Squarespace Ecommerce Tracking via Google Tag Manager

An experienced marketer told me that he had a client who was trying to track ecommerce on Squarespace using Google Tag Manager but they couldn't track the cart.

Google Tag Manager is the standard for e-commerce measurement so I was surprised to hear it but I haven't found any documentation to disprove it (and I have a client who has chosen SS e-Com).

Anyone know the current status of Squarespace E-Commerce as it relates to tracking via Google Tag Manager? I'm aware of the GTM implementation process with SS but haven't work with e-commerce yet.

UPDATE: GTM container code does not get added to the header/footer of the SS page, even if it is properly implemented via code injection (it does appear on all other pages).

If anyone has helpful resources for getting SS Commerce data into GA via GTM, please share them.

Hello, 

That's right, Squarespace does not support GTM implementation on their sites and therefore this is not supported on their checkout process, even if you're checking out users on your own domain, there's no control over what happens in the backend of that checkout page. 

However, we've found a workaround for this issue which works perfectly for us. 

So, the idea behind having Google Tag Manager on the site is so that you can track specific actions that you can't track by simply using Google Analytics - I take it that this is why you're also using GTM. 

One of the first steps we take whenever setting up GTM is to setup a "page view" tag to send this data into Analytics, which I assume you've also done. 

We also know that Squarespace and eCommerce tracking through GTM doesn't work, HOWEVER, eCommerce tracking through Google Analytics IS SUPPORTED by Squarespace (by adding the ID code within the web settings) so, the solution here is to use a combined approach by doing some of the tracking through GTM and some of it through the out of the box tracking with Squarespace and Google Analytics. 

Follow these rough steps (I'm assuming you've got experience with GTM and that you've already done some of the implementation):

- Add your analytics tracking code to Squarespace settings
- Enable eCommerce tracking and enhanced eCommerce settings within your Google Analytics view
- Go to your GTM container and PAUSE the tag that's sending "Page View" data into Google Analytics
- Voila! 🙂 

This way, Squarespace will take care of sending Page View and eCommerce data into your Google Analytics and you can do all of your behavioural tracking (button clicks, scrolling, Facebook Pixel, etc) within your GTM container. 

I hope that's clear enough and that it works for you. Let me know if it does! 🙂 

All the best,
Mariano

On 12/4/2019 at 11:37 PM, LaHacienda said:

Hello, 

That's right, Squarespace does not support GTM implementation on their sites and therefore this is not supported on their checkout process, even if you're checking out users on your own domain, there's no control over what happens in the backend of that checkout page. 

However, we've found a workaround for this issue which works perfectly for us. 

So, the idea behind having Google Tag Manager on the site is so that you can track specific actions that you can't track by simply using Google Analytics - I take it that this is why you're also using GTM. 

One of the first steps we take whenever setting up GTM is to setup a "page view" tag to send this data into Analytics, which I assume you've also done. 

We also know that Squarespace and eCommerce tracking through GTM doesn't work, HOWEVER, eCommerce tracking through Google Analytics IS SUPPORTED by Squarespace (by adding the ID code within the web settings) so, the solution here is to use a combined approach by doing some of the tracking through GTM and some of it through the out of the box tracking with Squarespace and Google Analytics. 

Follow these rough steps (I'm assuming you've got experience with GTM and that you've already done some of the implementation):

- Add your analytics tracking code to Squarespace settings
- Enable eCommerce tracking and enhanced eCommerce settings within your Google Analytics view
- Go to your GTM container and PAUSE the tag that's sending "Page View" data into Google Analytics
- Voila! 🙂 

This way, Squarespace will take care of sending Page View and eCommerce data into your Google Analytics and you can do all of your behavioural tracking (button clicks, scrolling, Facebook Pixel, etc) within your GTM container. 

I hope that's clear enough and that it works for you. Let me know if it does! 🙂 

All the best,
Mariano

Hi Mariano, 

I am stuck at this step ->
- Go to your GTM container and PAUSE the tag that's sending "Page View" data into Google Analytics

Can you teach me how to do this?

Thanks!

Cheers,
Debby

@matthowlett

The answer you're looking for is unfortunately somewhat complex. Squarespace's built-in implementation of Google Analytics only sends basic GA Ecommerce information and NOT Enhanced Ecommerce. Furthermore, in order to implement Enhanced Ecommerce on Squarespace using GTM, you need to do a bit of custom scripting.

The shortest answer to your question is read Simo Ahava's post about using GTM to implement ecommerce tracking here: https://www.simoahava.com/analytics/enhanced-ecommerce-guide-for-google-tag-manager/

Simo Ahava is effectively the world's leading expert on all things GTM.

Another resource you might find helpful is MeasureSchool on Youtube. They have a TON of really awesome tutorials on how to use GTM: 

As for the custom scripting I am talking about, this stackoverflow resource is the special sauce I needed to do my implementation. I used a combo of SS Custom Code Injection and GTM and was able to build a nice Enhanced Ecommerce installation.

I thought about writing out my entire solution here in this post, but it was way too long for a comment in this forum. I would be more than happy to send you a guide on how to do  or walk you through it. My e-mail is hello@turnerkirk.com

Rock on!

Turner Kirk