When it comes to ecommerce tracking, nothing surpasses Google Tag Manager (GTM). It's a powerful tool that allows you to add and update tracking tags without having to edit your website's code. GTM tracks major interactions on your ecommerce site to assist you to identify the features that generate sales and the sources that draw the most visitors.
Google Tag Manager is the most popular enterprise-grade tag management application on the market and supports both Google and third-party tags. By using Tag Manager to publish and manage tags for your ecommerce store, you can enhance conversion and income for your company.
Tracking ecommerce conversions is important because it allows you to understand how users are interacting with your website, which products are popular, and which marketing campaigns are effective. This information can help you optimize your website and marketing efforts to increase conversions and revenue.
This article will provide a step-by-step guide on how to set up ecommerce tracking in GTM. It will cover how to set up your ecommerce platform (e.g. Shopify, WooCommerce) to work with GTM, how to create and configure your tracking tags, and how to test and verify that your tracking is working correctly.
Setting up Google Tag Manager
To create a GTM account, go to the website (https://tagmanager.google.com/) and sign in with your Google account. Once you are logged in, click on "Create Account" and follow the prompts to set up your account.
To install the GTM code on your website, follow these steps:
- Click on "Admin" in the top navigation bar.
- Click on "Install Google Tag Manager" and follow the prompts to create a container.
- Copy the container code and paste it into the <head> section of your website's HTML code.
- Save and publish your changes.
To create a container for your ecommerce site, follow these steps:
- Click on "Admin" in the top navigation bar.
- Click on "Create Container" and enter a name for your container.
- Select "Web" as your container type and enter your website's URL.
- Select your target platform (e.g. Shopify, WooCommerce) and follow the prompts to connect your platform to GTM.
- Once your platform is connected, click "Create" to create your container.
Congratulations! You have now set up a Google Tag Manager account, installed the code on your website, and created a container for your ecommerce site. The next step is to set up tracking tags to track ecommerce conversions.
Setting up Google Analytics
First, set up a Google Analytics account:
- Sign in to your Google account or create a new one at google.com/analytics.
- Click the "Start for free" button to create a new Google Analytics account.
- Follow the prompts to enter your website name, URL, industry category, and time zone.
- Read and accept the terms of service and click "Create."
Linking your Google Analytics account to your Google Tag Manager container
After setting up Analytics, you will need to link it to your GTM container:
- Sign in to your GTM account.
- Click on the "Admin" tab and select the appropriate account and container.
- Click on "Google Analytics Settings" under "Container Settings."
- Select "Use Universal Analytics" and enter your Google Analytics Tracking ID.
- Click "Save" to link your Google Analytics account to your Tag Manager container.
Setting up ecommerce tracking in Google Analytics
Finally, you need to enable ecommerce tracking in your Analytics account:
- Sign in to your Google Analytics account.
- Click on the "Admin" tab and select the appropriate account and property.
- Click on "Ecommerce Settings" and toggle the "Enable Ecommerce" switch to "On."
- Enter your website's currency code and select your desired ecommerce tracking options.
- Click "Save" to enable ecommerce tracking in Google Analytics.
Note: In addition to the steps above, you will need to implement a tracking code on your website to collect data and send it to Google Analytics. You can use Google Tag Manager to implement this tracking code or add it directly to your website's HTML.
Setting up ecommerce tracking in Google Tag Manager
Here are the steps to create a data layer for ecommerce tracking:
- Define the variables you want to track on your website, such as product name, price, and SKU.
- Create a data layer in your website's HTML code using the variables you have defined.
- Add the data layer code to all the relevant pages of your website.
Next, set up triggers for ecommerce events:
- Sign in to your GTM account and select the appropriate container.
- Click on the "Triggers" tab and select "New" to create a new trigger.
- Select the trigger type that corresponds to the ecommerce event you want to track, such as "Transaction" or "Add to Cart."
- Configure the trigger conditions, such as the specific pages or elements where the event should be triggered.
- Save your trigger.
FInally, set up tags for ecommerce events:
- Click on the "Tags" tab and select "New" to create a new tag.
- Choose the tag type that corresponds to the ecommerce event you want to track, such as "Google Analytics - Universal Analytics" for tracking in Google Analytics.
- Configure the tag by entering your Google Analytics Tracking ID and selecting the appropriate tracking type and trigger.
- Save your tag.
Once you have created the data layer, triggers, and tags, you will need to test them to ensure that they are working correctly. You can use the GTM Preview mode to test your ecommerce tracking setup and verify that the data is being collected and sent to Google Analytics.
Testing and debugging Google Tag Manager
Use Google Tag Assistant to debug your setup:
- Install the Google Tag Assistant extension for your web browser.
- Enable the extension and navigate to your website.
- Click on the Tag Assistant icon in your browser's toolbar to open the Tag Assistant panel.
- Check for any errors or warnings in the panel related to your Google Tag Manager or Google Analytics setup.
- Use the information in the Tag Assistant panel to troubleshoot and resolve any issues with your setup.
Next, verify that ecommerce data is being tracked in Google Analytics:
- Sign in to your Google Analytics account and select the appropriate property.
- Navigate to the "Conversions" section and select "Ecommerce."
- Check that the data is being recorded correctly and that it matches your expectations.
- Use the data to verify that all ecommerce tracking events are being recorded properly.
To resolve any issues that arise during testing:
- Review the Tag Assistant and Google Analytics reports to identify any issues with your setup.
- Check your data layer, triggers, and tags to ensure that they are configured correctly.
- Test your setup on multiple devices and browsers to verify that it is working consistently.
- If you encounter any errors or issues, consult the relevant documentation or seek assistance from support forums or Google's support resources.
It's important to thoroughly test and debug your ecommerce tracking setup to ensure that it is accurate and reliable. By using tools like Google Tag Assistant and verifying your data in Google Analytics, you can catch and resolve any issues before they impact your business.
Wrapping up
In a nutshell, tracking ecommerce conversions is crucial for any online business because it allows you to measure the effectiveness of your marketing efforts and optimize your website to drive more sales. By collecting data on your customers' behavior and preferences, you can make informed decisions that improve your business performance and increase your revenue.
If you're not already tracking ecommerce conversions on your website, now is the time to start. By using Google Tag Manager to collect and analyze data on your customers' behavior, you can gain valuable insights that help you improve your website and grow your business. With the right setup and testing, you can begin tracking ecommerce conversions in no time and start reaping the benefits of better data-driven decision-making.