12 Top Google Tag Manager Extensions for Chrome
Updated: May 18th, 2017. If you’re using Google Tag Manager as often as I do, you’re probably looking for new ways to improve your performance, catch bugs faster and deliver the final result without much hassle. If my guess was right, you’ll enjoy these 12 top Google Tag Manager extensions for Google Chrome. And the best part – they’re all free! So do not hesitate and give them a shot.
All list items are displayed in no particular order.
#1. Tag Assistant
The Tag Assistant Chrome extension is a very useful tool in testing and debugging your implementation. Not only does it help with troubleshooting of Google Tag Manager, but also Google Adwords, Analytics, and DoubleClick implementation can be easily verified.
One of the most powerful features within the tool is recordings. This allows you to “record” a browsing session and produce a report on all of the hits being sent through and even how they will potentially show up within Google Analytics.
#2. Tag Manager Injector
Another favorite tool of mine when it comes to debugging and testing Google Tag Manager implementation. Tag Manager Injector simplifies the process of inserting GTM code on any site on the fly where no Tag Manager container code currently exists.
I usually use this in several scenarios:
- Someone asks me how can he/she track a particular element of their website with Google Tag Manager. I just simply inject my test GTM container to their website (all happens within my browser only) and play around with tags.
- When I’m running a GTM workshop and teaching others how to effectively manage tags, it’s much easier for everyone to work on a same website and follow my instructions.
- I can start creating tags, triggers and variables as soon as possible. There’s no need to wait for developer to add GTM container code to the website, as he can do it some time later.
If you still don’t understand how this extension works, imagine a sandbox. Injector enables you to imitate as if your GTM container code was added to any website. But everything happens only within the boundaries of your browser window. So you can safely play with tag manager without any consequences. Don’t worry! You’re not hacking anyone’s website.
Get Tag Manager Injector for Chrome
#3. Data Slayer
Another entry in this list of Google Tag Manager Extensions, Dataslayer, adds a panel to Chrome Developer Tools that monitors tag management data layers and displays changes in an easy-to-read, user-friendly format.
Not only does it support Google Tag Manager, but also plays well with Tealium.
#4. Data Layer Sifter
This Google Tag Manager extension helps you find DOM elements and their values within the Data Layer fast. GTM dataLayer Sifter can be used to search a particular event in the Data Layer for a DOM element to be used in Google Tag Manager.
If this was difficult to comprehend, here is a sample use case of what you can achieve with DL Sifter:
If you wish to track Form Field values, you need to define element’s “path” on the website. This might be really time consuming, but with help of Data Layer Sifter this can be achieved much easier.
You can learn more about Data Layer Sifter in the video tutorial below:
Get Data Layer Sifter for Chrome
#5. Web Analytics Solution PRofiler – WASP
This extension is for advanced users. WASP gives you a visual representation of the tags firing on your site and the correlation between them.
Clicking any of the tags provides deep technical insight into what’s happening behind the curtain. WASP’s functionality allows you to peer into the Google Tag Manager data layer which eases the troubleshooting of Google Tag Manager and Universal Analytics implementations.
WASP also supports Omniture, SiteCatalyst, DoubleClick, and any other platforms you may be implementing.
#6. Da Vinci Tools
Da Vinci Tools brings handy enhancements, bug fixes and hacks directly into the Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager interfaces. To name a few:
- Focus on same report when switching view in Google Analytics
- Set default page in GTM interface (instead of Overview)
- Ability to turn all GTM built-in vars on/off at once, etc.
#7. GTM Sonar
Created by Simo Ahava, this extension lets you to debug clicks and form submissions easier. When enabled, it prevents links from redirecting you to another page and form submissions from refreshing/redirecting you to another page.
Why prevent default action of click or form submission? Simple, for debugging reasons it’s better if you stay on the same page. Halting the default action prevents links from working, thus you can easily check what happens on a website and what data can be used for tracking purpose.
#8. dataLayer InspectoR+
This is one of my new favorites. What I like about it, is that the extension (by Analytics Pros) replaces Tag Manager Injector, logs what data was pushed to dataLayer, runs diagnostics for most common issues, and offers a bunch of other features.
Get dataLayer Inspector+ for Chrome
Next 4 extensions are useful even if you’re not using Google Tag Manager. But since I am implementing (almost) everything with GTM, these tools always come in handy.
#9. Google Analytics Debugger
This extension lets you see what data is being passed to Google Analytics. For me this is extremely useful while debugging Ecommerce implementation.
It prints useful information to the Javascript console of your Chrome browser. These messages include error messages and warnings which can tell you when your analytics tracking code is set up incorrectly. In addition, it provides a detailed breakdown of each tracking beacon sent to Google Analytics.
Get Google Analytics Debugger for Chrome
#10. Edit this Cookie
With it you can view cookies set by Google Analytics, delete, modify and even add additional cookies. This is a great too for verifying GA trackers and any other custom cookies that may be in use.
Although you can also achieve the same result with built-in tools of your web browser, Edit this Cookie makes the process much easier and user-friendly.
For me this is a must-have tool when I set and read cookies with Google Tag Manager. Oh, did I mention debugging cross-domain tracking? No? Then Edit this Cookie is A MUST here as well.
Get Edit This Cookie for Chrome
#11. Facebook Pixel Helper
The Facebook Pixel Helper is a troubleshooting tool that helps you validate your Facebook Conversion Pixel and Custom Audience Pixels. Using the tool you can verify whether pixel is working properly, what events were fired and spot errors in no time.
A small number will appear on the Facebook Pixel Helper icon to indicate number of pixel events. When clicked, a panel will expand to show a detailed overview of the page’s pixels, including warnings, errors and successes.
Either you’re installing Facebook pixel or tracking FB conversions with Google Tag Manager, Facebook Pixel helper is a no-brainer and reliable debugging companion.
Get Facebook Pixel Helper for Chrome
#12. Twitter Pixel Helper
Similarly to Facebook Pixel Helper, Twitter Pixel Helper does the same job, but for Twitter Universal Website tag.
You can check whether Twitter Tracking code (Pixel) was implemented successfully. Troubleshooting of Twitter events (conversions) is also available.
Get Twitter Pixel Helper for Chrome
Honorable mention
Code editor for GTM. I used to use this extension pretty often. It makes HTML editor in Custom HTML tag much more user-friendly (by imitating more serious editors like Sublime Text).
Anyway, due to various minor (but annoying) bugs, I decided to abandon it for a while.
I still hope it will be fixed one day. Nonetheless, you should give it a try. Maybe you’ll be lucky to avoid bugs 🙂
Conclusion
All great things must come to an end, even this list. I hope you found the collection of Google Tag Manager Extensions useful. Spotted something new? Give it a try! Maybe you’ll love it. Now, I just can live (well, work) without them.
Did I miss some Google Tag Manager Extensions you can’t imagine yourself without? Let me know in the comments below!
