How to Connect Google Analytics, GTM and Search Console

The world is full of data packed with a whole lot of information!

To get the best results, it’s great to have actionable insights that can convert well!

The data that Google Analytics provides is helpful to better decide for improving marketing strategies.

On the flip side, tools like Google Search Console can be used to get the errors and issues concerned with your website and other things like HTML codes, XML sitemaps, robot.txt file, structured data, and site performance-related data.

Whereas the Google tag manager (GTM) is completely different from the former two!

Google tag manager combines all the script codes like Facebook pixel code, Google Analytics, LinkedIn Insights, Google Remarketing, and more!

But there’s one thing in common between Google Analytics and GTM

Both the tools will let you track conversions clicks!

For example, if you have a mail-to link on your website when someone clicks on it to track these conversion clicks, you can use event tracking in Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager.

A huge benefit that you can get from Google Tag Manager is that you can manage the code on your own without having any technical skills!

Here in this article, we will talk about how to use these tools and grow a company to the next level!

Installing a Google Analytics Tag through GTM

First, you need to go to your Google Tag Manager account and container where you can find the “Add a Tag” option. See the image below.

Now, you will be able to see a tag configuration box to choose a tag type.

Check the Tags and Variables image downside to look at how to choose a tag type as well as create a variable!

Let’s Go through How Google Tag Manager Works…

Google tag manager has three main parts:

• Tags
• Triggers
• Variables

Tags

Tags as a third-party tracking pixel tools tell Google Tag Manager what should be done.

Google Tag Manager tags example is:

• Google Analytics Universal Tracking Code
• Adwords Conversion Tracking Code
• Ads Remarketing
• Facebook Pixel

Triggers

Triggers are used to fire a tag. They tell Google Tag Manager when or how to fire a tag. Whether you want to fire a tag for a link click, page view, or for the custom events, you can fire a tag by choosing the trigger type.

Variables

GTM needs further information for your triggers and tags to work which are known as variables.

Simply, you can create a variable that includes your Google Analytics tracking ID. You can reuse this variable for the future GA tags again. Under “Advanced Configuration” you can customize the setting for the variable.

You can put the Tracking ID by directly going to your Google Analytics Account Tracking Info>Tracking Code and paste it in the GTM field. Check the image below.

Events Tracking

Events are amazingly useful in Google Analytics as it can be used to track any interactions that can’t be derived directly by default. It can show the actions like file downloads, form submission, video views, and clicks on elements within pages

You can fire an event by selecting “Event” from the “Track Type” dropdown option at the time of creating your GA tag.

Here on the above image, an example of tracking a form submit button is included. The fields such as:

• Category: “Form”
• Action: “Submit”
• Label: “Page URL”

Bonus Tip: Setting the Non-Interaction Hit False by default, the even will count it as an interaction which means the session won’t be taken into consideration as a bounce rate. If set as a True then whether a user completes the action still it would be considered as a bounce rate.

Unlike Google Analytics there are no reports displayed in the GTM as it’s used to only store and manage third-party code.

Besides these, you can also configure Google Search Console data in Google Analytics.

How to Connect Google Search Console and Google Analytics

It’s simple and easy to integrate your Google Search Console account to Google Analytics.

Here’s how you can enable the Google Search Console data in Google Analytics

• Navigate to your Google Analytics Account.
• On the left sidebar, Go to Acquisition>Search Console.
• Next, you need to click on the setup Search console data sharing button.
• Finally, select your Google Search Console account.

Once all set and done, you can now be able to see the Google Search Console data right into Google Analytics.

Key Takeaways

Eventually, Google Tag Manager has a comprehensive integration with Google Analytics. Hence, making the implementation of GTM for setting up Google Analytics and also by setting up a Google Search Console in GA can help you save a lot of your quality time with better marketing insights.