Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager or BOTH?

January 19, 2021

Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager or BOTH?

 

Google Tag Manager does not replace Google Analytics. Instead, it helps users to easily add Google Analytics tracking code (tag) to a website, deploy Goggle Analytics event code snippets and define rules when each code must fire.

Prior to Goggle Tag Manager, Goggle Analytics tracking codes had to be hard-coded, usually by a web developer on each individual page. Having hundreds of events is very difficult when it comes to maintaining/updating them. But Google Tag Manager solves this problem because all your tags are stored in one place – your Goggle Tag Manager account. 

So the answer for most associations is BOTH.  Below are the basics of how to setup Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager.  As always if you would like assistance implementing for your association’s website, we will be happy to help.

 

Do the following to track your site with Google Analytics:

  1. Create a Google Analytics account.
  2. Configure the account. Google Analytics will provide the code for you to paste into iMIS.
  3. Add the script to your iMIS website:
    1. From the Staff site, go to RiSE > Site Builder > Manage websites.
    2. Select the website to which you want to add a Google Analytics script.
    3. (Properties tab) Expand the Advanced section and paste the entire script, including the tags, in the Google Analytics script field.
    4. Click Save.
    5. Publish the website.
  4. Visit your Google Analytics account to review the data collected.

Do the following to implement Google Tag Manager on your site:

  1. Create a Google Tag Manager account.
  2. Configure the account. Google Tag Manager will provide the code for you to paste into iMIS.
  3. Copy the following JavaScript, replacing GTM-XXXX with your container ID:
    <!– Google Tag Manager –>
    <script>(function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({‘gtm.start’:
    new Date().getTime(),event:’gtm.js’});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],
    j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!=’dataLayer’?’&l=’+l:”;j.async=true;j.src=
    ‘https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id=’+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);
    })(window,document,’script’,’dataLayer’,’GTM-XXXX’);</script>
    <!– End Google Tag Manager –> 
  4. Add the script to your iMIS website:
    1. From the Staff site, go to RiSE > Site Builder > Manage websites.
    2. Select the website to which you want to add Google Tag Manger.
    3. (Properties tab) Expand the Advanced section and paste the entire script, including the tags, in the Google Analytics script field (under the GA script).
    4. Click Save.
    5. Publish the website.
  5. Copy the following snippet, replacing GTM-XXXX with your container ID:
    <!– Google Tag Manager (noscript) –>
    <noscript><iframe src=”https://www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-XXXX”
    height=”0″ width=”0″ style=”display:none;visibility:hidden”></iframe></noscript>
    <!– End Google Tag Manager (noscript) –>
  1. Add the script to your iMIS website footer:
    1. From the Staff site, go to RiSE > Page Builder > Manage content > (Your site) > ContentAreas > FooterContent.
    2. Select the Footer Communications iPart & switch to HTML View.
    3. Paste the script.
    4. Click Save.
    5. Publish the content record.
    6. Publish the full website.

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