Announcement: Google tag and Tag Manager

The Google Tag Manager team is excited to announce that you will be able to deploy a Google tag within Tag Manager starting in early September. 

The Google tag will replace the Google Analytics: GA4 Configuration tag and comes with the following benefits:

• Enhanced integration with other Google products: The Google tag will load with the ability to send data to multiple Google product destinations. For example, Google Ads users will be able to configure their Google tag to send conversions via Tag Manager. 
• Settings variables: The Google tag and GA4 Event tags will allow you to reuse parameters at the configuration and event level.
  • Configuration settings variable: Lets you set parameters that are loaded when the Google tag loads.
    For example, let’s say you publish your website in multiple languages, and want to segment your audience according to the language they read in. You can create a configuration variable with a language parameter and use it across your Google tags, instead of manually updating each tag.
    Learn how to Reuse configuration settings.
  • Event settings variable: Lets you set additional parameters with each event.
    For example, suppose you own an online store and you are having a sale. Now, you would like to track how many people use the discount code that you provided them. Instead of adding a discount parameter to each of your tags manually, you can reuse the parameter with an event settings variable.
    Learn how to Reuse event settings.

If you currently have GA4 configuration tags deployed, they will be automatically upgraded to the Google tag. Your measurement and capabilities will work just as before and you don’t need to take any action.

Tag changes in detail

This update will make your Google tag look a bit different than the previous GA4 Configuration tag. 

The following changes will occur (no changes to tag behavior): 

1. Google tag will use Tag ID instead of Measurement ID. 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. Where to find my tag ID?
   GA4 Event tags will continue to use Measurement ID. Events triggered by a GA4 Event tag will only be sent to the specific GA4 data stream.
2. Send a page view event when this configuration loads will be moved to the Configuration settings variable. All existing settings will continue to be respected.
3. Send to server container will be moved to the Configuration settings variable. All existing settings will continue to be respected.
4. Fields to Set will be replaced with two new settings variables:
   • A configuration-level settings variable to set parameters when the Google tag loads.
   • An event-level settings variable to set additional parameters that are sent with a GA4 event.
5. User Properties will be moved to a section in the Event settings variable as shown below. All existing User property settings will continue to be respected and viewable on the tag.