Implement Youtube Video Tracking Via Google Tag Manager

In this, we will be covering how to implement youtube video tracking via Google tag manager using the build-in Variable.

Native GTM only offer to track youtube video for now, but if you know the javascript then you can track other platform videos as well.

How to Implement Youtube Video Tracking via Google Tag Manager

Step 1: Enable built-in variables

Go to Variables > Built-In Variables > Configure > Enable all the Videos Features.

Step 2: Create a video Triggers

In Triggers, you have to create a Youtube video triggers. In capture I am capturing video start, complete, pause, seeking, Buffering and % completion of the video.

Add JavaScript API support to all Youtube videos is an Advanced setting, you have to enable this option to start tracking. If you haven’t checked this option youtube tracking will not happen.

Now Save the trigger and you have completed Step 2.

Step 3: Send data to Google Analytics

After you have made a trigger next step is to pass data to Google Analytics from GTM. For this go to Tags > New Tag > Universal Analytics tag > select “Event” as the Track Type.

Actions and Label you can pass according to your need and requirement. I am only passing Video Title and Video Url. For example, you want to pass % of video complete with the title then in Label you have to add something like this: {{Video Percent}} % – Completed {{Video Title}}

Step 4: Test your tags in Google Tag Manager

Once you have complete all the 3 steps above you can open preview mode in Google Tag Manager.

Navigate to the page where you have embedded the YouTube video.

Once you start playing the video you will see the Tags you have created has been triggered in Google Tag Manager (aka GTM)

When you check the variable tab then you can see the all the build-in variable you can see and data is populating as we are playing the video.

Step 5: Events in Google Analytics

If everything works fine then you can see data in Google Analytics in Real-Time.

This data is important as you can measure the impact of videos per page and you can make a decision for future videos.

That’s it! you can successfully Implement Youtube Video Tracking via Google Tag Manager.

Final Words

Google Tag Manager has provided inbuilt YouTube video tracking which makes out work easier to track the performance of how things are working. This will only work if you are using Youtube Hosted video.

If you are using non-youtube video then you have to implement custom coding. I hope we will see support for other video services in Google Tag Manager soon.