Starting April 10, 2025, Google has rolled out a major change that affects all businesses using Google Tag Manager (GTM). If you’ve noticed a new Google Tag automatically appearing in your GTM container, you’re not alone. In this blog, we’ll walk through what this update means, why it matters, and the steps you should take to ensure your website tracking remains accurate and compliant.
If you prefer learning by watching, here is a video with this same overview. If you have not yet, consider subscribing to stay up-to-date on all things analytics.
Google announced that all GTM users who run Google Ads or Floodlight tags will now automatically see a Google Tag added into their container. This tag underpins essential tracking features such as consent management, attribution, enhanced conversions, and other privacy-focused tools.
Even if you only use GA4 (Google Analytics 4), you may also notice this tag being added soon as Google rolls this out more broadly.
The Google Tag is a unified piece of code that loads the foundational tracking components needed for all Google products. It is critical for:
Loading Google Analytics 4 (GA4)
Enabling enhanced conversions
Supporting Consent Mode
Maintaining accurate attribution tracking
In short: it powers the backend of your marketing measurement.
In today’s privacy-first digital world, correct tracking setups are more important than ever. If you ignore this update:
You risk double-counting events
Your conversion data may become inaccurate
You could lose critical audience insights needed for optimizing campaigns
Your site may fall behind evolving privacy standards
Taking the right action today ensures your measurement is future-proofed against Google’s evolving ecosystem.
Log into Google Tag Manager.
Look for a gray banner across the top mentioning missing Google Tags.
Open the new Container Quality report to find the listed issues.
If you see missing Google Tags, it’s time to act.
Google Tag Manager will suggest the exact tag you need.
Set the new tag to “Initialization” trigger type.
Click “Add to Workspace.”
Before publishing:
Use GTM Preview Mode to validate the new tag is firing.
Check for duplicate tags using your browser’s Developer Tools.
Look for multiple “page_view” hits that could indicate double counting.
Once you’re confident your setup is correct:
Click “Submit” in Google Tag Manager.
Name your update (e.g., “Add New Google Tag per April 10 Update”).
Click “Publish.”
Your tracking is now fully updated!
Many businesses deploy Google Analytics or Ads tags via CMS platforms like Shopify, Squarespace, or WordPress and through Tag Manager.
If your site has hardcoded tags and Tag Manager tags, make sure they aren’t both sending the same data — otherwise, you risk inflating your metrics.
Always:
Audit your source code
Validate using GTM Preview Mode + Network tab inspection
This Google Tag Manager update is part of a broader push towards better privacy standards and cleaner, more reliable measurement. While it may feel like extra work now, taking these steps ensures your Google Ads, GA4, and Floodlight tracking remain effective and compliant.
If you have any questions or run into setup issues, feel free to reach out!
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