Google Tag Manager (GTM) empowers you to track user interactions on your website with precision. Two crucial tools in this arsenal are Click Classes and Click Element, both dealing with click events. But when it comes to choosing the right one, things can get a bit murky.
Fear not, fellow data sleuths! This article will shed light on the key distinctions between these two click-tracking powerhouses, equipping you to make informed decisions and elevate your GTM game.
Click Classes:
- What it is: This built-in variable returns a space-separated list of all the CSS classes applied to the element that was clicked.
- Think of it as: A fingerprint for the clicked element, identifying its style attributes.
- Example: Clicking a button with classes “cta-button” and “red” would return “cta-button red” in the Click Classes variable.
- Use cases:
- Differentiate between multiple elements of the same type based on their classes (e.g., track clicks on “primary” vs. “secondary” buttons).
- Trigger specific tags based on element class (e.g., fire a lead capture form when a “download-ebook” class is clicked).
- Extract class names for further analysis or data enrichment.
Click Element:
- What it is: This built-in variable returns the entire HTML element that was clicked, represented as a DOM object.
- Think of it as: A detailed profile of the clicked element, including its tag type, attributes, and content.
- Example: Clicking a link with the text “Contact Us” would return the
<a>element with its text and href attributes in the Click Element variable. - Use cases:
- Access specific attributes or text content of the clicked element (e.g., send the clicked product name to a CRM when its title is stored in a data-product-name attribute).
- Create dynamic triggers based on element properties (e.g., track clicks on all elements within a specific container).
- Perform advanced data manipulation or extraction using custom JavaScript.
Key Differences:
| Feature | Click Classes | Click Element |
|---|---|---|
| Data type | String | DOM object |
| Scope | Limited to CSS classes of the clicked element | Contains all information about the clicked element |
| Use cases | Identifying elements by classes, triggering based on class, data extraction | Accessing element attributes, dynamic triggering, advanced data manipulation |
| Match type | “Contains” | “Matches CSS Selector” |
Remember: Choosing between Click Classes and Click Element depends on your specific tracking needs. If you only need to identify elements based on their class names, then Click Classes is sufficient. If you need access to more detailed information or want to perform advanced data manipulation, then Click Element is the better option.
By understanding the nuances of these variables, you can unlock the full potential of GTM and gain deeper insights into how users interact with your website. Go forth and track wisely, data explorers!
If you’re stuck don’t hesitate to reach out! We’re here to fuel your tracking adventures and help you make the most of your website data. Please contact us at TheTrackingAgency 📲 Our team of experts will be happy to help you get started and answer any questions you may have. 🚀😊