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The Ultimate Google Tag Manager Glossary

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Using Google Tag Manager makes it easy to add tags to your website and even send custom data to Google Analytics (or any other platform), but it can quickly become daunting, especially when you’re trying to get up-and-running quickly. That’s why I’ve created this glossary. I’m going to help you understand the most important terminology you’ll find inside Google Tag Manager. Think of this as your Google Tag Manager dictionary.

You can also download my Google Tag Manager Glossary PDF to print out or keep on your hard drive as a handy reference.

Download The Google Tag Manager Glossary

Account

An account is designed to store and manage all of the tags used by an individual organization. You can think of an account as the top-level folder structure inside Google Tag Manager. Each account (or folder) can be used to manage the tags for one website or multiple websites. See also container.

Account Activity

Account activity lets you view changes to user permissions for the account and the containers in the account. You can also see containers that have been created and deleted. To find account activity inside Google Tag Manager, navigate to ‘All Accounts’, click the configuration icon, and then select ‘Account Activity’ (or from ‘All Accounts’ select the three vertical dots, and then select ‘Account Activity’).

Account Settings

You can modify the name of individual Google Tag Manager accounts, adjust data sharing, adjust two-step authentication, and even delete accounts using the account settings. To find account settings inside Google Tag Manager, navigate to ‘All Accounts’, click the configuration icon, and then select ‘Account Settings’ (or from ‘All Accounts’ select the three vertical dots, and then select ‘Account Settings’).

API

Google Tag Manager provides APIs that let you add tag management to your website, mobile apps, and to manage Google Tag Manager programmatically (without having to log into the web interface). For example, you could use the Google Tag Manager API to create new containers, create tags, triggers, and more without having to use the web interface.

Approval Queue

You can add multiple users with varying levels of permission to Google Tag Manager accounts and containers. If a user with edit-level permission makes a change inside a container, then this change will be reflected in the approval queue. The approval queue feature is only available with the paid version of Google Tag Manager, called Google Tag Manager 360. See also Google Tag Manager 360.

Auto-Event Listener

Google Tag Manager can automatically detect actions taking place on your website. When you enable the built-in variables, Google Tag Manager will ‘listen’ for these events. For example, when you enable the built-in Click Classes variable, Google Tag Manager will automatically detect the class for any elements clicked on your website. See also variable.

Auto-Event Variable

See variable.

Built-In Variable

See variable.

Cleanup Tag

You can use tag sequencing in Google Tag Manager to help control the order tags are fired. The ‘cleanup tag’ refers to the tag that fires after your main tag has fired. See also tag sequencing and setup tag.

Container

Containers are created inside each Google Tag Manager account, and in most cases, an individual container is used to store and manage the tags for an individual website. Each container has its own dedicated Google Tag Manager code. Apart from tags, you can also create and configure triggers and variables in each container. You can create one or more containers in each Google Tag Manager account. See also tag, trigger, and variable.

Container Activity

Container activity lets you view top-level changes made to a container in Google Tag Manager. You can view different versions of the container that have been published to your website. You can also select different versions within the container activity to see granular details of the changes made to the tags, triggers, and variables. To view container, open a container inside Google Tag Manager, then select ‘Admin’, and ‘Container Activity’. See also version.

Container ID

Each container that you create inside a Google Tag Manager has a unique container ID. Each container ID starts with ‘GTM’, followed by a dash and a combination of numbers and letters, for example, GTM-1A2B3C. The container ID is included in the Google Tag Manager code that you implement on your website.

Container Snippet

The container snippet is the code that you need to add to your website to use Google Tag Manager. The main component of the container snippet is a piece of JavaScript that needs to be added to all the pages of your website. The container snippet includes your unique container ID. Along with the JavaScript, there is also an iframe that lets you add non-JavaScript tags to your website. See also container ID.

Container Type

Google Tag Manager can be used to manage tags on websites, AMP content, Android apps, and iOS apps. When you create a container in a Google Tag Manager account, you will be prompted to select where Google Tag Manager will be implemented; this is the ‘Container Type’.

Container Version

See version.

Cross Domain Tracking

Cross domain tracking lets you understand how users travel between your different website domains. The cross domain tracking options are available for the Google Analytics tags you configure in Google Tag Manager, and they consist of the following:

This option lets you define the domains where you have implemented Google Tag Manager and Google Analytics. All of the domains included will be ready for cross domain tracking. Apart from setting the domains, you will also need to make some additional adjustments to the Google Analytics settings for cross domain tracking to work correctly. Learn more about cross domain tracking.

Use Hash as Delimiter

Setting ‘Use Hash As Delimiter’ to ‘True’ will add the cookie values needed for cross domain tracking to the end of URLs using a hash (#) instead of a question mark (?).

Decorate Forms

Setting ‘Decorate Forms’ to ‘True’ will automatically add cross domain tracking to any forms that submit between different domains.

Data Layer

The data layer contains information that can be used by Google Tag Manager. This information can be used in tags, triggers, and variables. Google Tag Manager will automatically create a data layer and try to add information. For example, if you enable scroll depth tracking, Google Tag Manager will add details about scroll behavior to the data layer. You can also implement your own custom data layer to pass your own values to Google Tag Manager. The data layer can include static information that is pre-defined when the page loads or the information can be dynamic; this is where information is made available depending on the actions people take after the page has loaded.

Here is an example of a static data layer that contains product details which could then be used in tags, triggers, and variables:

<script> dataLayer = [{ "name": "Green Cap", "category": "Hats", "price": "25.00" }];</script>

Data Layer Variable

If custom information is being set in the data layer, then you will need to create a user-defined variable to access and use the information. Since information is stored as a key-value pair, you will need to define the key from the data layer to access the value. In the following example, setting the key to ‘type’ would return ‘Blog’ as the value of the data layer variable:

<script> dataLayer = [{ "type": "Blog" }];</script>

See also data layer, variable and user-defined variable.

Debug Console

After enabling the preview mode in Google Tag Manager, you can navigate to your website to see the debug console. The debug console lets you preview your container, including tags, variables, the data layer, and more. See also preview.

DOM (Document Object Model)

The HTML DOM or Document Object Model creates the structure of a web page by interpreting the HTML. The DOM is a tree structure that captures the content and properties of the HTML, and the relationship between the nodes. See also DOM ready trigger.

Environments

Environments allow you to have separate versions of your container deployed on your live website compared to your staging (or testing) site. To create a custom environment, load a container, then select ‘Admin’, and then select ‘Environments’. After you have created a new environment, you can add the container snippet to your testing site.

Event

Events are the different actions that Google Tag Manager uses to decide if a trigger should fire. Default Google Tag Manager events include; page views, DOM ready, and window loaded. Apart from the default events, other built-in events can be used for triggers (including click events, form submissions, etc.) and custom events can also be pushed to the data layer. See also trigger.

It’s important to highlight that events in Google Tag Manager are not the same as events in Google Analytics. Google Analytics events make data available in the reports, while Google Tag Manager events are all of the actions that take place (regardless of whether they are used in any reports).

Exception

An exception trigger prevents a tag from being fired. Exception triggers override any firing triggers. For example, if the ‘All Pages’ trigger is added to the tag and an exception trigger, then if the conditions for the exception trigger match, then the tag will not be fired. See also trigger.

Export Container

You can export a copy of a container as a JSON file. This allows you to save a backup of a particular version or workspace to your computer. The exported container includes all of the configurations that have been made inside Google Tag Manager, including tags, triggers, and variables. After opening a container, select ‘Admin’, then ‘Export Container’. You will then be prompted to select a version or workspace to export. See also import container, version, and workspace.

An option available for Google Tag Manager 360 containers that lets you publish tags from Google’s Marketing Platform to Google Tag Manager. See also Google Tag Manager 360.

Firing Trigger

A trigger used to load a tag on your website. For example, if you create a trigger that only matches your homepage, then this trigger can be used to load (or ‘fire’) a tag on your website homepage. See also trigger.

Folder

You can organize tags, triggers, and variables using folders. Each tag, trigger, and variable can be added to a single folder at a time.

Google Analytics Settings Variable

The Google Analytics settings variable lets you apply the same configurations to multiple Google Analytics tags inside Google Tag Manager. The Google Analytics settings variable needs to include the tracking ID from your Google Analytics property. The Google Analytics settings variable can also have other configurations applied, including custom dimensions, custom metrics, cross domain tracking, and more.

Google Tag Manager 360

The premium paid version of Google Tag Manager. Google Tag Manager 360 includes additional features, including unlimited workspaces, approval workflows, and zones. The paid version of Google Tag Manager is bundled with support and an SLA (Service Level Agreement) designed for enterprise applications.

Global Site Tag (gtag.js)

The global site tag (gtag.js) is the current version of Google’s stand-alone tracking code. The global site tag can be used to send data to Google Analytics, Google Ads, and other Google products simultaneously. You do not need to implement the global site tag on your website if you are using Google Tag Manager.

Import Container

Importing a container into Google Tag Manager will bring in all of the tags, triggers, and variables that were configured in the original container that was exported. When you import into an existing container, you will be prompted to overwrite or merge tags, triggers, and variables. See also export container.

Listener

See auto-event listener.

Malware Detection

Google Tag Manager has built-in malware protection. If malware is detected in a container, affected tags will not fire, and the container will be flagged.

Preview

Enabling the preview mode lets you see the tags that are triggered (and not triggered) on your website, along with variables, and values stored in the data layer. You can preview the current workspace or other versions of the container (by selecting ‘Versions’). Once you’ve clicked ‘Preview’ you can then open a new window or tab in your current browser and navigate to your website. The debug console will load at the bottom of your website. See also debug console.

Regular Expression

An advanced method of pattern matching. Regular expressions can be used in trigger conditions and regex table variables.

Setup Tag

You can use tag sequencing in Google Tag Manager to help control the order tags are fired. The ‘setup tag’ refers to the tag that fires before your main tag has fired. See also tag sequencing and cleanup tag.

Tag

Typically a piece of JavaScript that is managed inside Google Tag Manager and deployed to your website once the Google Tag Manager container has been published. You can add tags using the built-in tag templates, or by adding custom HTML tags. See also tag type.

Tag Firing Options

Lets you control how many times a tag will fire. You can select from ‘Unlimited’, ‘Once Per Event’, and ‘Once Per Page’.

Tag Firing Priority

Lets you set the order tags are loaded (fired). By default all tags will have a priority of zero (0), tags with a higher priority value will fire before tags with a lower priority value. When using tag firing priority in Google Tag Manager, it is important to remember that all tags will load asynchronously.

Tag Firing Schedule

You can set a start and end date (and time) for individual tags by selecting ‘Advanced Settings’ in the tag configuration. This will automatically enable and disable the tag.

Tag Type

Google Tag Manager lets you add a range of analytics and advertising tags to your website. You can select from a range of built-in templates that streamline the configuration of tags inside Google Tag Manager. You can also add additional tags using the custom HTML and custom image tag options.

Google Analytics - Universal Analytics

The Google Analytics tag type lets you send pageviews, events, transactions, social interactions, and custom timings to Google Analytics. Once you have selected the type of action you would like to send to Google Analytics you can choose the settings for the tag. See also Google Analytics settings.

Google Ads Conversion Tracking

The Google Ads conversion tracking tag lets you send conversion data to Google Ads. You will need to include the conversion ID and conversion label from a website conversion action that has already been configured in your Google Ads account. See also conversion linker.

Google Ads Remarketing

Adding the Google Ads remarketing tag lets you add people to your remarketing audience lists inside Google Ads. You will need to add the conversion ID from an existing audience list to the tag.

Floodlight Counter

The Floodlight counter tag is used to send data to Google’s Marketing Platform, including Search Ads 360.

Floodlight Sales

The Floodlight sales tag is used to send purchase data to Google’s Marketing Platform.

Conversion Linker

The conversion linker tag is used to improve the accuracy of conversion tracking for your Google Ads campaigns. If you are using the Google Ads conversion tracking tag or the Google Ads remarketing tag, then using the conversion linker tag is recommended.

Google Optimize

You can add Google Optimize to your website using Google Tag Manager. Google Optimize lets you run experiments and deliver personalized experiences on your website. If you implement Google Optimize using Google Tag Manager, then it is recommended that you also add the anti-flicker snippet (also called the ‘page hiding snippet’) directly to your website. This prevents people from seeing the original content before being shown the variation.

Google Surveys Website Satisfaction

Add surveys from Google Surveys to your website using Google Tag Manager. To configure the tag, you will need the site ID from Google Surveys.

Custom HTML

If you want to add a tag that does not have a built-in template or any other piece of JavaScript to your website, then you can use a Custom HTML tag in Google Tag Manager. For example, if you want to add a Facebook pixel to your website, this can be done with a custom HTML tag.

Custom Image

You can add an image-based tag to your website using a custom image tag. For example, if you have a tag that includes a ‘noscript’ version, then this could be included as a custom image tag in Google Tag Manager.

Other Tag Templates

Google Tag Manager lets you use templates to streamline the management of other tags, including from third-party platforms. Google works directly with these platforms to test and validate the tag templates. Tag templates include:

  • AdRoll
  • ClickTale
  • Crazy Egg
  • Google Trusted Stores
  • Hotjar
  • LinkedIn
  • Bing Ads
  • Mouseflow
  • Perfect Audience
  • Shareaholic
  • Twitter

Tag Sequencing

You can configure Google Tag Manager to fire another tag before (or after) a specific tag. For example, if you have a tag that relies on another tag to work correctly, like a Facebook conversion pixel combined with a Facebook base pixel. When using tag sequencing in Google Tag Manager, it is important to remember that all tags, even those defined in a sequence will load asynchronously. If a tag relies on another tag, then you should consider enabling the ‘Don’t fire… if the tag fails or is paused’ option. See also setup tag and cleanup tag.

Trash Can

When you delete a Google Tag Manager container or an account it is moved to the trash can. Containers and accounts can be recovered for up to 30 days.

Trigger

A trigger lets you control when a tag should (or should not) fire. Google Tag Manager has a default trigger called ‘All Pages’ which will fire a tag on any page that includes your container snippet. Adding multiple triggers to an individual tag will mean any of the triggers can fire the tag (multiple triggers create ‘or’ statements). Triggers can also be used to prevent a tag from firing. See also exception.

Apart from the default ‘All Pages’ trigger, you can create custom triggers using the following trigger types:

Page View

Page view triggers let you create triggers based on the page someone is viewing on your website. Page view triggers include:

DOM Ready

Using a DOM ready trigger lets you fire a tag after the HTML has been loaded. This is useful if you have tags that rely on information contained in the DOM, for example, if a tag needs to fire based on a specific HTML tag loaded in a page. See also DOM (Document Object Model).

Page View

Using a page view trigger lets you fire a tag as soon as a page begins to load.

Window Loaded

Using a window loaded trigger lets you fire a tag once a page has finished loading (including the loading of images, scripts, and other resources used in the page).

Click

Click triggers let you create triggers based on what someone clicks on your website. To use conditions with click triggers you will need to ensure the appropriate built-in variables have been enabled. See also variable. Click triggers include:

All Elements

Using the all elements click trigger lets you fire a tag based on any click. By default the trigger will be set to ‘All Clicks’, however, you can limit your trigger to specific clicks by selecting ‘Some Clicks’ and then defining your conditions. For example, if the click classes variable has been enabled, then you can create a condition that will only let the trigger fire when the click occurs on an element with the CSS class you have defined.

Just Links

Using the just links click trigger is similar to the all elements trigger. However, it will only consider clicks on links within a page. For example, clicks on <a href="https://www.example.com">example.com</a>. The just links trigger can be used to trigger tags based on internal links within your website and outbound links to external websites.

User Engagement

The user engagement triggers let you fire tags based on specific actions people take on your website. User engagement triggers include:

Element Visibility

Using the element visibility trigger lets you fire a tag when a particular element within a page is visible in someone's browser. Elements can become visible when the page loads, when someone scrolls, when someone selects the browser tab, or when content is visible in the browser window. Some conditions can be set for the element visibility trigger, including how many times the trigger should fire a tag, the minimum percentage the element is visible, and the minimum amount of time the element is visible.

Form Submission

Using the form submission trigger lets you fire a tag when a form is submitted on your website. By default, the trigger will fire on ‘All Forms’, however, you can create conditions to only fire a tag on specific forms.

Scroll Depth

Using the scroll depth trigger lets you fire a tag when someone scrolls your content. You can set the trigger to track vertical or horizontal scrolling, and set the trigger to fire based on the percentage or number of pixels scrolled.

YouTube Video

Using the YouTube video trigger lets you fire a tag when people engage with embedded YouTube videos on your website. Learn more about tracking YouTube videos.

Other

Additional triggers that can be configured in Google Tag Manager include:

Custom Event

The custom event trigger can be used to fire a tag when the other built-in triggers are unable to meet your requirements. For example, if you want to fire a tag when someone registers on your website (and the other triggers do not work), then you could use a custom event trigger along with a data layer push. See also data layer.

History Change

Using the history change trigger lets you fire a tag when the URL fragment changes (for example when someone navigates from https://www.example.com to https://www.example.com#about) or when the history.pushState() method is used in HTML5. The history change trigger is useful for single page applications. Learn more about the history.pushState() method.

JavaScript Error

Using the JavaScript error trigger lets you fire a tag when an error occurs in your JavaScript.

Timer

Using the timer trigger lets you fire a tag after someone spends a certain amount of time on a page. You can set the interval of the timer (in milliseconds), limit the number of times the timer will trigger tags, and even set the timer trigger to only fire on specific pages and events by defining trigger conditions.

User-Defined Variable

A user-defined variable allows you to use custom information in your tags and triggers. Although Google Tag Manager does include a range of built-in variables, there are occasions when you will need to configure custom variable to meet your requirements. See also variable. User-defined variables include:

Navigation

The user-defined navigation variables let you access details about the page someone is currently viewing and the previous page they viewed on your website.

HTTP Referrer

Provides the URL of the page someone viewed before the current page. You can choose to access the full URL or a part of the URL, including; the protocol (http or https), host name (www.example.com), port, path (www.example.com/page), query (www.example.com/page?query=true), or fragment (www.example.com#about).

URL

Provides the URL of the page someone is viewing. You can choose to access the full URL or a part of the URL, including; the protocol (http or https), host name (www.example.com), port, path (www.example.com/page), filename extension (www.example.com/document.pdf), query (www.example.com/page?query=true), or fragment (www.example.com#about).

Page Variables

The user-defined page variables let you access details from your website and create custom JavaScript variables to use with your tags and triggers.

1st Party Cookie

Lets you access the value of a cookie stored on the domain where Google Tag Manager has been implemented.

Custom JavaScript

Lets you use custom JavaScript as a variable. For example, you could use a custom JavaScript variable to check that an element (or a text string) is present on the page someone is viewing.

Data Layer Variable

Lets you access a value from the data layer. For example, if you push custom information about website members to the data layer, you can access the information using a data layer variable, and send the information to a Google Analytics tag.

JavaScript Variable

Lets you access the value stored in a global JavaScript variable. For example, you could use a JavaScript variable to get the page title of the current page someone is viewing.

Undefined Value

Lets you create a variable that has no value. This undefined value variable can then be used as a placeholder in tags so that no value is used when the tag is fired.

Page Elements

The user-defined page element variables let you access details about the events (and actions) that have taken place on the page someone is viewing on your website.

Auto-Event Variable

Lets you access information that Google Tag Manager has automatically captured about events. Auto-event variables let you access:

  • Element
  • Element Type
  • Element Attribute
  • Element Classes
  • Element ID
  • Element Target
  • Element Text
  • Element URL
  • History New URL Fragment
  • History Old URL Fragment
  • History New State
  • History Old State
  • History Change Source

DOM Element

Lets you access the text of an element in the DOM or the value of a DOM element attribute. See also DOM (Document Object Model).

Element Visibility

Lets you access details about the visibility of a single element on a page.

Utilities

The user-defined utility variables provide a range of options to store, access, and modify values that can be used in your tags and triggers.

Constant

Lets you store a static value. The constant variable is useful for storing pixel and tracking IDs which can then be used in multiple tags, for example, for storing Facebook and Twitter pixel IDs.

Custom Event

Lets you access the value of a custom event that has been pushed to the data layer.

Environment Name

Lets you access the name of the environment that is being viewed in preview mode. See also preview.

Google Analytics Settings

Lets you store and manage configurations for the Google Analytics tag. The Google Analytics settings variable can be used across multiple Google Analytics tags.

Lookup Table

Lets you create a simple lookup table with key-value pairs. For example, if you wanted to change an identifier to a readable string, then you can enter a series of inputs (keys) against outputs (values).

Random Number

Provides a random number that can be used in tags and triggers.

RegEx Table

Similar to the lookup table, but lets you include regular expressions which are used for matching. Matched inputs (or keys), then provide their corresponding output (values). See also lookup table and regular expression.

Container Data

The user-defined container variables let you access details about your Google Tag Manager container. See also container.

Container ID

Lets you access the ID of the Google Tag Manager container.

Container Version Number

Lets you access the version number of the live container (or the preview if you are in preview mode).

Debug Mode

This variable returns ‘true’ if the container is in preview mode, and ‘false’ if it is not in preview mode.

Variable

A variable is a placeholder for information. The information in a variable can then be used in tags and triggers. For example, we might want to create a trigger that only fires a tag on a single page on our website. We can use the ‘Page Path’ variable to check the page someone is viewing and check to see if it matches our desired page. When the variable matches our page, we can then trigger a tag. Google Tag Manager includes built-in variables that can easily be enabled inside each container, and there is the option of creating custom variables. See also user-defined variable.

Pages

The pages variables let you access information about the page someone is viewing (including the page viewed before the current page). These variables are commonly used to fire tags on particular pages or to prevent tags from firing on particular pages.

Page URL

Provides the full URL of the page someone is viewing. For example; https://www.example.com/page?query=true

Page Hostname

Provides the domain name of the page someone is viewing. For example; www.example.com

Page Path

Provides the page someone is viewing. For example; /page

Note: Page path does not include query parameters (e.g. ?query=true) or fragments (e.g. #anchor-link).

Referrer

Provides the full URL of the page someone viewed before the current page. For example; https://www.example.com/about

Utilities

The built-in utility variables provide a range of options to access values that can be used in your tags and triggers.

Event

Lets you access the name of data layer events.

Environment Name

Lets you access the manually entered name of the current environment.

Container ID

Lets you access the ID of the Google Tag Manager container.

Container Version

Lets you access the version number of the container.

Random Number

Provides a random number that can be used in tags and triggers.

HTML ID

Provides details about custom HTML tags that have fired (or have failed to fire).

Errors

The built-in error variables provide details about JavaScript errors that occurred on your website.

Error Message

Lets you access details about JavaScript errors.

Error URL

Lets you access the URL of the page where the error occurred.

Error Line

Lets you access the line number for the file where the error occurred.

Debug Mode

This variable returns ‘true’ if the container is in preview mode, and ‘false’ if it is not in preview mode.

Clicks

The built-in click variables let you access details about what people have clicked within the current page on your website.

Click Element

Lets you access the value of gtm.element of the click in the data layer.

Click Classes

Lets you access the CSS classes of the element that was clicked.

Click ID

Lets you access the ID of the element that was clicked.

Click Target

Lets you access the target of a click.

Click URL

Lets you access the URL of a link that was clicked.

Click Text

Lets you access the value of gtm.elementText in the data layer.

Forms

The built-in form variables let you access details about form submissions.

Form Element

Lets you access the value of gtm.element of the form in the data layer.

Form Classes

Lets you access the CSS classes of the form.

Form ID

Lets you access the ID of the form.

Form Target

Lets you access the value of gtm.elementTarget of the form in the data layer.

Form URL

Lets you access the value of gtm.elementUrl of the form in the data layer.

Form Text

Lets you access the value of gtm.elementText of the form in the data layer.

History

The built-in history variables let you access the value of history changes that can be used in your tags and triggers.

New History Fragment

Lets you access URL fragment changes (for example when someone navigates from https://www.example.com to https://www.example.com#about) using the value of gtm.newUrlFragment in the data layer.

Old History Fragment

Lets you access the previous URL fragment using the value of gtm.oldUrlFragment in the data layer.

New History State

Lets you access the value of gtm.newHistoryState in the data layer.

Old History State

Lets you access the value of gtm.oldHistoryState in the data layer.

History Source

Lets you access the value of gtm.historyChangeSource in the data layer.

Videos

The built-in video variables let you access details about people watching embedded YouTube videos on your website.

Video Provider

Lets you access the name of the video platform. For example, ‘YouTube’.

Video Status

Lets you access the status of the video. For example, ‘play’, ‘pause’, and ‘completed’.

Video URL

Lets you access the URL of the embedded video. For example; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGxbhu9-FWc

Video Title

Lets you access the title of the embedded video.

Video Duration

Lets you access the total duration of the video in seconds.

Video Current Time

Lets you access the current time in seconds.

Video Percent

Lets you access the percentage of the video. For example, ‘25’, ‘50’, ‘75’, and ‘100’.

Video Visible

Lets you access details about the visibility of the video in the browser.

Scrolling

The built-in scroll variables let you access information about how people scroll the content on your website.

Scroll Depth Threshold

Provides a value corresponding to the amount a page has been scrolled. The value of the variable can be 0 to 100 when tracking percentages, or the number of pixels.

Scroll Depth Units

Provides a value of ‘percent’ or ‘pixels’ depending on the configuration of the trigger.

Scroll Direction

Provides a value of ‘vertical’ or ‘horizontal’ depending on how someone scrolls your content and the configuration of the trigger.

Visibility

The built-in visibility variables let you access information about the visibility of elements on your website.

Percent Visible

Provides a value corresponding to the amount of an element that was visible. The value of the variable can be 0 to 100.

On-Screen Duration

Provides the number of milliseconds that an element was visible.

Version

Google Tag Manager stores a history of all changes made to the container. If there is ever a problem with a version, then you can restore a previous version of a container. To access versions, open a container, and select ‘Versions’. Selecting a version will include any manually entered details for the version, along with the changes, and current tags, triggers, and variables.

Workspace

Allows teams to work on different versions of the Google Tag Manager container at the same time. When a workspace is updated a notification will appear, and any conflicts between the workspaces will need to be reviewed.

Zones

Zones is a feature available with the paid version of Google Tag Manager, called Google Tag Manager 360. Zones lets you link additional containers to your main container so that additional tags can be fired. This feature is designed for large-scale websites where multiple parties are managing different tags. See also Google Tag Manager 360.

Get the Google Tag Manager Glossary PDF

You can also download our Google Tag Manager Glossary PDF to keep in on your hard drive or print out for a quick and handy desk reference.

Download the Google Tag Manager Glossary PDF

And check out our accompanying Google Analytics Glossary, Google Data Studio Glossary, and Google Ads Glossary.

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