How to add a tooltip via Google Tag Manager without a developer
A contextual hint via Google Tag Manager: one sentence next to the element where visitors hesitate, placed with a click in the visual editor and shown exactly when it helps.
- Time
- ● 10 minutes
- Price
- Free plan
- Who does it
- Anyone who can publish in GTM
Example: a tooltip via Google Tag Manager
In a SaaS settings page, the API keys tab raises support questions. The tooltip explains “Keys are shown once — store them in your password manager” every time someone clicks the tab marked data-tour="api-keys".
Free on the Clew Free plan — no card, no time limit: one site and up to 3 published tours or tooltips. Audience rules and A/B tests come with Pro.
How to add the tooltip via Google Tag Manager, step by step
- Step 01
Copy your Clew snippet
Create a free account (or sign in), add your site and open Admin → Overview. Click the line in the “No signal from the widget yet.” card to copy it — it carries your real site key instead of the placeholder.
<!-- Clew: replace PASTE_YOUR_SITE_KEY with the site key from Admin > Overview --> <script src="https://tryclew.io/widget/PASTE_YOUR_SITE_KEY.js" async></script>
Step 1 · schematic illustration - Step 02
Create a Custom HTML tag in GTM
In tagmanager.google.com open your container, Tags → New → Tag Configuration → Custom HTML, and paste the Clew line. Name the tag
Clew widget.
Step 2 · schematic illustration - Step 03
Fire it on All Pages
In Triggering choose All Pages and save. Load it everywhere: which page shows the tooltip is decided in Clew, not in GTM.
Step 3 · schematic illustration - Step 04
Preview, then Submit and Publish
Check in Preview that
Clew widgetis under Tags Fired, then Submit → Publish. Nothing reaches the live site before you publish.
Step 4 · schematic illustration - Step 05
Attach the tooltip to the element
In Clew open Flows → + New flow, keep Step-by-step tooltips and press Edit on your site. On your page press Pick element, click the field or button, and write a short title and one sentence. Set Placement if the automatic position covers something important.
Step 5 · schematic illustration - Step 06
Choose where, when and for whom it shows
In the same editor, set Where to show (page URL), When to show, Audience targeting and Frequency. These are the settings of the example above:
Setting Value Format Step-by-step tooltips Where to show (page URL) Section by prefix /settingsWhen to show On click on an element: [data-tour="api-keys"]Audience targeting No rules — everyone who opens the page Frequency Every visit 
Step 6 · schematic illustration - Step 07
Publish and check it on the live site
Set Status to Published and save. Open the page in a private window — Clew remembers who has already seen a “once” item, so your usual browser may skip it. Views, completions and drop-offs appear in the tour stats.
Step 7 · schematic illustration
Pitfalls: tooltip via Google Tag Manager
Don’t use a History Change trigger
The widget follows single-page navigation on its own. A second trigger on History Change only loads the script again for nothing.
Consent Mode may delay it
If the container uses Consent Mode and the tag waits for consent, the tooltip appears only after the visitor accepts. Decide per your privacy policy.
Prefer ids and data attributes
If Pick element suggests a long chain of classes, choose the nearest parent with an id or ask for a data-tour attribute — a stable selector keeps the hint alive through theme updates.
Questions and answers
Why every time?
Because it is help, not an announcement: with On click on an element and Every visit it appears only when the user opens that tab.
Does GTM slow the tooltip down?
The widget loads a moment after the container. Only an item with Right on page load on the very first page view might appear a fraction of a second later than with a direct install.
Is the tooltip free?
Yes, on the Free plan — up to 3 published tours and tooltips on one site.
Can the hint open on click only?
Yes. Choose On click on an element and enter the selector of the icon or link that should open it, and set Every visit.
What else you can add via Google Tag Manager
- How to add a popup to your website with Google Tag Manager without a developer
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- How to add an onboarding checklist via Google Tag Manager without a developer
- How to set up user onboarding via Google Tag Manager without a developer
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