How-to configure Google Tag Manager and GTM container example [Step 2 of 4]

If you are using Google Tag Manager currently to fire off Google Analytics, LinkedIn, Facebook and other analytics services…GOOD FOR YOU!  This Container is designed to not conflict with your existing install (though we can’t be held responsible, that is unless you hire us to do all this work).

• The new property we setup in Step 1 prevents anything conflicting with current GA reports.
• Our naming conventions within GTM virtually guarantee no conflicts with any of your existing tags.

1. To create a new account head over to https://tagmanager.google.com/ and click on “Create Account“
2. Entering an Account Name, such as your company name.  (Agencies, create a new Account for every one of your customers!)
3. Choose the Country your website is hosted in
4. For the Container name, we suggest using your website URL
5. Select where to use the container which in our case will be “Web”

Print out and have someone read you the Terms of Services (we were told to say that .. HA) and Click Yes (when you awake).  This will generate code you will likely ask your developer to add to your pages within Step 3.

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2.b  Importing our Getting Started Container

The product folks at Google could not have been kinder to us.  From the start, there has been the coolest feature (until perhaps templates and trigger groups) for users of Google Tag Manager:  Import Container.

A container is a collection of tags, triggers, variables and templates.  Being able to export and import containers is the coolest thing since the iPhone. – https://linkedin.com/in/webmetrics – Thomas Bosilevac

We have combined the most universal features of our implementations into a single Google Tag Manger container and constantly update and tested it.  Installed on over 300 websites, some with millions of monthly users, this universal set of standards allows us to feel confident of the enhanced functionality.

Let’s continue:

1. Go to Admin within the newly created or your existing GTM container
2. Click on Import Container within the right hand column
3. To import the container you downloaded above click Choose container file
4. Select the file from your desktop and click Open (you will need to unzip the file first)
5. Select Existing Workspace (select Default Workspace from Workspaces window that slides in).
6. Choose to Merge Settings and Rename conficting tags, triggers, and variables
7. Check the summary to see the impact to existing settings.  Contact Us before making any Modifications or Deleting tags, triggers or variables.
8. Click Confirm to save Settings

Auto-magically the dozens of Tags, Triggers and Variables we have created and tested will be “installed” into your account.  Isn’t that nice!

2.c  Update our pre-created Google Tag Manager Variables

After you get over the immense time savings that Import Container feature can be, we still must tell Google Tag Manager where to send the data and change a few more settings.  All these preset configurations not only save hours but more importantly assure a consistent setup every time.

When reviewing the Variables section of Google Analytics, you can tell there is a somewhat easy to follow naming convention.  We suggest you follow a similar approach as you start to customize your own Google Tag Manager implementations with additional elements .  You are certainly welcome to review the other Tags, Triggers, and Variables but this solution will work following these instructions below.

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1. Make sure you are at the very top of the page and select Workspace within Google Tag Manager
2. Choose Variables from the menu on the left
3. Scroll down the page past the Built-In Variables and to the User-defined Variables and click “a – ACCOUNT_GA_TRACKING_ID”
   1. You can edit the value by clicking on the pencil on the far right or simply clicking on “Value”
   2. Enter the Google Analytics UA number you wrote down (or copied) after completing Step 1a
   3. Once completed, click on the now highlighted “Save” button
4. Similarly, edit “a – CONFIG_YOUR DOMAINS” by clicking on it
   1. You can edit the value by clicking on the pencil on the far right or simply clicking on “Value”
   2. If your site contains or jumps to and from multiple domains (not sub-domains) like paypal.com or anotherpaymentprocessor.com.  Enter them within this variable separated by a comma.
   3. Once completed, click on the now highlighted “Save” button

Variables starting with “aa -” are used in order to group together or alter the names of data output.  Change at your own risk.

The remainder “MMFW-” prefix denotes the variables that are used for the Tags, Triggers, Custom Dimensions and other elements within the Container.   Instead of starting from scratch you can now spend your time making your own tweaks!

2.d  Summary of Google Tag Manager Setup

Below is a screenshot of the various Tags that have been imported into your Google Tag Manager account now.  The container consists of cross-domain settings, custom dimensions, data transformation and other settings we have found to be useful for 80% of our clients.  The events and Custom Dimension data will be reviewed in Step 3 when we review more advanced features.

Note, the imported container may vary slightly as we update to accommodate new settings and features periodically.

Step 2) Best way to Setup Google Tag Manager

Google Tag Manager is a great way to scale the management of tracking pixels as your marketing needs and sophistication evolve over time. Google Tag Manager also excels when doing a Google Analytics install because it allows you to add custom event tracking consistently. We have built a custom GTM container that has all of our event tracking loaded in it so that we can get our clients consistent event tracking extremely efficiently.

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