down a blog post page.

  1. Set Up GTM and GA:
    • Ensure GTM container and GA tracking code are implemented on the blog.
  2. Enable Scroll Variables:
    • Enable “Scroll Depth Threshold”, “Scroll Depth Units”, and “Scroll Depth Direction” variables in GTM.
  3. Create Trigger:
    • Create a “Scroll Depth” trigger to fire at 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% scroll depths.
  4. Create Tag:
    • Create a GA event tag with:
      • Category: Scroll Depth
      • Action: {{Scroll Depth Threshold}}%
      • Label: {{Page Path}}
    • Set the trigger to the “Scroll Depth Trigger”.
  5. Test and Publish:
    • Use GTM preview mode to test by scrolling down the blog post.
    • Verify the events in GA real-time reports.
    • Publish the GTM container once confirmed.

Configuring scroll tracking in Google Tag Manager involves enabling scroll variables, creating a scroll depth trigger, setting up a GA event tag, and testing the configuration before publishing. This process allows you to capture detailed data on user engagement with your content, providing valuable insights into how users interact with your pages. By following these steps, you can effectively track scroll depth and enhance your understanding of user behavior on your website