This document summarizes Simo Ahava's presentation on tag management systems (TMS). Some key points include: - A TMS bridges the gap between developers and marketers by allowing tags to be managed centrally without embedding them directly into code. - While TMS aims to provide an easy solution, proper planning is required for migrating tags and ongoing management. - When implemented correctly, a TMS can make tagging and analytics more agile. However, it also introduces some performance overhead and flexibility must be balanced with stability. - The presenter cautions against overselling a TMS as a "miracle cure" and advocates focusing on how it facilitates tagging to achieve desired analytics goals

1. Simo
Ahava
-­‐
#DDTT
Tag
Management
May
6th
2014
Digital
Data
Tips
Tuesday
-­‐
Amsterdam
h?p://digitaldata.Cps
1
Simo Ahava | NetBooster
Simo Ahava | NetBooster FinlandAsk not what your tags can do for you…
#ddtt | May 6 2014 | @SimoAhava | www.simoahava.com

2. Simo
Ahava
-­‐
#DDTT
Tag
Management
May
6th
2014
Digital
Data
Tips
Tuesday
-­‐
Amsterdam
h?p://digitaldata.Cps
2
Simo Ahava | NetBooster Finland
The Defining Qualities Of A Tag Management System (TMS)
GA pageview
AdWords remarketing
GA event
AdWords conversion tracking
TMS container
Traditional: tags directly in page template TMS: only container code on page template
#dd?
|
May
6
2014
|
@SimoAhava
|
www.simoahava.com
The Defining Qualities Of A Tag Management System (TMS)
TEMPLATE
+
CONTAINER
TMS
+
TAGS
PAGE
+
TAGS
Page template TMS UI Rendered page
#dd?
|
May
6
2014
|
@SimoAhava
|
www.simoahava.com

3. Simo
Ahava
-­‐
#DDTT
Tag
Management
May
6th
2014
Digital
Data
Tips
Tuesday
-­‐
Amsterdam
h?p://digitaldata.Cps
3
The Defining Qualities Of A Tag Management System (TMS)
1. Easy to learn – difficult to master
2. Bridges the gap between the developer and the marketer
3. Promoted as a care-free solution – requires a lot of planning
4. Agile – if done correctly
5. Just a means to an end – does not drive insight itself
6. Can be extended beyond just marketing tagging
7. Can replace multiple tools
8. Capable of completely breaking your website
9. Trades performance for flexibility
10. Scalable and trustworthy – if operated with a data layer
#dd?
|
May
6
2014
|
@SimoAhava
|
www.simoahava.com
The Defining Qualities Of A Tag Management System (TMS)
1. Easy to learn – difficult to master
2. Bridges the gap between the developer and the marketer
3. Promoted as a care-free solution – requires a lot of planning
4. Agile – if done correctly
5. Just a means to an end – does not drive insight itself
6. Can be extended beyond just marketing tagging
7. Can replace multiple tools
8. Capable of completely breaking your website
9. Trades performance for flexibility
10. Scalable and trustworthy – if operated with a data layer
#dd?
|
May
6
2014
|
@SimoAhava
|
www.simoahava.com

4. Simo
Ahava
-­‐
#DDTT
Tag
Management
May
6th
2014
Digital
Data
Tips
Tuesday
-­‐
Amsterdam
h?p://digitaldata.Cps
4
The Defining Qualities Of A Tag Management System (TMS)
1. Easy to learn – difficult to master
2. Bridges the gap between the developer and the marketer
3. Promoted as a care-free solution – requires a lot of planning
4. Agile – if done correctly
5. Just a means to an end – does not drive insight itself
6. Can be extended beyond just marketing tagging
7. Can replace multiple tools
8. Capable of completely breaking your website
9. Trades performance for flexibility
10. Scalable and trustworthy – if operated with a data layer
#dd?
|
May
6
2014
|
@SimoAhava
|
www.simoahava.com
The Defining Qualities Of A Tag Management System (TMS)
1. Easy to learn – difficult to master
2. Bridges the gap between the developer and the marketer
3. Promoted as a care-free solution – requires a lot of planning
4. Agile – if done correctly
5. Just a means to an end – does not drive insight itself
6. Can be extended beyond just marketing tagging
7. Can replace multiple tools
8. Capable of completely breaking your website
9. Trades performance for flexibility
10. Scalable and trustworthy – if operated with a data layer
#dd?
|
May
6
2014
|
@SimoAhava
|
www.simoahava.com

5. Simo
Ahava
-­‐
#DDTT
Tag
Management
May
6th
2014
Digital
Data
Tips
Tuesday
-­‐
Amsterdam
h?p://digitaldata.Cps
5
The Defining Qualities Of A Tag Management System (TMS)
1. Easy to learn – difficult to master
2. Bridges the gap between the developer and the marketer
3. Promoted as a care-free solution – requires a lot of planning
4. Agile – if done correctly
5. Just a means to an end – does not drive insight itself
6. Can be extended beyond just marketing tagging
7. Can replace multiple tools
8. Capable of completely breaking your website
9. Trades performance for flexibility
10. Scalable and trustworthy – if operated with a data layer
#dd?
|
May
6
2014
|
@SimoAhava
|
www.simoahava.com
The Defining Qualities Of A Tag Management System (TMS)
1. Easy to learn – difficult to master
2. Bridges the gap between the developer and the marketer
3. Promoted as a care-free solution – requires a lot of planning
4. Agile – if done correctly
5. Just a means to an end – does not drive insight itself
6. Can be extended beyond just marketing tagging
7. Can replace multiple tools
8. Capable of completely breaking your website
9. Trades performance for flexibility
10. Scalable and trustworthy – if operated with a data layer
#dd?
|
May
6
2014
|
@SimoAhava
|
www.simoahava.com

6. Simo
Ahava
-­‐
#DDTT
Tag
Management
May
6th
2014
Digital
Data
Tips
Tuesday
-­‐
Amsterdam
h?p://digitaldata.Cps
6
The Defining Qualities Of A Tag Management System (TMS)
1. Easy to learn – difficult to master
2. Bridges the gap between the developer and the marketer
3. Promoted as a care-free solution – requires a lot of planning
4. Agile – if done correctly
5. Just a means to an end – does not drive insight itself
6. Can be extended beyond just marketing tagging
7. Can replace multiple tools
8. Capable of completely breaking your website
9. Trades performance for flexibility
10. Scalable and trustworthy – if operated with a data layer
#dd?
|
May
6
2014
|
@SimoAhava
|
www.simoahava.com
The Defining Qualities Of A Tag Management System (TMS)
1. Easy to learn – difficult to master
2. Bridges the gap between the developer and the marketer
3. Promoted as a care-free solution – requires a lot of planning
4. Agile – if done correctly
5. Just a means to an end – does not drive insight itself
6. Can be extended beyond just marketing tagging
7. Can replace multiple tools
8. Capable of completely breaking your website
9. Trades performance for flexibility
10. Scalable and trustworthy – if operated with a data layer
#dd?
|
May
6
2014
|
@SimoAhava
|
www.simoahava.com

7. Simo
Ahava
-­‐
#DDTT
Tag
Management
May
6th
2014
Digital
Data
Tips
Tuesday
-­‐
Amsterdam
h?p://digitaldata.Cps
7
The Defining Qualities Of A Tag Management System (TMS)
1. Easy to learn – difficult to master
2. Bridges the gap between the developer and the marketer
3. Promoted as a care-free solution – requires a lot of planning
4. Agile – if done correctly
5. Just a means to an end – does not drive insight itself
6. Can be extended beyond just marketing tagging
7. Can replace multiple tools
8. Capable of completely breaking your website
9. Trades performance for flexibility
10. Scalable and trustworthy – if operated with a data layer
#dd?
|
May
6
2014
|
@SimoAhava
|
www.simoahava.com
The Defining Qualities Of A Tag Management System (TMS)
1. Easy to learn – difficult to master
2. Bridges the gap between the developer and the marketer
3. Promoted as a care-free solution – requires a lot of planning
4. Agile – if done correctly
5. Just a means to an end – does not drive insight itself
6. Can be extended beyond just marketing tagging
7. Can replace multiple tools
8. Capable of completely breaking your website
9. Trades performance for flexibility
10. Scalable and trustworthy – if operated with a data layer
#dd?
|
May
6
2014
|
@SimoAhava
|
www.simoahava.com

8. Simo
Ahava
-­‐
#DDTT
Tag
Management
May
6th
2014
Digital
Data
Tips
Tuesday
-­‐
Amsterdam
h?p://digitaldata.Cps
8
Lesson I – The Pitch
IT
department
is
SLOW!
Let
me
code!
TMS
will
solve
ALL
our
problems!
I
don’t
know,
I
JUST
KNOW
I
HAVE
TO
HAVE
IT!
#dd?
|
May
6
2014
|
@SimoAhava
|
www.simoahava.com
Lesson I – The Pitch
IT
department
is
SLOW!
Let
me
code!
TMS
will
solve
ALL
our
problems!
I
don’t
know,
I
JUST
KNOW
I
HAVE
TO
HAVE
IT!
#dd?
|
May
6
2014
|
@SimoAhava
|
www.simoahava.com

9. Simo
Ahava
-­‐
#DDTT
Tag
Management
May
6th
2014
Digital
Data
Tips
Tuesday
-­‐
Amsterdam
h?p://digitaldata.Cps
9
Lesson I – The Pitch
ü Don’t antagonize IT – Find common ground and establish
parameters
ü Don’t jump in without a plan – Both for migrating and for
managing tags
ü Don’t imagine you’re suddenly fluent with web technologies – But
don’t forget you are actually producing front-end code
ü ”TMS is not a miracle cure – it’s chicken soup for your tags”
© Julien Coquet
ü Focus on how the TMS will faciliate tagging, make your analytics
work agile, and thus help you track what you want, when you want
and with what tools you want
#dd?
|
May
6
2014
|
@SimoAhava
|
www.simoahava.com
Lesson II – The Plan
#dd?
|
May
6
2014
|
@SimoAhava
|
www.simoahava.com

10. Simo
Ahava
-­‐
#DDTT
Tag
Management
May
6th
2014
Digital
Data
Tips
Tuesday
-­‐
Amsterdam
h?p://digitaldata.Cps
10
Lesson II – The Plan
ü Use a tool like Hub’Scan,Tag Inspector,WASP, Screaming Frog to
make an inventory of all existing tags
ü Replicate tags in the TMS
ü Test in a staging environment
ü Synchronize removal of old tags with TMS deployment to live
environment
ü Preview, test, debug, preview, test, debug, preview, test, debug,
preview, test, debug, preview, test, debug, preview, test, debug,
preview, test, debug, preview, test, debug, preview, test, debug
#dd?
|
May
6
2014
|
@SimoAhava
|
www.simoahava.com
Lesson III – The Process
#dd?
|
May
6
2014
|
@SimoAhava
|
www.simoahava.com

11. Simo
Ahava
-­‐
#DDTT
Tag
Management
May
6th
2014
Digital
Data
Tips
Tuesday
-­‐
Amsterdam
h?p://digitaldata.Cps
11
Lesson III – The Process
Use a naming
convention – and
stick with it
#dd?
|
May
6
2014
|
@SimoAhava
|
www.simoahava.com
Lesson III – The Process
Use a naming
convention – and
stick with it Use a simple
syntax with all
structure – not just
tags
#dd?
|
May
6
2014
|
@SimoAhava
|
www.simoahava.com

12. Simo
Ahava
-­‐
#DDTT
Tag
Management
May
6th
2014
Digital
Data
Tips
Tuesday
-­‐
Amsterdam
h?p://digitaldata.Cps
12
Lesson III – The Process
Use a naming
convention – and
stick with it Use a simple
syntax with all
structure – not just
tags
Find opportunities
to make schema
leaner
#dd?
|
May
6
2014
|
@SimoAhava
|
www.simoahava.com
Once you deploy a Tag Management System…

13. Simo
Ahava
-­‐
#DDTT
Tag
Management
May
6th
2014
Digital
Data
Tips
Tuesday
-­‐
Amsterdam
h?p://digitaldata.Cps
13
…YOU HAVE NO MORE EXCUSES NOT TO
OPTIMIZEYOUR DATA COLLECTION!!!
Simo Ahava | NetBooster Finland
Thank you
See you on Twitter / Google+ / LinkedIn / NetBooster / simoahava.com