GTM For WP Docs for purchase values and FB pixel?

Hi,

Your questions are great, to understand my answer(s), you first need to better understand the general nature of this plugin and Google Tag Manager itself.

This plugin adds the so called container code of Google Tag Manager into your site and it can also add many useful meta data that can be used in your Google Tag Manager container (it is called the data layer variables)

You need to separate in your mind this plugin (GTM4WP) and Google Tag Manager (GTM) itself. Those are two products, obviously the plugin has its binding to GTM.

While you are using GTM, you have the opportunity to integrate with almost every tool that has JavaScript based tracking codes. This not only includes Google products but Facebook pixel, Pinterest pixel, etc.

There is no direct integration between GTM4WP and any other product but GTM.
No direct integration to Google Analytics, to Google Ads, to Facebook Ads, etc.

However using GTM you can setup tracking to those vendors using the meta data provided by GTM4WP. GTM4WP implements the standard enhanced ecommerce data layer content on WooCommerce sites: https://developers.google.com/tag-manager/enhanced-ecommerce
All events except refund and internal promotion actions (so yes, it includes purchase tracking)

This data structure is used by the Google Analytics tag within GTM to transfer ecommerce data to GA. Now we have this wonderful custom tag template from Simo Ahava that can deliver to you the same easy setup process for the Facebook pixel: https://www.simoahava.com/custom-templates/facebook-pixel/

But with other tags, you need to do more complex setups.

I see the demand from GTM4WP users to create more how to guides. But there is a general misunderstanding here: GTM4WP already gives (almost) all the data that can be used within GTM to setup every tracking pixel you need to use. And it is documented in Google’s help articles. So the puzzle peaces are there.

But I also understand that it requires more technical skills to do the setup in your GTM container. This is why a setup guide is usually helpful. In my point of view however, the best approach would be to create more custom tag templates within GTM like the one for the Facebook pixel above as it handles most of the technical aspects hidden in the background while a GTM user like you need to setup less tags and triggers to make your (dynamic) tracking work.

IF you have setup GA tracking within your GTM container, NEVER use a dedicated Google Analytics plugin as it will track (almost) everything twice. This is my answer even if you are not using GTM4WP but putting your GTM container code manually into your site.

As for the purchase tracking specifically: yes, it is included in GTM4WP but there can be several reasons why this can break with a GA plugin and even in GTM4WP too. A custom thankyou page, a bad behaving plugin, an ad blocker on the user side… there can be so many cases where purchase tracking is not working partly or at all.

I hope this made things more clear, let me know if you have further questions.

Hello Thomas!
Firstly, THANK YOU so much for this thoughtful reply! You are too kind.

I have tried my best to carefully read your response, and to read the link you gave me with the template (and do more googling!). I also installed your plugin on a test site and tried to view the code it produces when I click certain settings. I think I am starting to understand a few things now ?? But I’m hoping you can confirm?

With the template mentioned on Simo’s site: https://www.simoahava.com/custom-templates/facebook-pixel/ – this means that while I’m the Google Tag Manager workspace, I need to click “Add to workspace” from here: https://tagmanager.google.com/gallery/#/owners/gtm-templates-simo-ahava/templates/facebook-pixel – yes?

And then, I need to remove all other FB pixel codes in GTM, and on my website? Or just the base pixel? (I have a lead pixel in there now… would your plugin set that up too?)

And also, if I install GTM4WP, it will have all of those events that Simo mentions that his templates includes. So just by virtue of installing and activating GTM4WP after setting up Simo’s template, both FB Business Manager and GTM will ‘understand’ all these WooCommerce specific naming conventions, that would ‘translate’ into FB Pixel events?

BUT, I will still need to set up GA E-commerce tracking using these steps: https://gtm4wp.com/how-to-articles/how-to-setup-enhanced-ecommerce-tracking

And even though that article doesn’t mention purchase values, it is still in your plugin, configured to show WooCommerce purchase amounts, and as long as I follow those exact steps, and install Simo’s template in GTM, I should be good to go? With testing of course…

And, finally (or first), I will need to remove the other WooCommerce-specific analytics tracking plugin which is currently set up to track enhanced features.

Or is there more to this?

THEN my other big question is: I have other tags firing in GTM, for our WordPress site. E.g. for form fills with Gravity Forms, or button clicks. Will these get messed up if I install your plugin? Should they be set up within your plugin, or can I leave them as-is, the way they are now, since your plugin is totally separate from GTM, and there are no connections to any other apps? It is just providing some useful meta data that I can then use, or not use, in GTM, right?

I’m more asking if there will be cross-over tracking, or if GTM will be ‘confused.’

?? Sorry, I know there is a chance I may over-simplifying this. If there are more steps to do here, that require extra coding, please let me know!

With regards to your suggestion about creating templates vs. how-to docs, I think that as long as something is step-by-step, and explained for a ‘dummy’ it could work ?? I found it easier to understand what to do with your article, than by just seeing Simo’s page. It took a while for me to understand what he means by “template” for instance.

Thank you again!

Joyce

• This reply was modified 4 years, 8 months ago by joycegrace.

With the template mentioned on Simo’s site: https://www.simoahava.com/custom-templates/facebook-pixel/ – this means that while I’m the Google Tag Manager workspace, I need to click “Add to workspace” from here: https://tagmanager.google.com/gallery/#/owners/gtm-templates-simo-ahava/templates/facebook-pixel – yes?

Correct.

And then, I need to remove all other FB pixel codes in GTM, and on my website? Or just the base pixel? (I have a lead pixel in there now… would your plugin set that up too?)

I would remove any hard coded FB pixel and also any FB pixel related plugin. Dyn remarketing tracking can be setup using the tag template of Simo, your lead event has to be recreated however manually by creating a proper trigger and a new tag.

And also, if I install GTM4WP, it will have all of those events that Simo mentions that his templates includes. So just by virtue of installing and activating GTM4WP after setting up Simo’s template, both FB Business Manager and GTM will ‘understand’ all these WooCommerce specific naming conventions, that would ‘translate’ into FB Pixel events?

FB events will be handled by the tag template of Simo, but you still need to create triggers that match the event names shown in the GA setup article you linked in your reply.

BUT, I will still need to set up GA E-commerce tracking using these steps: https://gtm4wp.com/how-to-articles/how-to-setup-enhanced-ecommerce-tracking

Correct

And even though that article doesn’t mention purchase values, it is still in your plugin, configured to show WooCommerce purchase amounts, and as long as I follow those exact steps, and install Simo’s template in GTM, I should be good to go?

Correct

And, finally (or first), I will need to remove the other WooCommerce-specific analytics tracking plugin which is currently set up to track enhanced features.

Yes

I have other tags firing in GTM, for our WordPress site. E.g. for form fills with Gravity Forms, or button clicks. Will these get messed up if I install your plugin?

I do not think so.

Thomas!!!! THANK YOU!!!! This is amazing. I’m very, very grateful for your help. I know it was a lot to read through and you are basically volunteering this information for all. Thank you a thousand times. I will try this and see what happens!

Hello again!
So I have some updates. I am wondering if maybe Simo made this easier to work with your plugin than we thought.

Regarding:

FB events will be handled by the tag template of Simo, but you still need to create triggers that match the event names shown in the GA setup article you linked in your reply.

I saw this option in Simo’s tag template: https://cloudup.com/cWylJVYXhbB

Additional screenshot with more info: https://cloudup.com/cK9eYzbXqHU

Is it the case that this option would then match up the FB ecommerce events with the GA Enhanced Ecommerce events that are provided in your plugin, and by setting up the tag and events noted here: https://gtm4wp.com/how-to-articles/how-to-setup-enhanced-ecommerce-tracking ?

Simo’s fuller explanation: https://www.simoahava.com/custom-templates/facebook-pixel/

I proceeded based on the presumption that this is true. So what I did (and hopefully you don’t mind telling me if this is right or wrong), is I set the FB template Trigger to match the events that were mentioned in your article, like so:

and

What I don’t really understand is what the “ecommerce key” is. And also, what the most recent “object” would be with that “key.” I realize that’s a shortfall on my part.

I guess my question, in short, is whether I did this right, and all I needed to do is to click that “Enhanced Ecommerce dataLayer Integration” and then select the radio button option to “Set automatically from dataLayer”.

Or are you saying I DO still need to manually create triggers for each event?

Regarding:

I would remove any hard coded FB pixel and also any FB pixel related plugin.

Question: did you mean only remove pixels on the website, but not the ones in GTM?

I paused FB base pixel tag and FB View content (all pages) pixel tag in GTM. We had no FB pixels on our WordPress site anywhere, not in a plugin or anything.

But then I read this on Simo’s article “NOTE! The pixel DOES NOT automatically send the PageView tracking hit similar to how the Facebook Pixel snippet does. You will need to create a PageView tag to send the page view to Facebook.”

I *think* what he’s saying is that I need to create a tag with the following custom HTML in it:

<script>
fbq(‘track’, ‘PageView’);
</script>

And trigger that on all pages – yes? (I know you don’t claim to be a FB expert… just asking in case you know ?? I asked Simo, too.

Or do you think I should just keep the entire pixel base code, as the snippet FB instructs to non-advanced users, in GTM?

Regarding:

your lead event has to be recreated however manually by creating a proper trigger and a new tag.

This is what I had before: https://cloudup.com/c18Yyc7Q3-g

According to what you’re saying, this should be correct, right? Since it is a separate tag, and it has an identified trigger? For further reference on how it’s set up (if it helps to not drive you crazy if I’m too vague): https://cloudup.com/cFmuBlifJrB (used custom html type to do this).

One more question which I think is still on topic for this thread:

Regarding Google Ads conversions:

With your plugin now in place, should I remove the GTM tags related to conversions for purchases (or otherwise) in Google Ads? Then I can set them up to be based on the Google Analytics events with your plugin? I totally understand if this is overreaching and you don’t have time to answer this.

Oh and a final important question ??

Where do we buy you coffee and things like that? ?? I checked your profile and plugin description page; no instructions are given ?? Unless I’m blind…