Running a small business often means wearing every hat—including the one labelled “web analyst.” But don’t worry, you don’t need a data science degree or an IT team to start understanding what your website visitors are doing. That’s where Google Tag Manager (GTM) comes in.
GTM collects data, sends it where it needs to go and helps you track what matters most—all without having to touch your website code every time. Whether you’re new to analytics or just tired of switching between tools, this guide will walk you through the benefits of using Google tag management, what to tag and how to get started with confidence.
- Google Tag Manager lets you track website activity without touching your site’s code.
- Most small businesses use just basic traffic stats, but powerful free tools reveal more.
- Tools like Hotjar and Clarity show exactly where users click, scroll and drop off.
- Google Analytics 4 helps you measure what’s working and what’s not.
- Real businesses have improved conversion rates by up to 79% by acting on user data.
What is Google Tag Manager?
Google Tag Manager (GTM) is a free tool that lets you add and manage tracking tags on your website, without needing to edit your site’s code every time. These tags are tiny snippets of code that collect data, like how people click around your site, submit forms or watch videos.
Instead of relying on a developer every time you want to track a new event, GTM gives you one container code that you install once. After that, you can add, update or disable tags anytime through GTM’s user-friendly dashboard.
Think of it as your website’s remote control for data tracking. Want to track newsletter signups? A promo button click? Abandoned carts? GTM makes it easy so you spend less time wrangling code and more time understanding your customers.
Why tracking website statistics is your business growth secret weapon
Let’s face it: Analytics can sound overwhelming. Dashboards, data points, bounce rates… it’s a lot. But when you start viewing your website as the first person to start selling for you, suddenly tracking stats feels a little more worthwhile.
If someone spends three minutes reading your About page but closes the tab when they reach your contact form, that’s telling you something. Maybe it’s time to tweak that form or make your call to action more obvious. These are the types of insights that Google tag management tools can reveal, and they help you make smarter decisions without the guesswork.
One LinkedIn study found that 67% of small businesses spend over $10,000 a year on data analytics. But that doesn’t mean you have to. There are powerful free tools that let you:
- Understand how people find your site
- Spot drop-off points in your sales funnel
- See which content keeps users engaged
- Track specific events without hiring a developer
Tracking isn’t about vanity metrics. It’s about figuring out what’s working, what isn’t and where you can improve, all with the power of strategic tag Google implementation.
Want to go deeper? Learn how to find your target audience.
Google Analytics displayed on a mobile phone via DepositPhotos
5 standout tools for tracking website statistics
There are lots of tools out there, but these five stand out for their simplicity, flexibility and usefulness for small businesses implementing Google tag management and other tracking solutions.
1. Google Analytics
The gold standard of web analytics. Google Analytics (especially GA4) gives you a detailed view of how users interact with your site. It tracks where visitors come from, what pages they view, how long they stay and what actions they take.
Best for: Comprehensive tracking and integration with other Google tools.
Pricing: Free
Pros:
- Extremely customizable reporting dashboard
- Seamless integration with other Google products
- Wide support community with abundant tutorials
- Regular updates with new features
- Powerful segmentation capabilities
- Cross-device and cross-platform tracking
Cons:
- Learning curve can be steep for beginners
- Recent GA4 update changed familiar interfaces
- Advanced features require technical knowledge
- Can be overwhelming with too many data points
Start with the Behavior Flow report to see where people drop off or keep engaging.
Google Analytics via DepositPhotos
2. Hotjar
Hotjar gives you a visual peek into how visitors behave on your site. Think heatmaps, session recordings and real user feedback: perfect for understanding the “why” behind your Google tag management data.
Best for: Understanding exactly where users click, scroll and get stuck.
Pricing: Free plan available; paid plans start at $40/month when billed annually.
Pros:
- Easy to install with simple tag deployment
- Powerful visual insights through heatmaps
- Direct user feedback through surveys
- Session recordings reveal user frustrations
- Intuitive interface requires minimal training
- Complements quantitative data with qualitative insights
Cons:
- Limited quantitative data compared to Google Analytics
- Free plan restricts number of recordings and pageviews
- Some features only available on higher-tier plans
- Can impact page load speed if not configured correctly
Screenshot via Hotjar
3. Matomo
Matomo is a privacy-first analytics tool that gives you full control of your data. It’s open-source, which means no data sharing with third parties—an excellent complement to your Google tag management strategy.
Best for: Businesses with strict data privacy needs.
Pricing: Free for self-hosted; cloud hosting starts at $26/month.
Pros:
- GDPR-compliant out of the box
- Full data ownership and control
- No sampling of data regardless of traffic volume
- Customizable dashboards and reports
- Cookie-less tracking options available
- Open-source community support
Cons:
- Less intuitive UI for beginners
- Self-hosting requires technical setup and maintenance
- Smaller ecosystem of integrations than Google products
- Limited advanced features compared to enterprise tools
Screenshot via Matomo
4. Microsoft Clarity
A lesser-known gem, Clarity is completely free and offers heatmaps, scroll tracking and session recordings, just like Hotjar. It integrates well with various tag manager solutions.
Best for: Budget-conscious businesses wanting visual insights.
Pricing: Free
Pros:
- No traffic limits or sampling
- Easy-to-use interface with minimal setup
- Zero cost regardless of website size
- Robust heatmap and session recording features
- Automatic identification of frustrated user sessions
- Seamless integration with Microsoft products
Cons:
- Fewer advanced integrations than paid tools
- Limited customization options
- Newer platform with a less established community
- Basic analytics compared to dedicated solutions
Screenshot via Microsoft Clarity
5. Mixpanel
Mixpanel focuses on product and user journey analytics. It’s great for understanding conversion funnels and retention with powerful event tracking that works well with Google Tag Manager.
Best for: SaaS businesses or online stores that want to understand user behavior over time.
Pricing: Free for up to 20 million monthly events; paid plans from $20/month.
Pros:
- Strong user segmentation tools
- Cohort analysis for retention tracking
- A/B testing capabilities built in
- Real-time data processing
- Powerful custom event tracking
- Robust API for customization
Cons:
- Might be more advanced than many small businesses need
- Steeper learning curve than basic analytics tools
- Requires thoughtful event planning and implementation
- Can become expensive as traffic grows
Screenshot via Mixpanel
4 tools to decode behavior analytics
Behavior analytics tools help you answer the question: Why are people acting a certain way on your site? These tools enhance your Google tag management strategy by providing context to your data.
1. FullStory
This advanced tool uses session replays and AI to highlight frustration points, like rage-clicks and drop-offs, going beyond what basic tag manager solutions can tell you.
Best for: Businesses ready to scale their user experience testing.
Pricing: Custom pricing after free trial.
Pros:
- Real-time alerts for unusual user behavior
- Machine learning insights identify patterns automatically
- Searchable recordings by user actions
- Quantifies business impact of UX issues
- Comprehensive developer tools for debugging
- Integrates with many CRM and support platforms
Cons:
- May be overwhelming for beginners
- Significant investment for small businesses
- Privacy concerns require careful configuration
- Can generate excessive data requiring management
Screenshot via FullStory
2. Heap
Heap automatically tracks every user interaction, no manual tagging required. This helps uncover patterns you didn’t know to look for, making it a powerful complement to traditional Google tag management.
Best for: Companies with multi-step user flows (e.g., signups or bookings)
Pricing: Free for small businesses; paid plans available.
Pros:
- Easy implementation with automatic event capture
- Retroactive analysis without pre-defining events
- Robust insights across entire user journey
- Visual editor for defining events
- No need for developer resources for basic tracking
- Flexible segmentation options
Cons:
- Data can be dense without proper filtering
- Advanced features require paid plans
- Can be overwhelming with high-traffic websites
- Requires strategic planning to avoid data overload
Screenshot via Heap
3. Hotjar (again)
It deserves a second mention because it sits at the intersection of analytics and user feedback. The combo of heatmaps and surveys is powerful for enhancing your Google tag management service data.
Screenshot via Hotjar
4. Quantum Metric
This tool uses machine learning to detect and quantify where users struggle most. Think live alerts when there’s a drop in conversions. It’s ideal for businesses using Google Tag Manager to optimize their site performance.
Best for: Teams who want real-time, automated insight into UX pain points.
Pricing: Custom
Pros:
- Scalable and enterprise-grade analytics
- Automatic anomaly detection saves analysis time
- Quantifies revenue impact of user experience issues
- Session replay with technical diagnostics
- Integrates with multiple data sources
- Advanced segmentation capabilities
Cons:
- Less suited to small-scale websites
- Enterprise pricing model
- Requires implementation planning
- Feature-rich interface can be complex
Screenshot via Quantum Metric.
Need design inspiration, too? Check out these web design ideas.
Making sense of your website data: What to actually track
Not every stat deserves your time. Here’s what really matters when setting up your Google tag management strategy:
- Conversion rate: How many people take the action you want (e.g., signing up or purchasing)
- Traffic sources: Where your visitors are coming from (Google search? Instagram? Email?)
- User flow: How people move through your site after tag interactions
- Bounce rate: Are people leaving without clicking?
- Page speed: Is your site loading fast enough to keep users around?
Instead of trying to track everything, define what success looks like for your business. Then work backward to the metrics that support that goal.
For example, if your goal is to get more newsletter signups, track where users drop off in the signup form and A/B test different button text or colors. If you run an online shop, look at product page views versus purchases to identify hesitation points.
Set up a dashboard with your key metrics and schedule weekly reports to your inbox.
Set up a dashboard with your key metrics via DepositPhotos.
Google Analytics: Getting started with the best overall tool without the overwhelm
Google Analytics vs. Google Tag Manager is a common confusion point since they work together but serve different purposes. But don’t stress. Here’s a simple way to get started with both:
Step 1: Install GA4
Use Google Tag Manager (GTM) to add your GA4 tracking code without needing a developer.
To do this:
- Create a free GTM account and set up a container for your website
- Add the GTM container snippet to your site header (or ask your web developer to do it)
- Use GTM to add the GA4 tag by inputting your measurement ID
Step 2: Focus on these reports
- Traffic acquisition: How users found your site
- Engagement overview: Time on site, top pages, scroll depth
- Conversions: Set up goals to track purchases, signups or downloads
Step 3: Explore the Behavior Flow
This shows where users drop off and which pages keep them hooked. It’s a goldmine for improving your site and optimizing your Google tag management strategy.
GTM lets you track clicks and form submissions using built-in triggers; no coding needed.
Turning insights into action: Website improvements that work
Data without action is just noise. Here’s how to use your Google tag management insights:
- High bounce rate on a contact page? Add live chat or shorten your form.
- Users abandoning checkout? Try showing shipping costs earlier.
- Lots of traffic from mobile but low conversions? Time for a mobile-first design tweak.
- Visitors dropping off before viewing product pages? Move key links higher in the homepage layout.
One small change can make a big difference: Truckers Report tested six landing pages and found one that increased conversions by 79.3%—all thanks to insights from user behavior.
Want more improvement tips? Explore website redesign and website layout ideas.
Start small, measure consistently, grow confidently
You don’t need to be a data expert to use tools like Google Tag Manager. All you need is the right setup, a few smart tools and a clear sense of what you want to achieve.
Pick one or two metrics to track. Set up alerts. Use heatmaps or session replays to understand your visitors better. Then take action, and keep adjusting.
Because once you know what’s happening on your website through effective Google tag management, you’re no longer guessing. You’re growing!
FAQs about tracking website statistics
What’s the difference between Google Analytics and Google Search Console?
Google Analytics tracks how users interact with your site after they arrive. Google Search Console shows how your site appears in search results and flags technical SEO issues. They work alongside your tag manager for complete visibility.
How often should I check my website statistics?
Weekly is a good start for most small businesses using Google tag management. That gives you enough data to spot trends without being overwhelmed by daily fluctuations.
Which website metrics matter most for e-commerce businesses?
Focus on these key tags and metrics:
- Conversion rate
- Cart abandonment rate
- Average order value
- Source of traffic
- Product page engagement
Can I track user behavior without violating privacy regulations?
Yes, especially with tools like Matomo or settings that anonymize IP addresses in your Google tag management setup. Always update your privacy policy and get cookie consent where required by regulations like GDPR and CCPA.
How do I fix a high bounce rate on my website?
Start by checking page speed, mobile responsiveness and whether your call to action is clear and relevant. Your tag manager data can reveal which pages need the most attention.
