Item: Google Tag Manager
Rating: 8
Author: Verified User

Overall Satisfaction with Google Tag Manager

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

We use Google Tag Manager to track analytics/GA4 and adroll data across all of our websites. We can create the tags and triggers needed to report back to our clients and provide them with in-depth reporting on their website's performance.

Pros and Cons

Pros

ability to create tags and triggers
cross-domain tracking
integrations with other platforms we use

Cons

More accurate reporting for form fill outs
easier repetition/creation of similar tags/triggers

Return on Investment

GTM and GA4 were overcounting form submissions so it was messing up our totals, especially with our clients running ADS with us.

Usability

It's easy to use and set up accounts but there is a lot of trouble-shooting that goes into setting up tags/triggers to make sure everything is tracking properly. I'm still learning things in Google Tag Manager (GTM) that could make the daily grind easier on myself, but overall it does what we need it to. Ideally, we'd be able to use if for more in-depth reporting but for now we are happy with it.

Alternatives Considered

Google Analytics and Google Ads

With GTM we are able to integrate GA4 with other platforms we use. We can then send data to GA4 and AdWords and relay that info to our customers. They all work well together and give us a good opportunity to report back to our clients. We haven't used a ton of other products that do what GTM does, so I guess it has a leg up there.

Key Insights

Do you think Google Tag Manager delivers good value for the price?

Not sure

Are you happy with Google Tag Manager's feature set?

Yes

Did Google Tag Manager live up to sales and marketing promises?

I wasn't involved with the selection/purchase process

Did implementation of Google Tag Manager go as expected?

I wasn't involved with the implementation phase

Would you buy Google Tag Manager again?

Other Software Used

Google Analytics, Google Ads

Likelihood to Recommend

I use Google Tag Manager (GTM) daily and create tags/triggers for all of our client's websites. It is easy to set up but for some of my tasks, the process does get repetitive so it'd be nice to have a default setting I can use when I have to create accounts, and then tweak/add things to them as needed. It is a great way to collect data and have code on the site without having to log into the site builder all the time. It makes it convenient to make edits or add code after our client's sites go live with us.

Google Tag Manager Feature Ratings

Using Google Tag Manager

Users and Roles

5 - We use GTM to collect data on all of our websites. We then use all that data for reporting for all of our clients. GTM allows us to gather more than just users and sessions; it also allows us to gather custom events we've created for our websites. These custom events are really what our customers want to know because it ties into their sales.

Support Headcount Required

3 - I'm the main user of GTM but I have access to some of our engineers that helped create the different data layers we use for custom reports and data we collect. Not many people are in GTM on a daily basis like I am so there's not a ton of support.

Business Processes Supported

collecting data across all of our sites
creating custom data layers
creating tags and triggers to collect data our customers want to know

Innovative Uses

i've used it for cross domain tracking

Future Planned Uses

not sure

Likelihood to Renew

I haven't found another option for us to use especially one that is free. Down the road we may go a different route but for now GTM is a good option and does what we need it to do. It'd be nice to get more support or more integrations but with the free version there's only so much one can expect to get I suppose.

Evaluating Google Tag Manager and Competitors

Products Replaced

Key Differentiators

Scalability

We have many clients and needed to create GTM containers for each one, and GTM allows us to do so. We integrate GA4 and other tags/pixels in the container depending on the services they have with us. It'd be nice if there were more integrations for us to use so setting things up were easier.

Evaluation Lessons Learned

Do more research on what GTM can do/accomplish and what integrations are available. I'd also do some research on what training is available so you don't jump into a big project and have to learn as you go. I'd also see what other options were out there - we went with GTM because it was free and knew it'd be easy to use with GA4.

Google Tag Manager Support

Support Rating

I've reached out for guidance on general questions and never got any responses because I'm guessing I only use the free GTM and don't pay for it. Everything I've learned or had questions on I've had to Google and find blogs to help me accomplish my task or creation of tags, triggers or data layers.

Google Tag Manager Customer Support Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
None	Slow Resolution Poor followup Problems left unsolved Difficult to get immediate help Support doesn't seem to care Slow Initial Response

Premium Support

I only use the free version of GTM and GA4. It's the easiest way to collect data for all of our clients but last I checked the cost of premium support was a lot of money. Honestly even if we paid for the next tier, I don't know if it'd be worth it because I've never gotten a response any time I've submitted a question.