Gives You The Ability to Customize Your Own Google Analytics
October 05, 2015
Gives You The Ability to Customize Your Own Google Analytics
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Overall Satisfaction with Google Tag Manager
If you're using Google Analytics and want more control over your website, Google Tag Manager is a must for all marketers. It's a huge timesaver when it comes to deploying "extra" tracking interactions that are not normally included in Google Analytics, such as: clicks on links (email, PDFs), form submissions, social media interactions, and more. It also integrates with other platforms too, from Crazy Egg to LinkedIn. (Technically it could work wit anything since it allows you to "inject" your own code onto the page.)
With standard Google Analytics, you have to bug a developer to insert extra code into the page. Google Tag Manager eliminates this need.
Once you get the hang of it, you'll love it. It seems so simple - but until then, there's a learning curve. Some events will still require extra help from a developer depending on how the page is coded (and you'll bang your head against your laptop until you realize this ;). You need to be able to problem solve and not be shy about diving into code, even if you're not a "coder". Another pain point is that Google's own documentation seriously needs to be improved, and you'll find yourself doing a lot of extra research in forums.
- Ability to add track new types of interactions *without having to ask a developer for help*. Most of the time, that is.
- Ability to completely test deployments before pushing live.
- Ability to save "versions", so you can always have a record of previous deployments.
- Instant gratification, can deploy new versions and start tracking immediately.
- Google's documentation needs to be improved.
- There's a learning curve, and it's not easy for novice users.
- It's easy to make mistakes - but the good news is the preview/debut mode is there to help you with that.
- Increased efficiency because we don't always have to ask a developer to make coding changes to pages.
- Better customer service.
- Lower costs for deployment.
I haven't used any other products similar to Google Tag Manager.