What is this ”new thing” called Google Tag ?
What is Google Tag Manager ?
What is the difference between Google Tag vs. Google Tag Manager ?
What Google Tag is, & What Google Tag is not:
Google Tag is a rebranded name of the formerly Google Global Site Tag.
Google Tag is a way to install custom solutions and implementations or conversions that your team or company wants to track such as button clicks, purchases, form submissions and so on.
It is a quick and easy way to use Google Tag Manager behavior without “using” Google Tag Manager.
It was made by developers for developers that just want to focus on the code.
Google Tag was made for companies that only use google products.
Google Tag was not made with the intention to be a long term solution.
It is just a quick and easy way to get the job done.
So you just want to track google analytics 4, use google tag.
You need to create an out of the box custom implementation, us google tag, you have a simple website, use google tag.
Anything else, do not use google tag.
Google Tag is also very limited and only works with google products. Google Tag is just a stripped down version of Google Tag Manager.
If you want more features & user interface to work with, that is where Google Tag Manager comes in.
Google Tag Manager is the best case scenario if the company has many domains. It makes implementations much easier.
Google Tag Manager not only works with Google products but a range of other implementations outside of that such as Linkedin, Facebook, Criteo, Snapchat and so on.
You can also implemented cool features such as server-side tagging, custom templates, tags, triggers and folders to organize everything in one place.
Google Tag Manager*
Advantages
- Clean User Interface
- Create Custom Implementations
- Use of Custom Templates
- Able to use Tracking Codes from Facebook, Linkedin, etc..
- Use of Tags & Triggers
- Able to Organize Everything into Folders
- Server-Side Tagging
- Can consolidate all google tracking codes to one tag
Disadvantages
- Adding & Removing Tags can be time consumed
- Lots of Tags can affect load page time
Google Tag
Advantages
- Simple to install
- Works with google products
- Developer Focused (create custom events and implementations)
- Can consolidate all google tracking codes to one tag
Disadvantages
- No UI
- No Custom Templates
- No Server Side Tagging
- Limited to only use within Google Products Ecosystem
If you want see if a website has either one. You can go to any website and pop open your dev tools, and find whether Google Tag or Google Tag Manager is being used. Look at the elements tab, either command ⌘ + F or ctrl + F and search for gtag.js for Google Tag & gtm.js for Google Tag Manager.
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