How do you use Google Tag Manager to deploy Google Analytics on your website? A Step by Step Guide

Google Tag Manager (GTM) is a powerful tool for deploying Google Analytics on your website without directly editing the site’s code. Here’s a step-by-step guide to setting up Google Analytics using GTM:

1. Log in to Google Tag Manager: Sign in to your GTM account at https://tagmanager.google.com/ and select the container associated with your website.
2. Create a new tag: Click “Tags” in the left-hand menu, then click the “New” button. Give your tag a descriptive name, such as “Google Analytics – Page View.”
3. Choose a tag type: Click on “Tag Configuration” and choose the tag type that corresponds to your Google Analytics setup. For Universal Analytics, select “Universal Analytics.” For GA4 (Google Analytics 4), select “Google Analytics: GA4 Configuration.”
4. Configure the tag:

   a. For Universal Analytics: Enter your Google Analytics Tracking ID (which can be found in your Google Analytics account) and select “Page View” as the track type. Enable “Enable overriding settings in this tag” and add necessary configurations like cookie settings, cross-domain tracking, etc., if needed.

   b. For GA4: Enter your Measurement ID (which can be found in your Google Analytics account) and leave the “Send a page view event when this configuration loads” option checked.

5. Choose a trigger: Click on “Triggering” and select the built-in “All Pages” trigger. This ensures that the Google Analytics tag will fire on every page of your website.
6. Save your tag: Click “Save” to finish creating your Google Analytics tag.
7. Test your setup: Before publishing your changes, use the “Preview” mode in GTM to test your Google Analytics tracking on your website. Make sure the tag fires on each page and sends data to your Google Analytics account.
8. Publish your changes: If your Google Analytics tracking works correctly in Preview mode, click “Submit” in the top right corner of the GTM interface to publish your changes and make your tracking live on your website.

By following these steps, you can use Google Tag Manager to deploy Google Analytics on your website, allowing you to track user behavior, generate reports, and gain valuable insights for optimizing your website and marketing efforts.