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Using Google Tag Manager with Savira
If your website uses Google Tag Manager (GTM) to run Google Analytics, Google Ads or the Meta pixel, Savira keeps those tools switched off until a visitor says yes. This article explains what that means for your reports, and what to ask your web developer or agency to check.
Applies to the Savira WordPress plugin.
What Savira does
Three things on your site
- Asks first. Your cookie banner asks each visitor which kinds of cookies they are happy with.
- Holds tracking back. GTM and other known tracking tools stay switched off until the visitor accepts the matching kind of cookie.
- Tells Google the answer. Savira passes the visitor's choice to Google's tools using Google Consent Mode, so they only collect what the visitor agreed to.
Which choice turns on what
GTM starts when a visitor accepts Marketing
A GTM container can hold any kind of tag, so Savira treats it as a Marketing tool.
| If the visitor accepts | What starts |
|---|---|
| Analytics | Google Analytics added directly to the site (not through GTM), and tools such as Microsoft Clarity and Hotjar |
| Marketing | Google Tag Manager and the tags inside it, the Meta pixel, and other advertising tags |
| Functional | Embedded videos and posts, such as YouTube, Vimeo and X |
| Only essential cookies | Nothing beyond what the site needs to work |
If your Google Analytics runs inside GTM, it only starts for visitors who accept Marketing.
Your reports
Why your reports show fewer visitors
Your Google Analytics, Google Ads and Meta reports will show fewer visitors than before, because they only count people who said yes. That is how consent is meant to work, not a fault.
- Know your opt-in rate. If half your visitors accept, expect your reports to show roughly half your traffic.
- Google Ads estimates some of the gap. For visitors who say no, Google Ads uses a general model to estimate conversions. Google Analytics does not fill the gap.
- A clear banner helps. Visitors are more likely to accept when the banner is easy to read and the buttons are clear.
For your developer or agency
What to ask them to check
Most "we've lost our data" problems come from setup, not from Savira. Ask whoever manages your GTM to confirm these.
- The Savira plugin is up to date, and its Licence Key shows Active (in WordPress, go to Savira, then Connection Setup).
- GTM is installed once, using Google's standard snippet.
- No other cookie banner or consent tool is running on the site.
- Every tag in GTM has a consent setting: Google Analytics needs analytics consent, and advertising and social media tags need ad consent.
- They have tested the site as a new visitor, before and after accepting the banner.
Can GTM load before a visitor says yes?
Not at the moment. Savira uses Google's Basic consent mode, which keeps Google's tags switched off until the visitor accepts.
Will server-side tracking get around this?
No. A server-side setup gets its data from the tags on your site, and those still wait for the visitor's consent.
What happens when a visitor changes their mind?
Visitors can change their choice at any time on your Cookie Preferences page. If they turn something off, the page reloads and those tools stop.
Do I need to change anything in Savira?
Usually not. Keep the plugin up to date, make sure your Licence Key is Active, and keep the standard banner categories (Analytics, Marketing and Functional) so Savira can match them to Google's consent settings.
Still stuck?
Contact Savira support and include your website address and the name of your agency.
Next step
Something not working?
Head to Troubleshooting for the common fixes, or click Help & Resources in the Savira sidebar.