Using Google Tag Manager for conversion tracking

Page Summary

• This guide focuses on implementing conversion tracking using Google Tag Manager for Google Analytics, specifically when the recommended gtag.js method is not used.

• Conversion tracking involves two main steps: creating a Custom HTML Tag and a Google Analytics: GA4 Event Tag.

• The rwg_token URL parameter, which Google appends to action links, must be persisted for 30 days, ideally via cookies, and returned without alteration.

• A Custom HTML Tag containing JavaScript should extract and persist the rwg_token from the URL on every page view.

• The GA4 Event Tag is configured to forward the persisted rwg_token to Google with the event name rwg_conversion when a user completes a transaction from a Google Place Action link.

Objective: Implement conversion tracking (Google Analytics) using Google Tag Manager.

Note: The recommended way to implement conversion tracking is using gtag.js. If you are currently using Google Tag Manager (GTM) to manage website tags, you can use this guide to implement conversion tracking.

Note: Please ensure that as part of conversion data, user Personal Identification Information (PII) should not be sent to Google without expressed user consent or as otherwise permitted under law.

Instructions

There are 2 steps for implementing conversion tracking:

• Create a new Custom HTML Tag
• Create a new Google Analytics: GA4 Event Tag

Custom HTML Tag

To properly track conversions from action_link(s), Google will set a URL parameter rwg_token, which should be returned at the time of a conversion.

You will be required to persist the rwg_token URL parameter which will be appended to all action_link(s) provided by you for a duration of 30 days when a user visits the landing page via Google. If a user visits the page through an action link again during the 30 day period, the existing rwg_token should be replaced with a new token, and the 30 day time to live should be reset. The suggested way to persist this information is via cookies.

Note: The value of the rwg_token should be stored and returned without any edits.

Our recommended approach to persist the rwg_token is to create a custom HTML tag, which is fired on every page view. The custom HTML tag should contain javascript which extracts the rwg_token form the url parameter and persists the rwg_token for 30 days. You can persist the data using 1st Party Cookies or a Data Layer Variable.

Google Analytics: GA4 Event Tag

GA4 Event Tag allows you to forward the rwg_token to Google using the correct measurement ID.

When configuring the GA4 Event Tag, you are required to initiate the following fields:

• Configuration Tag: Set this to None : Manually set ID.
• Measurement ID Set the appropriate Measurement ID for your account.

Note: If you do not have a measurement ID, work with your Google contact to generate one.

• Event Name: Set this to rwg_conversion
• Event Parameter: Add a new Event Parameter rwg_token. The value of this token should be the persisted value of the token.

Each GA4 Event Tag needs to be associated with a Trigger. You should create a trigger which fires this event tag when a user completes a transaction which originated from a Google Place Action link.