How to Set Up and Install Google Tag Manager On Your Website

1) Create Your Account

You’ll need a Gmail account to get started. Once you have that, go to https://www.google.com/analytics/tag-manager and log in. It will then ask you to create an account. For the name, use your company name.

2) Create Your Container

The “container” is your website. Enter the URL there.

3) Accept The Terms and Conditions

4) Install Your Google Tag Manager Code

This code will need to be placed on every page of your website, immediately after the <body> tag.

If you are using WordPress, you can use a plugin or your theme’s function file. The following code will work if your site is running on the Genesis Framework. Put it in your theme’s function.php file.

add_action(‘genesis_before’, ‘google_tag_manager’);
function google_tag_manager() { ?>
***INSERT CODE HERE***
<?php
}

*If you are manually adding your code, remember to place it immediately after the <body> tag.

If you are not using the Genesis Framework, but still running WordPress, here is another way to install Google Tag Manager on your WordPress website.

Log into your admin dashboard and click on Appearance.
Click on Editor
On the right side, click on Header (header.php)
Paste your code after the <body> tag

If you need more assistance, please leave a comment below.

5) Publish Your Tag

Go back to your Google Tag Manager account and look for the green box that says “Container Not Published” and click on the green box.

Then in the far right column under “Actions” click on “Publish.”

Next, confirm that you want to publish.

6) Verify Your Google Tag Manager Code is Properly Installed

There is a plugin for the Chrome web browser called Google Tag Assistant that will tell you if your code is properly installed. Download it here (you must have Google Chrome browser installed and using it).
After the plugin is installed, open a new browser window and go to your website. In the top right corner of your browser window, you should see an icon that looks like this:
Click that icon.
You should see this window open up. Click the blue “Enable” button
The plugin should now be activated and the window should look like this:
Refresh your browser window, and you should see this: