These days websites have become the main advertising centre for any organization or company because, with their help, only advertisements reach everybody worldwide.
Therefore, a unique team of people is recruited tto maintain the websites and are provided with special tools designed only for managing website functioning.
Google Tag Manager and Facebook Pixel both function as website maintenance tools. Both tools can be used together.
The user needs to make an account in the Google tag manager application; then they can add their Facebook pixel account with the same account.
Key Takeaways
- Google Tag Manager is a tool for managing multiple tracking and marketing tags on a website, while Facebook Pixel is specifically for tracking Facebook ad conversions and creating custom audiences.
- Google Tag Manager is a free tool provided by Google, while Facebook Pixel is also free but requires a Facebook Ads account.
- Google Tag Manager can be used with various advertising and analytics platforms, while Facebook Pixel is exclusively for use with Facebook’s advertising platform.
Google Tag Manager vs Facebook Pixel
Google Tag Manager is a tag management system (TMS) that allows you to quickly and easily update measurement codes and related code fragments collectively known as tags on your website or mobile app. The Facebook pixel is a piece of code for your website that lets you measure, optimize and build audiences for your ad campaigns.
Google Tag Manager was launched in 2012, and the whole system was developed in javascript language.
The primary function of this system is to let you eliminate extra unused tags from the websites and help you to maintain an excellent user-friendly interface with smooth website surfing. Facebook Pixel allows you analyze the growth of the advertisement graph on your website to gain money.
In a better language, it is an application that gives you a code to attach to your web code, which allows you to analyze people’s behaviours towards website advertisement format.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Google Tag Manager | Facebook Pixel |
|---|---|---|
| Tools integration | As Google Tag Manager is easy to use, many familiar companies are using this application like Snapchat, YouTube, etc. | Facebook Pixel can also be integrated with other tools but only with limited tools like FreshPaint, Rudderstack, etc. |
| Companies using | Facebook Pixel is not a very easy-to-use tool; therefore mainly the old companies use it like Lunchbox, Affirm, etc. | Google Tag Manager is a free-to-use tool and can be used with other devices too. |
| Category | This tool falls under the category of Analytics integrator. | This tool falls under the category of general analytics |
| Cost | This is just an extension that provides you with code snippets that you can add to your website but requires coding knowledge. | Facebook Pixel is also a free-to-use tool but lacks integration with other applications easily. |
| Coding skill requirement | This software requires no coding ability or prior knowledge in this field. | This is just an extension that provides you with code snippets that you can add to your website but requires knowledge of coding. |
What is Google Tag Manager?
Google Tag Manager is used to deploy tags on your website. This software does not make any changes in your source code or the actual code of the website;
Instead, it just adds essential tags and updates your Google ads. Because of the friendly interface and familiarity with Google products, this tool is viral.
Google Tag Manager is also suitable as an Android or ios application tool because it can manage Android app advertisements, too, without any need for an interface between any two binary programs.
This tool can be added to your Android application project with the help of Firebase SDK. Server-side tagging using Google Tag Manager is very easy because it lets you move your tag code from your website to the cloud system, which also helps you to get rid of unauthenticated or malicious activities and thereby enhance your data security.
What is Facebook Pixel?
Facebook is slightly similar to Google Tag Manager, but it mainly works in the business marketing area. It provides you with small code or templates which you can repeatedly use in your source code, but before applying it to your original code, you must know the use of that snippet code.
Facebook Pixel also has its analytics tool called Facebook Analytics, which you can attach to your Pixel account.
It mainly collects the data regarding the feedback of your advertisements that you gain from people visiting your website, analyzes that data, and provides you with solutions to optimize your website advertisements.
Suppose you do not have any prior knowledge regarding coding. In that case, you can integrate your Facebook Pixel with tools like WordPress, google Analytics that helps you to deploy your Pixel code.
Main Differences Between Google Tag Manager and Facebook Pixel
- Google Tag Manager smoothly gets assimilated with other intermediary tools like Google Analytics, FullStory, Smartlook, etc. On the other hand, Facebook Pixel can also be incorporated with other tools but with some restrictions like repeated errors, lack of plugins, etc.
- Facebook Pixel falls under the group of general analytics tools, which means it consults you with your business application management. Whereas Google Tag Manager falls under the group of Analytics integrator tools, which means it integrates your data with the applications and the algorithm.
- Facebook Pixel is a free-to-use tool but lacks combinations with other applications smoothly. While Google Tag Manager also does not take any charges of using but can be combined with other tools easily.
- Facebook Pixel is not a very easy-to-use tool; therefore, mainly the old companies use it like Lunchbox, Affirm, etc. Whereas Google Tag Manager is easy to use, many well-known companies are using this application like Snapchat, YouTube, etc.
- Google Tag Manager needs no coding ability or prior knowledge in the field of programming. While Facebook Pixel requires slight coding knowledge or programming skills.
- http://broncoscholar.library.cpp.edu/handle/10211.3/153838
- https://www.knepublishing.com/index.php/Kne-Social/article/view/1399
Last Updated : 13 July, 2023
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Sandeep Bhandari holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Computers from Thapar University (2006). He has 20 years of experience in the technology field. He has a keen interest in various technical fields, including database systems, computer networks, and programming. You can read more about him on his bio page.
The post’s tone seems a bit condescending, assuming every reader understands technical jargon.
I found this really informative and eye-opening. I had no idea about the differences between Google Tag Manager and Facebook Pixel
I agree, the detailed comparison is really helpful for those looking to understand which tool is more suitable for their business.
There’s so much to learn about this subject. I believe the post did a great job at outlining key points!
I think the post is biased towards Google Tag Manager, it doesn’t equally emphasize the benefits of Facebook Pixel.
I disagree, the post provides a holistic view, highlighting the use cases for both tools effectively.
I understand your point, but the practical examples in the post demonstrate the advantages of Google Tag Manager really well.
I really appreciate this article, it gave me a comprehensive understanding of the topic
The witty comparison between Google Tag Manager and Facebook Pixel made this a delightful read!