Do I Need a Conversion Linker Tag in GTM?

If you have been working in Google Tag Manager recently, you may have noticed that Google has rolled out a new Conversion Linker tag. You may also see a notification banner prompting you to add a Conversion Linker in order to improve ad click data collection.

So, what is this Conversion Linker tag, and when do you need one?

The Conversion Linker supports the new site-wide tagging for Google AdWords and DoubleClick. Specifically, the tag detects ad click information in the URL (the gclid or dclid parameter) and stores it in a first-party cookie on your domain. This is to mitigate the effects of the recently-introduced Intelligent Tracking Prevention in Safari, which can compromise the accuracy of conversion measurement for your paid campaigns.

If you’re an AdWords user, you should add a Conversion Linker tag if:

1. You are not using Google Analytics, or
2. You have not linked your GA and AdWords accounts, or
3. You want to override the default cookie settings for storing the gclid

If you fall into one of the above three categories, you should deploy a Conversion Linker tag ASAP.

If you have deployed Google Analytics through GTM, AND you have linked your GA and AdWords accounts, then you don’t need a Conversion Linker tag. The base GA tag already performs the same functionality as the Conversion Linker.

If you’re a DoubleClick user (DoubleClick Search, DoubleClick Bid Manager, or DoubleClick Campaign Manager), you should add a Conversion Linker tag ASAP.

Even if you have Google Analytics 360 and have linked to your DoubleClick accounts, you will still need to update your tagging. Unlike with AdWords, the link to DoubleClick doesn’t help in this case.

How do I add a Conversion Linker?

Adding a Conversion Linker tag in GTM is a simple process:

1. Create a new tag.
2. Choose the Conversion Linker tag type.
3. Select the All Pages trigger.
4. Save and Publish.

If you have any questions, feel free to comment below!