Tracking tags play a crucial role in digital marketing, allowing advertisers to gather insights on user behavior, optimize ad performance, and create more personalized experiences. If you have ever visited a website and later seen an ad for the same brand on another site, you have encountered the power of tracking tags in action.
What Are Tracking Tags?
A tracking tag is a small snippet of HTML code that loads whenever a user visits a website. These tags help marketers understand audience behavior, track conversions, and refine their advertising strategies.
Although tracking tags function similarly to cookies, there is a key distinction:
Cookies are stored within an internet browser such as Chrome or Firefox and can retain information between sessions.
Tracking tags are embedded within a website and trigger when a user interacts with content, capturing relevant data in real time.
Types of Tracking Tags
There are different types of tracking tags, each serving a specific purpose in the marketing funnel.
Universal Tag
A universal tag tracks all visitors on a website, capturing data on their interactions across pages. This allows advertisers to retarget users with relevant ads based on their browsing activity.
Example: A user visits a company’s website, browses a product, then leaves. Later, they see an ad for the same product while visiting another website.
Image Tag
An image tag tracks users who complete a specific action such as making a purchase, clicking a call-to-action (CTA), or watching a video. This helps marketers attribute revenue and conversions to particular ads.
Example: A user fills out a form on a company’s website and clicks "Submit". An image tag is placed on the "Submit" button and records the form submission as a conversion.
Implementing Tracking Tags with Google Tag Manager
To simplify the process of adding tracking tags to a website, we recommend using Google Tag Manager. This tool allows marketers to manage all their tags in one place without needing to modify website code manually.
If you have any questions about setting up tracking tags, feel free to reach out by selecting the chat icon in the bottom right corner of your screen.