The Google tag (gtag.js) is a single tag you can add to your website that allows you to use a variety of Google products and services. Instead of managing multiple tags for different Google product accounts, you can use the Google tag across your entire website and connect the tag to multiple destinations.
The Google tag lets you send data from your website to linked Google product destinations to help you measure the effectiveness of your website and ads. The Google tag is currently only accessible and configurable from Google Ads, Google Analytics 4, and Campaign Manager 360.
As website technologies like cookies continue to evolve due to privacy, browser, and regulation changes, having high-quality, site-wide tagging across your website is important to help ensure you’re getting the most accurate measurement.
When you’re ready, you can set up your Google tag.
How it works
Previously, you had to set up a global site tag (gtag.js). The global site tag has evolved into the Google tag.
Your Google tag (gtag.js) has a single tag ID you can add to your website to use a variety of Google products and services. Instead of managing multiple tags for different Google product accounts, you can use a single Google tag across your entire website and connect the tag ID to multiple destinations.
The “Google tag” screen in Google Ads, Google Analytics, and Campaign Manager 360 lets you access measurement features without adding code after the initial set-up. Changing settings in your Google tag will affect all associated destinations.
The Google tag lets you:
- Use a single Google tag across your entire website instead of managing multiple tags for different Google product accounts.
- Automatically measure page views, clicks, scrolls, and more in Google Analytics. Learn more about [GA4] Enhanced measurement events.
- Automatically measure conversions and campaign performance in Google Ads. Learn more About auto-tagging.
- Configure these Google tag settings from within your Google products like Google Ads, Google Analytics, and Google Tag Manager, minimizing the need to make code changes to your site.
This tagging option is great if you don't have a web development team readily available or use a content management system (CMS). If you only need the default metrics, such as page views, clicks and scrolls, you can set up the Google tag once and you're all set. Learn more about Google Tag Manager vs. gtag.js.
Benefits
- Multiple tags: If you have more than one tag installed on your website, you can combine your Google tags to help you get better data and manage them in one place.
- Manage access: You can manage user access to your tag settings separately from access to your other products, giving you more control over who has access to change your critical measurement settings.
What’s changing
Now there's a Google tag screen in your Google Ads, Google Analytics, and Campaign Manager 360 accounts.
When you’re ready, you can:
- Set up your Google tag
- Set up and manage user consent
- Configure your Google tag settings
- Manage your Google tag (optional)
- This includes instructions on how to combine multiple Google Tags.
- Manage Google tag users (optional)
User management
You can manage users in the “Admin” tab of your Google tag. The user management settings of the Google tag let you manage user access to your tag settings separately from access to your other products.
Security and privacy for website tracking
Google's security standards are strict. Google products only collect data on pages where you've deployed the associated tags.
Ensure you're providing users with clear and comprehensive information about the data you collect on your websites, and getting consent for that collection where legally required.
Note: If you haven't obtained users’ consent for the collection, sharing, and use of personal data for personalization of ads where legally required, be sure to deactivate the collection of remarketing data. Learn how to modify the Google tag to disable the collection of remarketing data for specific users.
