Learn to install Google Tag Manager on your Shopify Store
If you are into ecommerce, chances are, you have heard of ‘Shopify’.
It is one of the most popular, ready made shopping cart solutions in the world. Hundreds of thousands of websites use ‘Shopify’.
Shopify directly integrate with Google Analytics.
The set up is pretty simple.
But when it comes to Google Tag Manager, there is no direct integration.
Follow the steps below to add Google Tag Manager on your Shopify Store:
Step-1: Create a new Google Tag Manager account.
If you already have the GTM account then login.
Step-2: Click on the ‘Admin’ link and then click on ‘Install Google Tag Manager’:
Step-3: Copy the first part of the GTM installation code:
Step-4: Login to your shopify store with Admin/full access.
Get the FREE E-Book (72 Pages)
Step-5: Click on ‘Themes’ under the ‘Online Store’ drop down menu:
Step-6: Click on the ‘Actions’ drop down menu and then select ‘Edit HTML / CSS’:
Step-7: Find and click on the ‘theme.liquid’ file:
Step-8: Paste the first part of the GTM container code as high as possible, in the head section of the HTML code of theme.liquid file:
Note: Needless to say but take a backup of your theme file before making any code changes.
Step-9: Navigate back to your Google Tag Manager and now copy the second part of your GTM installation code:
Step-10: Navigate back to your Shopify Admin and then paste the second part of your GTM installation code immediately after the opening body tag (<body>) in the same ‘theme.liquid’ file:
Step-11: Click on the ‘Save’ button.
Step-12: Open Google Chrome browser and then Install Google tag assistant extension from here.
Step-13: Navigate to the home page of your Shopify store and then click on the ‘Google Tag Assistant’ icon on the top right hand side, next to the browser address bar:
You should be able to see ‘Google Tag Manager’ tag under the ‘Result of Tag Analysis’ column (with blue/green icon next to the identified tags). This shows that Google tag manager is now installed on your Shopify store.
Note: The red, yellow, blue and green icons next to identified tags, have all got special meaning:
So if you see yellow or red icon next to identified tags then something is wrong with your GTM installation.
To learn more about Google Tag Assistant, read this article: Complete Guide to Google Tag Assistant
Caveats about using Google Tag Manager on a Shopify Store
#1 Do not use GTM to deploy Google Analytics tag on your Shopify store. If you do that then the cross domain tracking between your website and Shopify won’t work.
#2 Do not use GTM to install enhanced ecommerce tracking on your shopify store. Enhanced ecommerce tracking is already built-in Shopify. Even if you install enhanced ecommerce via GTM, it won’t work. Shopify won’t read your data layers. So don’t do that.
#3 Use GTM to deploy tags other than Google Analytics and Enhanced Ecommerce like ‘hotjar’, ‘Google Adwords conversion tracking’ etc.
Other Article you will find useful: Learn to correctly setup Google Analytics for Shopify Store while using Google Tag Manager
Most Popular E-Books from OptimizeSmart
If you are into ecommerce, chances are, you have heard of ‘Shopify’.
It is one of the most popular, ready made shopping cart solutions in the world. Hundreds of thousands of websites use ‘Shopify’.
Shopify directly integrate with Google Analytics.
The set up is pretty simple.
But when it comes to Google Tag Manager, there is no direct integration.
Follow the steps below to add Google Tag Manager on your Shopify Store:
Step-1: Create a new Google Tag Manager account.
If you already have the GTM account then login.
Step-2: Click on the ‘Admin’ link and then click on ‘Install Google Tag Manager’:
Step-3: Copy the first part of the GTM installation code:
Step-4: Login to your shopify store with Admin/full access.
Get the FREE E-Book (72 Pages)
Step-5: Click on ‘Themes’ under the ‘Online Store’ drop down menu:
Step-6: Click on the ‘Actions’ drop down menu and then select ‘Edit HTML / CSS’:
Step-7: Find and click on the ‘theme.liquid’ file:
Step-8: Paste the first part of the GTM container code as high as possible, in the head section of the HTML code of theme.liquid file:
Note: Needless to say but take a backup of your theme file before making any code changes.
Step-9: Navigate back to your Google Tag Manager and now copy the second part of your GTM installation code:
Step-10: Navigate back to your Shopify Admin and then paste the second part of your GTM installation code immediately after the opening body tag (<body>) in the same ‘theme.liquid’ file:
Step-11: Click on the ‘Save’ button.
Step-12: Open Google Chrome browser and then Install Google tag assistant extension from here.
Step-13: Navigate to the home page of your Shopify store and then click on the ‘Google Tag Assistant’ icon on the top right hand side, next to the browser address bar:
You should be able to see ‘Google Tag Manager’ tag under the ‘Result of Tag Analysis’ column (with blue/green icon next to the identified tags). This shows that Google tag manager is now installed on your Shopify store.
Note: The red, yellow, blue and green icons next to identified tags, have all got special meaning:
So if you see yellow or red icon next to identified tags then something is wrong with your GTM installation.
To learn more about Google Tag Assistant, read this article: Complete Guide to Google Tag Assistant
Caveats about using Google Tag Manager on a Shopify Store
#1 Do not use GTM to deploy Google Analytics tag on your Shopify store. If you do that then the cross domain tracking between your website and Shopify won’t work.
#2 Do not use GTM to install enhanced ecommerce tracking on your shopify store. Enhanced ecommerce tracking is already built-in Shopify. Even if you install enhanced ecommerce via GTM, it won’t work. Shopify won’t read your data layers. So don’t do that.
#3 Use GTM to deploy tags other than Google Analytics and Enhanced Ecommerce like ‘hotjar’, ‘Google Adwords conversion tracking’ etc.
Other Article you will find useful: Learn to correctly setup Google Analytics for Shopify Store while using Google Tag Manager
How to learn and master Web Analytics and Google Analytics?
Check out my best selling books on Web Analytics and Conversion Optimization on Amazon
How to get lot more useful information?
I share lot more useful information on Web Analytics and Google Analytics on LinkedIn then I can via any other medium. So there is really an incentive for you, to follow me there.
Himanshu Sharma
Certified web analyst and founder of OptimizeSmart.com
