How to use Google Tag Manager to track custom e-commerce events

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Google Tag Manager (GTM) is a powerful tool that allows you to track and manage tracking tags (snippets of code) on your website without requiring technical expertise. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore how to use Google Tag Manager to track custom e-commerce events :

What is Google Tag Manager?

Google Tag Manager (GTM) is a free service offered by Google that allows you to manage and deploy tracking tags (snippets of code) on your website without requiring technical expertise. GTM acts as an intermediary between your website and Google Analytics, making it easy to track user behavior, conversions, and other important metrics.

Why track custom e-commerce events?

Tracking custom e-commerce events in GTM provides valuable insights into your website’s performance and customer behavior, enabling you to:

  •  Monitor conversion rates and sales
  • Identify areas for improvement in the shopping experience
  • Optimize marketing campaigns and promotions
  • Measure the effectiveness of new product launches
  • Enhance customer satisfaction by providing personalized experiences

Prerequisites for tracking custom e-commerce events

Before setting up GTM, ensure you have:

  1.  A Google Analytics account
  2.  A Google Tag Manager account
  3.  Basic knowledge of HTML and CSS
  4. Access to your website’s code (for setting up the container snippet)

Setting up Google Tag Manager

To set up GTM, follow these steps:

  1.  Create a new GTM account or log in to an existing one.
  2.  Click on “Create” and select “New Container” under “Web”.
  3.  Enter your website’s URL and name the container.
  4.  Click “Create” to create the container.
  5.  In the container settings, enable “Google Analytics” and select your Analytics account.

1. Creating a new tag in GTM

To create a new tag in GTM:

  1.  Log in to your GTM account and navigate to the container.
  2.  Click on “Tags” and then “New”.
  3.  Select “Custom HTML” as the tag type.
  4. Give the tag a name (e.g., “E-commerce Event: Product View”).
  5. Add the HTML code snippet that triggers the event (we’ll cover this later).

2. Configuring the tag

To configure the tag:

  1. In the tag configuration, enter a unique event name (e.g., “productView”).
  2.  Set the trigger type to “Custom Event” and enter the event name.
  3.  Set the firing trigger to “Once Per Page View” or “On Load” depending on your requirements.
  4. Add any additional settings as needed (e.g., data layer variables).

3. Triggering the tag

To trigger the tag:

  1. Create a trigger in GTM by clicking on “Triggers” > “New”.
  2.  Select “Custom Event” as the trigger type.
  3.  Enter the event name (e.g., “productView”) in the trigger settings.
  4. Set the firing trigger to “On Some Pages” or “On All Pages” depending on your requirements.

4. Testing and verifying the tag

To test and verify the tag:

  1.  Preview your website in GTM by clicking on “Preview” > “Refresh”.
  2. Verify that the tag is firing correctly by checking for any errors or warnings.
  3.  Use the Chrome browser extension or Firefox add-on to simulate a product view event.
  4. Verify that the event is tracked in Google Analytics.

Common use cases for custom e-commerce events

Some common use cases for tracking custom e-commerce events include:

  •  Product views
  • Add-to-cart events
  • Checkout completions
  •  Order completions
  • Product recommendations
  • Search queries

Best practices for tracking custom e-commerce events

When tracking custom e-commerce events, keep in mind:

  1. Use descriptive event names: Use clear and concise event names to help identify what’s happening on your website.
  2. Set up accurate triggers: Ensure triggers are set up correctly to capture desired events.
  3.  Test and verify: Regularly test and verify that tags are firing correctly.
  4. Use data layer variables: Use data layer variables to capture additional data related to each event (e.g., product ID, price)
  5. Avoid duplicate tracking: Avoid tracking duplicate events or using multiple tags for the same purpose.

By following these guidelines, you can effectively use Google Tag Manager to track custom e-commerce events, gain valuable insights into your website’s performance, and optimize your marketing strategies.

Categories: Digital Marketing