How to check if a GTM tag is working?

What you need:

• The GTM code must be added to your site (see how to add the GTM code to your Shopify or WordPress site).

• Admin access to the GTM container

• It is advisable to install the browser extension - Google Tag Assistant (and Pixel Helper, if you made a tag for FB Pixel)

Steps (steps with screenshots):

Step 1: Using the Tag Assistant, check if your GTM container's ID matches the one set on the site.

Step 2: Make sure you publish the tag on the site (if you just created it). In your GTM account, click the "Submit" button, fill in the information about the changes (it doesn't matter what you write), and click the "Publish" button.

Step 3: To check if the tag works, click the "Preview" button (on the right side of the workspace panel in your GTM account)

Step 4: A new Tag Assistant window will open. Enter your website address and click Start.

Step 5: A new window will open again, but this time with your site in Debug mode. Switch back to the Tag Assistant window. In the message "Connected!" click "Continue" and check where your tag is.

• For tags with the trigger "All Pages" (Page View) - your tag should be in the "Tags Fired" section (in this case, everything is ok and the check is passed).

• For tags that must fire for a specific action - your tag should be in the "Tags Not Fired" section. If your tag is in the "Tags Fired" section, you have chosen the wrong element for triggering. It is not unique and appears before the conversion is made (or you may have chosen the trigger "All Pages" in the Tag settings). You will have to redo the trigger.

• If you do not see your tag in both sections, then most likely, you have not published the container (go to Steps 1 and 2).

Step 6: If everything is ok, go back to your website window and make the action that should be tracked (in our example, this is a form submission).

Step 7: Go back to the Tag Assistant window and check if your tag has fired. It should now be in the "Tags Fired" section.

• If your tag does not appear in the "Tags Fired" section, it may be a delay, or you have not correctly configured the trigger, so it didn't work. Wait a while and do the test again. If it doesn't help, go to the next step.

Note: After the last update, Debug Mode may not work correctly on some sites, and the tag may be listed as "Not Fired" even if all is well (although it actually does fire). If you are sure that you have created the trigger correctly, then skip this step and do the following:

• If you created a tag for Google Analytics - make the tracked action on the site (in our case, this is a form submission). Log into your Analytics account, go to Realtime -> Events and check if your event is displayed there. If so, then most likely, everything is ok. If not, then the tag did not fire, and you will have to redo the trigger.

• If you created a tag for FB Pixel - check the Pixel Helper extension. Your event should show up there. If not, then the tag did not fire, and you will have to redo the trigger.

• If you created a tag for another purpose, empirically test its performance at the endpoint.

Steps with screenshots:

Step 1: Using the Tag Assistant, check if your GTM container's ID matches the one set on the site.

Step 2: Make sure you publish the tag on the site (if you just created it). In your GTM account, click the "Submit" button, fill in the information about the changes (it doesn't matter what you write), and click the "Publish" button.

Step 3: To check if the tag works, click the "Preview" button (on the right side of the workspace panel in your GTM account)

Step 4: A new Tag Assistant window will open. Enter your website address and click Start.

Step 5: A new window will open again, but this time with your site in Debug mode. Switch back to the Tag Assistant window.

In the message "Connected!" click "Continue" and check where your tag is.

• For tags with the trigger "All Pages" (Page View) - your tag should be in the "Tags Fired" section (in this case, everything is ok and the check is passed).

• For tags that must fire for a specific action - your tag should be in the "Tags Not Fired" section. If your tag is in the "Tags Fired" section, you have chosen the wrong element for triggering. It is not unique and appears before the conversion is made (or you may have chosen the trigger "All Pages" in the Tag settings). You will have to redo the trigger.

• If you do not see your tag in both sections, then most likely, you have not published the container (go to Steps 1 and 2).

Step 6: If everything is ok, go back to your website window and make the action that should be tracked (in our example, this is a form submission).

Step 7: Go back to the Tag Assistant window and check if your tag has fired. It should now be in the "Tags Fired" section.

• If your tag does not appear in the "Tags Fired" section, it may be a delay, or you have not correctly configured the trigger, so it didn't work. Wait a while and do the test again. If it doesn't help, go to the next step.

Note: After the last update, Debug Mode may not work correctly on some sites, and the tag may be listed as "Not Fired" even if all is well (although it actually does fire). If you are sure that you have created the trigger correctly, then skip this step and do the following:

• If you created a tag for Google Analytics - make the tracked action on the site (in our case, this is a form submission). Log into your Analytics account, go to Realtime -> Events and check if your event is displayed there. If so, then most likely, everything is ok. If not, then the tag did not fire, and you will have to redo the trigger.

• If you created a tag for FB Pixel - check the Pixel Helper extension. Your event should show up there (in our case, this is a Form Submit). If not, then the tag did not fire, and you will have to redo the trigger.

• If you created a tag for another purpose, empirically test its performance at the endpoint.