Stape Chrome Extension

There are many challenges in the GTM preview interface - many have likely noticed areas that could be improved. Data can often be difficult to read, and navigating the GTM preview can become cumbersome in large containers with numerous active tags. That’s where browser extensions help - they make data clearer and navigation easier.

That’s why the Stape team made a simple Chrome extension to improve the GTM preview. The whole GTM team uses it, so we know it will help many people.

You can find and install the Stape Chrome extension from the official gallery. This extension is free and you don’t have to create a Stape account to use the Stape GTM Helper. 

This is the first version of the extension, and we’d love to hear your ideas and challenges that the Stape extension can help solve. Feel free to share your suggestions in our Feature Request page.

Stape GTM Helper features

1. JSON formatter

This feature makes JSON incoming and outgoing requests in the sGTM preview easier to read. It’s especially useful for webhooks and checking the data that tags send.

Here’s an example of what you get without the extension:

And here’s what you get with the extension:

2. Request URL formatter

This feature makes queried parameters in URL requests easier to read. It’s most useful when viewing incoming and outgoing GA4 requests.

Here’s an example of what you get without the extension:

And here’s what you get with the Stape GTM GTM Helper:

3. Tag type coloring

This feature adds color coding for the most popular tags (Meta, GA4, Google Ads, Microsoft, etc.). It works on both web and server preview, making it easier to navigate through triggered tags when there are many in the container.

Here’s an example of what you get without the extension:

And here’s what you get with the extension:

4. Tag status coloring

It helps track tags in Failed status or requests with status 4xx or 5xx. It works in the server and the web preview.

Here’s an example of what you get without the extension:

And here’s what you get with the extension:

5. Consent status in sGTM

When using Google Consent Mode in a server preview, the consent status can only be checked by examining the parameters of the incoming request. This complicates debugging, particularly if you suspect that some tags aren’t firing correctly due to consent issues.

The free Stape GTM extension for Chrome addresses this by adding the four main consent statuses to the server preview. It works by checking the 'gcs' parameter in GA4 requests.

Here’s an example of what you get with the extension:

Takeaway

The free Stape GTM Helper includes both a Request URL format and a JSON format. The URL format enhances the readability of queried parameters in URL requests, while the JSON formatter makes incoming and outgoing JSON requests easier to read. Combined with color-coded tag statuses and types, these features simplify debugging and improve the overall experience when working with sGTM.

Get the free Stape extension from the Chrome Web Store today to make your workflow more straightforward and more efficient. You don’t even have to create a Stape account to use the Stape GTM Helper.