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Google Tag Manager Update: Google tag will now be loaded automatically
Google has announced an upcoming update to Google Tag Manager (GTM) that will automatically prioritize the loading of the Google tag (gtag.js) before any other Google Ads and Floodlight events. Let’s break down what this means for you.
Who is affected by this update?
This update focuses on Google Ads and Floodlight tracking. If you do not include these platforms on your tracking plan, then you are not affected by it for now. Consequently, this does not affect your Google Analytics settings.
Let’s start from the beginning: What is a Google Tag?
Think of the Google tag (gtag.js) as the tool that connects your website with Google Ads, Google Analytics, and other Google marketing and analytics products. It organizes and sends data from your website users to these platforms. Essentially, it acts as a central data hub for all Google Marketing Platform related tracking.
Why is this update important
The main change, contrary to the title of the e-mail, is not the automatic loading of the Google tag itself. Google has already been doing this when the Google tag was missing in the container. Instead, the key difference is the consistent application of the tag’s configuration. Previously, automatically loaded Google tags didn’t implement any settings you might have selected when configuring the Google tag on Google Ads. Now, all previously configurated Google tag settings will also be enabled by the automatically loaded Google tag, ensuring complete data collection. This update will help prevent tracking issues caused by Google tags missing in the Google Tag Manager containers. For example, it reduces the risk of data discrepancies and ensures consistent tracking.
To prepare for this update we highly recommend that you double check in Google Ads what’s the current configuration of your Google tag to avoid collecting and sending data to any Google Marketing Platform that website users did not consent to share.
Why would you still need to manually implement the Google tag?
Google’s initial recommendation is to manually implement the Google tag within your GTM container, not to sit back and settle with their own automatically loaded tag. This way you have full control over the tag’s configuration and settings, becoming independent of Google’s choices.
Our recommendation:
To ensure a smooth transition we recommend:
- Review your current Google tag configuration for Google Ads and Floodlight before April 10th.
- Review Google Tag Manager containers: check if you already have a Google tag implementation in your GTM container/s.
- Manually Implement & Configure: if necessary, manually implement and configure the Google tag in Google Tag Manager.
- Testing: test tracking to confirm everything works as expected.
We have already started to validate this for all the companies we work with, to prevent any disruptions. If you have any questions or would like us to take a look into your setting, fire us a message here!