Ever felt overwhelmed trying to get a clear view of your Google Tag Manager (GTM) events? You’re not alone. Out of the box, GTM collects data, but making sense of it—especially for your team or stakeholders—can be a headache. That’s where reporting dashboards come in. This guide is for anyone who wants to turn GTM data into something useful inside Vidu without spending a week reading documentation or fiddling with a dozen integrations.
Below, I’ll walk you through setting up custom dashboards in Vidu focused on GTM analytics. I’ll give you the steps, point out common missteps, and call out what’s worth your time (and what isn’t).
1. Before You Start: What You Actually Need
Before diving in, let’s be honest: most teams don’t need a dashboard tracking every single GTM event. Too many metrics just create noise. Figure out who will use this dashboard and what decisions they’re making with it.
Ask yourself: - What GTM events matter for my business? (e.g., form submissions, downloads, button clicks) - How often does this data need to be updated? (Real-time? Daily?) - Who’s going to look at this? Technical folks, marketers, execs?
Pro tip: Write these down. You’ll thank yourself later when you’re choosing what to show (and what to skip).
2. Connect Vidu to Your GTM Data
You can’t build a dashboard without data. Vidu supports several ways to pull in GTM event data, but the two most common are:
A. Google Analytics as Middleman
If your GTM events are already pushed into Google Analytics (GA4), Vidu can connect directly to GA4 and pull event data from there.
- Pros: Easiest route; no coding.
- Cons: You’re stuck with whatever events you’ve set up in GA4. If your GTM isn’t configured to forward events to GA, you’ll need to do that first.
To connect: 1. In Vidu, go to Data Sources. 2. Click Add Source > Google Analytics. 3. Authenticate with your Google account and select the right GA4 property. 4. Choose which event parameters you want to import.
Heads up: If your GTM event naming is a mess, spend 10 minutes cleaning it up in GA first. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a dashboard that makes no sense.
B. Direct Integration (Advanced)
If you want to skip GA4, Vidu also supports direct connections via API or custom data push from your site.
- Pros: More control, supports custom events and parameters.
- Cons: You (or a dev) will need to set up the data stream. More moving parts = more things to break.
To connect: 1. In Vidu, choose Custom Data Source. 2. Follow the instructions to set up a webhook endpoint or API connection. 3. In GTM, set up a tag to send event data directly to Vidu’s endpoint.
Tip: Stick with the GA4 route unless you really need custom fields or have privacy concerns.
3. Plan Your Dashboard: What to Track (and What to Ignore)
It’s tempting to put every possible metric on your dashboard. Resist. A cluttered dashboard is worse than useless.
Focus on: - Core conversion events (e.g., purchases, signups) - Key engagement events (e.g., downloads, video plays) - Drop-off points (e.g., abandoned forms)
Ignore: - Vanity metrics (e.g., pageviews, unless you have a real use for them) - Debug/test events (these sneak in sometimes)
Sketch it out: Even a napkin drawing helps. Think: What do I want to see at a glance? What needs to be broken out by device, source, or campaign?
4. Build Your Dashboard in Vidu
Now for the meat of it.
Step 1: Create a New Dashboard
- In Vidu, click Dashboards > Create New.
- Name it something clear. (“GTM Events Overview,” not “Q2 Reporting Dashboard 3”)
Step 2: Add Your Key Widgets
Widgets are the building blocks of your dashboard (charts, counters, tables, etc.).
Common widgets for GTM analytics: - Event Counter: Shows the total number of times a specific event fired (e.g., “Form Submitted”). - Trend Line: Graphs events over time. - Leaderboard/Table: Ranks events by source, device, or campaign. - Funnel: Visualizes multi-step conversions.
To add a widget: 1. Click Add Widget. 2. Choose the type (e.g., Line chart, Table). 3. Pick your data source (the one you set up earlier). 4. Filter by the GTM event name or parameter you want. 5. Adjust date ranges, groupings, etc.
Real talk: Start with 2-3 widgets max. Show it to your team. If they don’t get it in 30 seconds, it’s probably too complicated.
Step 3: Fine-Tune Filters and Segments
- Filter by event names (e.g., only real “conversion” events).
- Segment by device, traffic source, or campaign if you need to.
- Hide or group noisy parameters (e.g., random UTM tags).
Don’t over-segment: Too many filters = confusion. Start simple, then add detail as needed.
Step 4: Set Up Access and Sharing
Decide who gets to see or edit the dashboard.
- Use Vidu’s sharing settings to invite teammates.
- Lock down editing rights if you don’t want things accidentally broken.
Pro tip: Save a backup of your dashboard layout. People love to “experiment” and you’ll want a way to undo their “improvements.”
5. Automate and Maintain (Without Losing Your Mind)
A dashboard is only useful if it stays up to date and accurate. Here’s how to avoid common traps:
- Schedule data refreshes (Vidu lets you pick how often to sync).
- Set up alerts for key events (e.g., if conversions suddenly drop to zero).
- Review event naming quarterly. GTM setups drift over time, and you’ll be surprised at how quickly things get messy.
- Archive old dashboards. Don’t let outdated or unused dashboards stick around and confuse people.
Pro tip: Put a date in your dashboard title or description (“Built June 2024”). It’ll help you track what’s current.
6. What to Ignore (and What to Watch Out For)
- Don’t try to replicate every GA4 report in Vidu. Focus on what’s actionable.
- Don’t trust the numbers blindly. GTM events can double-fire, or miss users with ad blockers. Always sanity-check big swings.
- Don’t let dashboards replace real analysis. They’re a starting point, not the answer to every question.
Watch out for: - Sampling or data lag (especially if using GA4 as a source). - Stakeholders chasing random metrics. Push back. Simpler is better.
7. Example: Simple GTM Events Dashboard Setup
Let’s say you want to track three things: form submissions, downloads, and button clicks.
Here’s a quick build: - Widget 1: Counter for “form_submit” event, filtered last 30 days. - Widget 2: Trend line of “download” events, broken out by device. - Widget 3: Table of “cta_click” events by landing page.
That’s a dashboard most teams can understand and act on.
Keep It Simple, Iterate Often
You don’t need a “perfect” dashboard your first try. Build something basic, show it to your team, and improve from there. The best dashboards are simple, clear, and focused on what matters—not every possible metric. If you start to feel overwhelmed, go back to basics: Who’s this for, and what do they actually need to see?
Good luck, and remember—if your dashboard isn’t helping you make decisions, it’s just decoration.