How to set up and track custom events in Google Tag Manager

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How to set up and track custom events in Google Tag Manager

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Setting up and tracking custom events in Google Tag Manager (GTM) allows you to collect specific data points and gain deeper insights into user interactions on your website. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you implement and track custom events in GTM:

1. Set up Google Tag Manager:

  • If you haven’t already, create a Google Tag Manager account at https://tagmanager.google.com/. Once you’re logged in, create a new container for your website. A container is a snippet of code provided by Google Tag Manager that needs to be placed on all pages of your website. This container acts as a central hub for managing and deploying various tags and tracking codes.

2. Define your custom event:

  • Custom events are specific user interactions or actions on your website that you want to track. These could include button clicks, form submissions, video plays, or any other action that is important to your business goals. It’s essential to clearly define the custom events you want to track before proceeding with the implementation.

3. Create a new tag in Google Tag Manager:

  • In your Google Tag Manager container, navigate to the Tags section and click on “New”. Give your tag a descriptive name that reflects the custom event you want to track. Choose the appropriate tag type based on the event you want to track. For example, if you want to track button clicks, choose the “Click” tag type.

4. Configure the trigger for the custom event:

  • In the tag configuration, you need to set up the trigger that determines when the custom event should fire. The trigger defines the conditions that must be met for the custom event to be tracked. For example, if you want to track button clicks, you can set up a trigger that fires when a specific button class or ID is clicked.

5. Attach the trigger to the custom event tag:

  • After creating the trigger, go back to the Tags section in Google Tag Manager and edit the custom event tag you created in the previous step. Select the trigger you just defined and save the changes. This associates the trigger with the custom event tag, ensuring that the tag only fires when the specified conditions are met.

6. Publish your changes:

  • Once you have set up the custom event tag and associated trigger in Google Tag Manager, click on the Submit button in the top-right corner of the interface to publish your changes. Publishing the changes makes the updated container live on your website, enabling the tracking of custom events.

7. Test the implementation:

  • After publishing, it’s crucial to test the implementation to ensure that the custom event is firing correctly. Visit your website and perform the user interaction or action that should trigger the custom event. Use the Google Tag Assistant browser extension or the GTM Preview mode to verify that the custom event is being tracked and sent to your analytics platform.

8. Set up tracking in your analytics platform:

  • To see the data from the custom event, you need to configure tracking in your analytics platform. This could be Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, or any other platform you are using. In your analytics platform, set up a custom event or goal that matches the event you are tracking in GTM. This allows you to view and analyze the data captured by the custom event.

By following these steps, you can successfully set up and track custom events in Google Tag Manager. This level of customization allows you to collect valuable data and gain insights into user interactions on your website, helping you make good and informed decisions and optimize your digital marketing efforts.