Using GTM dataLayer with AEP

[pk111111]

Hello! A client of our is considering moving to Adobe Experience Platform and RTCDP. They currently use Target and Campaign manager but their analytics tracking is implemented with the Google suite using GA and GTM datalayer. Because of this, I am uncertain on the best approach to send web data to AEP.

We want to keep the existing GTM datalayer as recreating a new one could be expensive. Our options for sending data to AEP are either to use Adobe Launch or to write custom JavaScript Alloy send event calls directly in GTM for every event pushed to the datalayer. (we can also ask developers to code these Alloy events outside GTM)

I’m torn because it seems simpler to use Launch instead of rewriting every event pushed to the datalayer in a custom javaScript Alloy call. However, if we go the Launch approach, we would end up having with two tag management systems. Anyone encounter a similar situation where both Adobe Launch and GTM are placed on the site? Any advice?

[ivanlorenzo · Accepted solution]

Hi @pk111111 

At present, our developers team is facing the very same situation and, after a lot of thinking, the easiest, fastest and less intrusive solution our team has found is, while keeping the GTM implementation, to replicate all events into Launch (creating the adobeDataLayer) by means of Javascript code and create a customized mapping. Very tedious and time consuming but it is not viable to modify the present code implementation at the websites.

Sorry for not providing a better solution.

IL.

[pk111111]

Thanks for your reply. Our approach was going to use Launch and GTM in combination. The project fell through finally.

[pradeep_nextrow]

@pk111111 @ivanlorenzo I am facing a similar situation in a project. Sorry to hear that the project fell through, but anyway I will register my answer for future references. The thought process of using 2 Tag management systems (TMS) here is not recommended. The TMS was invented to solve the probelm of multiple tags. So having multiple TMS when dealing with multiple tags renders it meaningless and you will encounter performance issues for sure. The idea is to use the all the tools inside one TMS of choice. In your case I would still use the data layer (remove the dependencies of the data layer from GTM through custom code) and use Adobe Launch and tag GA through Adobe Launch. You can also do it otherwise. In GTM, send data to AEP. Once data is in AEP, then it can be used in other solutions like CJA for analytics.