# Google Tag Manager, what it is and how websites use it.

A tag management solution by Google that allows adding and managing marketing and analytics scripts without modifying the website's code. Supports triggers, variables, and configuration versioning.

- **Status:** Modern. Standard tag management tool, actively developed.
- **Category:** [Analytics & Marketing](https://be1st.ai/technologies/analytics)
- **First release:** 2012
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Official website:** https://marketingplatform.google.com/about/tag-manager/
- **Documentation:** https://developers.google.com/tag-platform/tag-manager
- **Page:** https://be1st.ai/technologies/analytics/google-tag-manager

## Google Tag Manager on audited websites

4,101 of the 16,845 websites audited by be1st run Google Tag Manager (24%). That ranks it #2 of the 18 technologies in Analytics & Marketing we have seen in audits.

### Websites running Google Tag Manager vs all websites

- **Web score:** 73 (all websites 72)
- **SEO:** 84 (all websites 79)
- **Security:** 59 (all websites 59)
- **Performance:** 63 (all websites 72)
- **AI Readiness:** 34 (all websites 31)

### Most used in Analytics & Marketing

1. [Google Analytics](https://be1st.ai/technologies/analytics/google-analytics): 42% (7,016)
2. [Google Tag Manager](https://be1st.ai/technologies/analytics/google-tag-manager): 24% (4,101)
3. [Google Ads](https://be1st.ai/technologies/analytics/google-ads): 15% (2,503)
4. [Facebook Pixel (Meta Pixel)](https://be1st.ai/technologies/analytics/facebook-pixel): 15% (2,455)
5. [Heureka](https://be1st.ai/technologies/analytics/heureka): 3.3% (550)
6. [Sklik](https://be1st.ai/technologies/analytics/sklik): 3.0% (505)
7. [Hotjar](https://be1st.ai/technologies/analytics/hotjar): 2.4% (397)
8. [SmartSupp](https://be1st.ai/technologies/analytics/smartsupp): 2.2% (376)
9. [Matomo](https://be1st.ai/technologies/analytics/matomo): 2.0% (342)
10. [CookieYes](https://be1st.ai/technologies/analytics/cookieyes): 2.0% (331)

## Google searches for “google tag manager”

About 550,000 searches a month worldwide (Google Ads estimate). The bars show the 12 months from Oct 2025 to Sep 2026.

- 2025-10: 673,000
- 2025-11: 550,000
- 2025-12: 450,000
- 2026-01: 550,000
- 2026-02: 550,000
- 2026-03: 673,000
- 2026-04: 550,000
- 2026-05: 550,000
- 2026-06: 673,000
- 2026-07: 550,000
- 2026-08: 550,000
- 2026-09: 550,000

Open in search trends: https://be1st.ai/analytics/trends?kw=google%20tag%20manager&direction=all

## Other technologies in Analytics & Marketing

- [Umami](https://be1st.ai/technologies/analytics/umami): 1.3% of websites
- [Plausible](https://be1st.ai/technologies/analytics/plausible): 1.3% of websites
- [PostHog](https://be1st.ai/technologies/analytics/posthog): 1.3% of websites
- [Luigi's Box](https://be1st.ai/technologies/analytics/luigis-box): 1.2% of websites
- [Biano](https://be1st.ai/technologies/analytics/biano): <1% of websites
- [Fathom Analytics](https://be1st.ai/technologies/analytics/fathom): <1% of websites
- [Criteo](https://be1st.ai/technologies/analytics/criteo): <1% of websites
- [DataFast](https://be1st.ai/technologies/analytics/datafast): <1% of websites

[All 18 in Analytics & Marketing](https://be1st.ai/technologies/analytics)

## Questions about Google Tag Manager

### What is Google Tag Manager?

A tag management solution by Google that allows adding and managing marketing and analytics scripts without modifying the website's code. Supports triggers, variables, and configuration versioning. The be1st catalog lists Google Tag Manager under Analytics & Marketing. License of Google Tag Manager: Proprietary.

### How many websites use Google Tag Manager?

4,101 of the 16,845 websites audited by be1st run Google Tag Manager (24%), as of 8 Nov 2026.

### When was Google Tag Manager first released?

Google Tag Manager was first released in 2012.

### Is Google Tag Manager still a modern choice?

Yes. Google Tag Manager counts as a modern technology. Standard tag management tool, actively developed.

Numbers: latest audit of each of 16,845 websites audited by be1st, as of 8 Nov 2026.