Update time: March 13, 2026
In this article I will show you how to deploy Google Analytics 4 through Google Tag Manager.
Step 1: Set Up Google Tag Manager
Creates GTM Container
First things first — you need a container in GTM. Think of a container as the workspace where all your tracking codes live.
In GTM, click「⋮」——「Create Container」：
Then see the setting interface of the Create Container：
- Container Name： Usually your website domain. I use http://www.bcs.com here.
- Target Platform：Choose Web for a website.
Finally click 「Create」 to create a new container.
That’s it. Your container is ready.
Install the GTM Code on Your Website
Now you need to install the GTM snippet. This is the one part where you might need developer help — but it’s a one-time thing.
in GTM， click「Admin」——「Install Google Tag Manager」：
You’ll see two code snippets — one for the <head> and one for the <body>.
Both need to be added to every page of your website. Usually, you’d add them to your site template.
A quick heads-up: If you don’t have server or template access, you’ll need to ask a developer for help. It’s a 5-minute job for them — just share the two code snippets.
Test the Installation
Before moving on, make sure GTM is loading correctly. Note that GTM won’t work until you publish at least one version — if you skip this, you’ll get a 404 error when the container tries to load.
In GTM, click 「Submit」——「Publish」 the upper right corner to publish.
Open Developer Tools , click Network, and then filter with “GTM”. You can see that GTM’s JS can be loaded normally, and the status is 200, indicating that the deployment is fine.
Step 2: Create a GA4 Property
Now let’s set up the destination — your GA4 property.
In GA4, click 「Admin」——「+Create」——「Property」:
Create Property
Configure the following settings：
- Property name: I recommend using your website domain — keeps things organized
- Reporting time zone: Choose your local time zone
- Currency: The currency you want reports in
Click 「Next」.
Business Details
GA4 will ask for some information about your business:
- Industry category (Required): Pick the one that best describes your business.
- Business size (Required): Choose the employee count range.
Click「Next」 after filling these in.
Business objectives
GA4 uses these to recommend reports and insights.
Select the options that match your goals, then click Create」.
Data collection
Create a Data Stream
GA4 needs a data stream to know where data is coming from. GA4 supports three types: Web, iOS, and Android. You can have multiple streams sending data to the same property.
- Website URL: Your homepage URL
- Stream name: A descriptive name for this data source
- Enhanced measurement: Enabled by default — this automatically tracks page views, scrolls, outbound clicks, and more. You can disable anything you don’t need.
Click「 Create & Continue」to create Data Stream.
Data Stream Details
Once created, you’ll see the stream details. Two values are important:
- MEASUREMENT ID: This is used for web tracking.
- STREAM ID: an internal ID, primarily used for app tracking.
Copy the MEASUREMENT ID. You’ll need it in the next step.
Step 3: Connect GA4 to GTM
Store the Measurement ID
First, let’s store the Measurement ID in a GTM variable so we can reuse it easily.
In GTM, click「Variable」——「New」——「Choose a variable type to begin setup…」——「Constant」, name it “Measurement ID”, and then make the following settings:
Create the Google Tag
In GTM, click「Tags」——「New」——「Choose a tag type to begin setup…」——「Google Analytics」——「Google Tag」, name it “GA4 Tracking Code”, and then make the following settings:
Step 4: Preview and Test
This is the most important step. Never publish without testing first.
Click 「Preview」 in the upper right corner.
It will open the Tag Assistant:
- Your website’s URL: Enter the domain name to be tested. Here, it is https://www.bbccss.com
- Include debug signal in the URL: Uncheck
Finally, click “Connect” , Tag Assistant will open your website. Look for the “Tag Assistant Connected” banner in the bottom right corner — that means you’re in preview mode.
Go back to Tag Assistant and find Window Loaded in the Summary. You should see your GA4 Tracking Code tag listed as triggered. If it shows as triggered, the configuration is working.
Step 5: Publish
If everything looks good in testing, it’s time to publish.
In GTM, click 「Submit」——「Publish」, Add a version name and description (e.g., “Initial GA4 deployment”).
That’s it. GA4 is now live on your site through GTM.
Final Words
I know this looked like a lot of steps when you started reading, but most of them are one-time configurations. The GTM container creation, the GA4 property setup, the data stream — you do these once and they’re done. The only thing you’ll repeat is testing and publishing, and that gets faster every time.
This guide covers the basic web setup. If you need to track iOS or Android apps, the process is similar but with different stream types and a few extra configuration steps. And if you’re looking to go further, I’ve written guides on more advanced topics like setting up custom dimensions, tracking form submissions, and configuring ecommerce events.