Google Tag Manager is a powerful tool that allows you to manage and deploy marketing and analytics tags on your website without needing to touch your site’s code. One of the key features of Google Tag Manager is the ability to create variables, which are reusable pieces of information that can be used to configure your tags, triggers, and other settings. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at how to create a variable in Google Tag Manager.

Steps to create a variable

Step 1: Log in to Google Tag Manager

The first step to creating a variable in Google Tag Manager is to log in to your Google Tag Manager account. If you don’t have an account, you can sign up for one for free.

Step 2: Navigate to the Variables menu

Once you’ve logged in to Google Tag Manager, navigate to the Variables menu. You can do this by clicking on the “Variables” menu item in the left-hand navigation.

Step 3: Click on the “New” button In the Variables menu, click on the “New” button to create a new variable.

Step 4: Choose the type of variable you want to create There are several types of variables you can create in Google Tag Manager, including:

  • Built-In Variables: These are pre-defined variables that capture data automatically, such as page URL, referrer, and click ID.
  • User-Defined Variables: These are custom variables that you can define yourself based on data that is available on your website.
  • Constant Variables: These are variables that have a fixed value and do not change.

Choose the type of variable that you want to create based on your specific needs.

Step 5: Configure your variable Once you’ve chosen the type of variable you want to create, you’ll need to configure it based on your specific needs. For example, if you’re creating a user-defined variable, you might need to specify the data layer variable that you want to capture.

Step 6: Test your variable Before you can use your variable in your tags and triggers, it’s important to test it to make sure that it’s capturing the data that you expect. You can do this by previewing your container and testing your tags and triggers in the preview mode.

Step 7: Publish your variable Once you’re satisfied that your variable is working correctly, you can publish your container to make it live on your website.

Creating a user-defined variable

Here’s an example of how to create a user-defined variable in Google Tag Manager:

Step 1: Log in to Google Tag Manager Log in to your Google Tag Manager account.

Step 2: Navigate to the Variables menu Click on the “Variables” menu item in the left-hand navigation.

Step 3: Click on the “New” button Click on the “New” button to create a new variable.

Step 4: Choose the type of variable you want to create Choose “User-Defined Variable” as the type of variable you want to create.

Step 5: Configure your variable Give your variable a name, such as “Button Click”. Then, choose the variable type. In this example, we’re going to choose “Click ID”. This means that the variable will capture the ID of the button that was clicked.

Step 6: Test your variable Preview your container and test your variable in the preview mode. Make sure that it’s capturing the ID of the button that was clicked.

Step 7: Publish your variable Once you’re satisfied that your variable is working correctly, publish your container to make it live on your website. You can now use this variable in your tags and triggers to track button clicks on your website.

Conclusion

In conclusion, creating a variable in Google Tag Manager is an essential step in setting up your website’s tracking and analytics. Variables allow you to capture and reuse information on your website, making it easier to configure your tags and triggers. By following the step-by-step guide outlined above, you can create a user-defined variable that captures specific data on your website, such as button clicks or form submissions. Once you’ve created your variable, make sure to test it thoroughly and publish it to your website to ensure that your tracking is working correctly. With Google Tag Manager, creating variables is a straightforward process that can help you gain valuable insights into your website’s performance.