Easy Google Tag Manager Squarespace Implementation Beginners Guide

Unfortunately, Squarespace doesn’t have one-click solutions and plugins like WordPress. However, plugins often come with a cost of lower site speed and more and more code on the site. 

In Squarespace, you will need to copy the Google Tag Manager code into your header and footer settings. 

Quick Answer how to add Google Tag Manager to Squarespace

Log into your Squarespace account -> Select the website you’d like to add the Google Tag Manager to -> Settings -> Advanced -> Code Injection.

Don’t forget to include the header and footer code.

Full 3 Step Process: Google Tag Manager Squarespace Implementation

1. Set up Google Tag Manager and get your container code

When you create your Google Tag Manager (GTM) you will immediately get your code and are asked how you’d like to implement container code.

Installing Google Tag Manager to Squarespace

If you have an account already, you can find your container code in the admin panel -> container -> Install Google Tag Manager

Where to find the Google Tag Manager Code

Keep the window open and go to your Squarespace account.

2. Adding Google Tag Manager to Squarespace (where to place the container tag code)

 

Placing the Google Tag Manager code in Squarespace

Log into your Squarespace account, select the website you’d like to add Google Tag Manager to:

Settings -> Adanced -> Code Injection

Grab der code snippets from Google Tag Manager and place them into the header and footer section accordingly:

The first code snippet of the header goes into the header and the second code into the footer:

How to add the Google Tag Manager code to Squarespace

Google Tag Manager says to place the second code snippet into the <body> section, but we will use the Squarespace Footer Code Injection space.

Finally, hit “save” in Squarespace to inject the container tag to your Squarespace live site.

3. Verify the correct Google Tag Manager Squarespace implementation

Two possible ways to verify the Google Tag Manager container tag is correctly installed and fires.

a) use the Google Chrome Tag Assistant extension, or

Google Tag Assistant Verification for Squarespace container tag

b) use the Preview within Google Tag Manager to debug the page

Google Tag Manager Preview

Why should you use Google Tag Manager instead of individual pixels in Squarespace?

When adding tracking codes to your Squarespace site like Google Analytics, AdWords Conversion tracking, or Facebook pixel, you add code with every additional pixel. This causes slower page speed time, more code to digest by search engines, and potentially firing of pixels every time that you wouldn’t want to.

Additionally, installing GTM has the advantage that you can manage all your tags in one single platform. Let’s say you don’t use Facebook anymore or want to add the LinkedIn Insights Tag, you can do this with ease in Google Tag Manager instead of your Squarespace website.

Container tags have various advantages in digital marketing. They only load once and then fire the set pixels within the container when applicable.

Here are some further benefits of Google Tag Manager on your Squarespace site:

  • Ease of use for updates, modifications, and adding/removal pixels
  • Speed load time
  • Debugging feature if a tag doesn’t fire correctly
  • Implement event tracking like button clicks, link clicks, phone number clicks, etc.
  • User permission control. You can grant access to GTM but not your website