tools-only GTM Container Setup and Installation
Sources:
- https://support.google.com/tagmanager/answer/6103696
- https://developers.google.com/tag-platform/tag-manager/web
Last Updated: 2025-01-09
Overview
This guide covers the complete process of setting up a Google Tag Manager container, including account creation, container configuration, and snippet installation. Proper setup is essential for reliable tag management.
Creating a GTM Account
Step 1: Access Tag Manager
- Go to tagmanager.google.com
- Sign in with your Google account
- Click "Create Account"
Step 2: Configure Account Settings
Account Name: Use your company or organisation name Country: Select your primary country
Step 3: Create Container
Container Name: Use your website domain (e.g., www.example.com) Target Platform:
- Web: For websites and web applications
- iOS: For iOS mobile apps
- Android: For Android mobile apps
- AMP: For Accelerated Mobile Pages
- Server: For server-side tagging
Container Installation
Web Container Snippet
After creating your container, you receive two code snippets:
Head Snippet (Required)
Place this code as high in the <head> as possible:
<!-- Google Tag Manager -->
<script>(function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':
new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],
j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src=
'https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);
})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-XXXXXX');</script>
<!-- End Google Tag Manager -->
Replace GTM-XXXXXX with your container ID.
Body Snippet (Recommended)
Place this code immediately after the opening <body> tag:
<!-- Google Tag Manager (noscript) -->
<noscript><iframe src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-XXXXXX"
height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript>
<!-- End Google Tag Manager (noscript) -->
The noscript fallback ensures basic tracking for users with JavaScript disabled.
Snippet Placement Best Practices
Head Snippet Placement:
- Place after any charset or viewport meta tags
- Place before any other scripts
- Place before CSS stylesheets if possible
- Do NOT place in the footer
Body Snippet Placement:
- Immediately after opening
<body>tag - Before any visible content
Installation Verification
Method 1: GTM Preview Mode
- In GTM, click "Preview" button
- Enter your website URL
- Verify "Container Loaded" event appears
Method 2: Browser Developer Tools
- Open Developer Tools (F12)
- Go to Network tab
- Filter for "gtm.js"
- Verify request to googletagmanager.com
Method 3: Tag Assistant Extension
- Install Google Tag Assistant extension
- Navigate to your website
- Check for green GTM icon
Common Installation Issues
Container Not Loading
Symptoms: No GTM events in Preview mode
Causes and Solutions:
- Snippet not on page - Verify snippet is present in page source
- Incorrect container ID - Check GTM-XXXXXX matches your container
- JavaScript error before GTM - Check console for errors
- Content Security Policy blocking - Add googletagmanager.com to CSP
Duplicate Container
Symptoms: Tags fire multiple times
Solutions:
- Search page source for multiple GTM snippets
- Check for GTM in both theme and plugins
- Remove duplicate installations
Data Layer Initialisation
Proper Data Layer Setup
Initialise the data layer BEFORE the GTM snippet:
<script>
window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];
dataLayer.push({
'pageType': 'product',
'productId': 'SKU123',
'userId': 'USER456'
});
</script>
<!-- Google Tag Manager -->
<script>...</script>
Why Initialise Before GTM?
- Ensures data is available when Container Loaded fires
- Prevents race conditions
- Enables Page View triggers to access initial data
Container Settings
Container Information
Access via Admin > Container Settings:
- Container ID: Your GTM-XXXXXX identifier
- Container Name: Editable display name
- Container Type: Web, iOS, Android, AMP, or Server
Container Sharing
Share container access via Admin > User Management:
Permission Levels:
- Read: View container contents
- Edit: Modify tags, triggers, variables
- Approve: Approve workspace changes
- Publish: Publish container versions
Environments
Configure environments via Admin > Environments:
Default Environments:
- Live: Production container
- Latest: Most recent version (published or not)
Custom Environments:
- Create staging, development, or testing environments
- Each has unique snippet with environment parameters
- Control which version serves to each environment
Server-Side Container Setup
When to Use Server-Side Tagging
- Enhanced data privacy and control
- Reduced client-side JavaScript
- Better data quality (server validation)
- Cross-platform data collection
Setup Steps
- Create Server container in GTM
- Choose hosting option (Google Cloud or custom)
- Configure server-side client(s)
- Update web container to send data to server container
Multi-Container Setup
When to Use Multiple Containers
- Different teams managing different sections
- Acquisition scenarios (separate brand tracking)
- Agency management with client isolation
- Testing new configurations safely
Considerations
- Both containers share the same data layer
- Coordinate to avoid duplicate tracking
- Consider performance impact
- Document which container owns which tags
CMS-Specific Installation
WordPress
Method 1: Theme Files
- Edit header.php to add head snippet
- Edit header.php to add body snippet after
<body>tag
Method 2: Plugin
- Use GTM plugins (e.g., Google Site Kit, GTM4WP)
- Configure container ID in plugin settings
Shopify
- Go to Online Store > Themes
- Edit code
- Add head snippet to theme.liquid in
<head> - Add body snippet after
<body>in theme.liquid
Verification Checklist
Before going live:
- GTM snippet in
<head>on all pages - Noscript fallback after
<body>tag - Container ID is correct
- Data layer initialised before GTM snippet
- Preview mode shows Container Loaded event
- No JavaScript errors in console
- Tags fire as expected in Preview mode
- Verified data reaches analytics platforms