Google Tag Manager - what is it? A detailed discussion of the tool
For business
5 July 2025
Today, the use of tracking scripts by webmasters is standard practice on the web. Thanks to the information they collect, we can learn more about our users. GTM is a tool that allows you to quickly add scripts to your website without manually editing the code or the knowledge of a programmer. In this text, you will read what Google Tag Manager is and how to start using it.
Google Tag Manager - what is it?
It is a free tool for managing tags on a website. If you're wondering what Google Tag Manager gives you, you need to know that it allows you to quickly and easily update tracking codes on your website and app.
How does Google Tag Manager work? The tool contains ready-made script templates that you add to one place (container), which is then added to the page. You paste one script instead of several others, and manage everything from the Google Tag Manager panel. Setting up the account should not cause any trouble for an intermediate user.
GTM supports analytics and marketing optimisation. Thanks to tag administration, we can track website events, traffic sources, measure conversions and much more. The tool allows integration not only with services from Google, but also with external services. Google Tag Manager - WordPress, private domains - all of which this system works with. 
Examples of tags that can be added to a page:
- Google Ads conversion tracking,
- Google Analytics,
- Pique Facebook,
- Scripts of external tools (e.g. heatmap).
It is a system both for those who administer their own website and for marketing staff.
IT departments often finish the adventure with this tool a few moments after installation, but Google Tag Manager will come in handy when new features need to be implemented or the platform needs to be integrated with other applications. This is when you will appreciate the possibilities offered by the Google Tag Manager API.
Getting started with GTM - how do you start using it?
You need a Google account to start using this service. You create a GTM account on the service's homepage, and you also need to verify it in Google Tag Manager. Logging in takes literally a moment, and then you can create your first container.
A container is a collection of all tracking code; it consists of areas for configuring tags and rules and other variables. In a nutshell, a container can be defined as a script that contains other scripts to connect the site to the GTM panel. The Google Tag Manager data layer, which is a JavaScript object, is used to transfer data from the site to the container.
Once the container is ready, we need to add it to the code of our site. There are several ways to do this: you can do it manually by pasting a piece of code in the appropriate places or use a plug-in designed for this. Most CMSs have plug-ins ready to implement Google Tag Manager.
Where do I place the GTM code? We paste the first part of the container as close as possible to the opening tag of the head section. Place the second part of the container directly after the opening tag of the body section.
Once the code is implemented on the page, you can return to the Google Tag Manager dashboard and add tags and rules freely in the workspace. You can create multiple containers in Google Tag Manager. Each can be created for one or more domains.
Creating a new tag consists of several steps: first, you have to name it, then select its type from the ready-made templates and configure it. Next, you need to create a rule that defines the conditions for activating the tag.
In addition to the library of pre-defined tag templates available in the system, you can also add custom tags such as HTML. 
Key benefits of Google Tag Manager
There are many benefits to this service in relation to managing the site and increasing profits. Key benefits include:
- possibility to add tracking scripts without knowledge of coding;
- reducing the time it takes to make changes to a page;
- a simple analysis of traffic and its sources;
- Adding tags for Google services and external providers;
- access to more data;
- the possibility to test the changes and the correct functioning of the tags locally on the computer in preview mode;
- flexibility - will work well for companies and individuals who want to analyse the site and its users' behaviour for their own purposes;
- allows all tags to be stored in one place;
- enables remarketing;
- allows conversion to be measured;
- helps to optimise the site.
If we want to talk about the benefits of working in Tag Manager, we can use how Google itself describes the tool, namely: simple and convenient.
Indeed, it has a simple interface and, once we have familiarised ourselves with the GTM account structure and read the instructions, we can actually configure the basic data, deploy it and administer the scripts ourselves. 
What does the structure look like in a Google Tag Manager account?
In order to use this tool effectively, you must first be familiar with its account structure.
Within the account, we create containers, which are our workspace. Containers contain tags, or code snippets, and rules and variables define exactly how they are activated. The system contains the following elements:
- Container - this is where all the tags are located. You can create several containers and configure each of them as you wish. The container code should be implemented on each subpage of the site you want to explore.
- Tag - which is a piece of tracking code, may be Google Analytics scripts, Facebook Pixel or others. The tag is the equivalent of the code in Google Tag Manager
- Rule - these are the rules that are responsible for the activation of specific tags, i.e. the conditions under which it starts collecting data. A rule defines the event after which a tag is triggered.
- Variable - is a value that is used in tags and rules. Variables in tags are used to capture dynamic values. Variables in rules are used to define filters that determine when a rule is triggered.
The Google Tag Manager dashboard includes a settings tab where you can edit its name, give users appropriate permissions and check account activity. GTM has two account levels - user and administrator and within the container 4 types of permissions: read, approve, edit and publish.
Integration of Google Tag Manager with other tools from Google
More often than not, GTM is integrated with a Google Analytics account so that data can be transferred into the system. You will find a ready-made GA tag template in the library, making such integration simple.
All we need to do is create a Google Analytics tag, give it a name and define its rules. After testing the tag in the preview, we can publish the container.
Integration with Google Ads
Another Google tool that is often combined with the manager is conversion tracking in Google Ads. The process looks basically the same as the integration with Analytics: the tag template will also be found in the Google Tag Manager library.
It is necessary to create the conversion in Ads, then we need to generate the corresponding tag for it in GTM, to which we need to add the copied ID and label from the conversion code and define rules and variables. After the test, we publish the new version of the container and you are done.
As you can see, integration with other Google services is simple and convenient. The tool's provider has ensured that anyone can combine its capabilities with other products as required and extract data that will help to improve the performance of the website or change customers' purchase paths.
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