Overview

This article helps you install and configure Google Tag Manager (GTM) on your Access Volcanic website. GTM allows you to manage marketing and analytics tags centrally through a single interface, eliminating the need for developer access when adding or updating tracking codes. You install GTM by pasting two code snippets into Page Tags, then manage all your third-party tags through the GTM dashboard.

Key benefits

Manage all tracking tags from a single Google interface without developer access.
Deploy marketing pixels, analytics codes, and conversion tracking quickly across your site.
Eliminate the need for code changes when adding or updating tracking scripts.
Support Google Consent Mode V2 via compatible cookie management platforms.
Reduce dependency on technical resources for routine tag updates.
Centralise tag management across multiple marketing and analytics tools.

Before you start

Before installing Google Tag Manager, make sure you have:

Admin access to your Access Volcanic website.
A Google Tag Manager account with your container code (e.g., GTM-XXXXXXX).
Both GTM code snippets copied from Google (one for page head, one noscript fallback for body).
Knowledge of any existing scripts in Page Tags that might require specific loading order.

📌 Note: If you already have Page Tags configured with cookie notices or analytics, separate multiple snippets with line breaks and check whether existing scripts need to load before GTM to avoid conflicts.

Installing Google Tag Manager

Accessing Page Tags

Log in to your Access Volcanic admin area as an admin.
Navigate to Page Tags in your admin settings.

Adding the GTM code snippets

Paste the head snippet into the Header code field.
Paste the noscript body snippet into the Footer code field.
Click the blue Submit button to save your changes.

📌 Note: Add line breaks between different snippets and confirm whether any existing code (such as cookie or consent scripts) must load before GTM.

Code examples

In the code snippets below, you'll need to replace GTM-ABCDEFGH with your actual container ID from Google Tag Manager (this will look like GTM- followed by letters and numbers).

Header code snippet example:

<!-- Google Tag Manager -->
<script>(function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':
new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],
j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src=
'https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);
})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-ABCDEFGH');</script>
<!-- End Google Tag Manager -->

Footer code snippet example:

<!-- Google Tag Manager (noscript) --> <noscript>   <iframe <!-- Google Tag Manager (noscript) -->
<noscript><iframe src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-ABCDEFGH"
height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript>
<!-- End Google Tag Manager (noscript) -->

Managing tags after installation

Once GTM is installed on your website, you can add and manage third-party tracking codes through the GTM interface without returning to the Access Volcanic admin area.

You can now deploy marketing and analytics tags including Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, conversion tracking, and other third-party scripts directly through your GTM dashboard.

📌Note: Third-party scripts can affect site performance. Regular audits help maintain optimal performance. Review your GTM setup periodically and remove unused tags, triggers, and templates to reduce load times and improve site speed.

You remain responsible for managing and monitoring all code added via GTM, so review and govern your tags internally.

⚠️ Important: You are responsible for managing and monitoring all tags added through GTM for performance impact.

Common uses for GTM on Volcanic websites

Once GTM is installed, you can deploy various tracking and marketing tools without further code changes to your Volcanic website.

Essential compliance and analytics

Add compliance cookie tools

If you use Google Ads, implement a Cookie Management Platform (CMP) that supports Google Consent Mode V2.

Popular options include CookieYes, and Cookiebot. Your provider will supply code snippets to add to GTM (or Page tags).

Implement Google Analytics

For Google Analytics, you can deploy it temporarily via GTM if the native Volcanic connection isn't available. However, GTM-based GA4 data won't appear in Volcanic reports, so switch to the platform connection when possible.

Popular GTM implementations

Marketing teams commonly use GTM to deploy:

Facebook Pixel for social media advertising.
LinkedIn Insight Tag for B2B campaigns.
Conversion tracking codes for various advertising platforms.
Website optimisation tools like Hotjar for user behaviour analysis.
Custom event tracking for candidate application flows can all be managed through GTM.

⚠️ Important: Remove any duplicate tracking codes from Page Tags after setting up GTM versions to avoid double-counting data.

Best practices

Test GTM installation using Preview mode before deploying tags to production.
Document your tag setup and maintain an inventory of active tags.
Audit your GTM setup periodically and remove unused tags, triggers, and templates to reduce load times.
Respect user consent preferences when deploying tracking tags.
Use descriptive naming conventions for tags, triggers, and variables in GTM.
Monitor site performance after adding new tags through GTM.
Set up regular reviews of your GTM configuration to keep your tag management organised and efficient.

📌 Note: GTM provides powerful tag management capabilities, but with that power comes responsibility for governance and performance monitoring.

FAQs

Q1: Where exactly do I paste the GTM code in Access Volcanic?

Answer: Paste the head snippet into Header code and the noscript body snippet into Footer code under Page Tags, then click Submit.

Q2: Can I run all third-party tracking through GTM?

Answer: Yes, you can add third-party scripts via GTM, but you'll need to manage and monitor them as third-party code can impact performance and is outside Access Volcanic's control.

Q3: Do I need a cookie pop-up for Google Ads?

Answer: If you use Google Ads or similar services, you'll need to use a CMP that supports Consent Mode V2 to remain compliant. Implementation may require scripts in Page Tags and configuration within GTM.

Q4: Will GTM affect my website's loading speed?

Answer: GTM itself has minimal impact, but the tags you deploy through GTM can affect performance. Regular audits and removing unused tags help maintain optimal speed.

Q5: Can I use GTM for Google Analytics 4?

Answer: Yes, you can deploy GA4 via GTM as a temporary solution, but data won't appear in Access Volcanic reports. Switch to the native platform connection when available and remove duplicate tags.

Q6: What happens if I make a mistake in GTM?

Answer: GTM includes preview and debug modes to test changes before publishing. Use these features to verify your setup before making tags live on your website.

Q7: Do I need to remove the default Volcanic cookie banner?

Answer: If you implement a third-party CMP, raise a support case to request removal of the default Volcanic cookie pop-up to avoid conflicts.

Q8: How do I know if my GTM installation is working?

Answer: Use GTM's Preview mode to test your installation. You should see your website loading in the preview with GTM detecting page views and any configured tags firing correctly.

Q9: GTM Preview mode isn't working - what should I check?

Answer: Confirm both code snippets are present in the correct Page Tags fields and that your container ID is accurate. Check that other scripts aren't blocking GTM and ensure any required script ordering is respected.

Q10: My consent settings aren't working properly - how do I fix this?

Answer: Verify your CMP implements Consent Mode V2 correctly and that tags in GTM are configured to respect consent states according to your provider's setup guide.

Q11: I'm experiencing performance issues after adding GTM - what should I do?

Answer: Regular audits help maintain optimal performance. Review your GTM setup periodically and remove unused tags, triggers, and templates to reduce load times and improve site speed.