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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “gtm server side”

wp.org orders by popularity, so a plugin a host bundled onto millions of sites, or a big-brand one that's slow and mediocre, can sit at the top. Our ranking is built to answer a different question: which of these is actually worth installing. How this works →

For “gtm server side”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 15 of the top 20. 5 plugins are pushed down for signals wp.org ignores: errors, a host-installed base, or removal risk.

wp.org search ranks on

Install count (uncapped), the raw star average, freshness, and support. Popularity dominates, so the biggest install base usually wins regardless of how it got there.

We add

A cap on the install boost, volume-weighted ratings, and signals wp.org can't see: whether it throws errors on current PHP, whether the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

Ranked above its merit

410Gone Consent Manager for Google Consent Mode and GTM shows at wp.org #13 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 30+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Analytify – Analytics Dashboard for WordPress (Google Analytics 4) places #6 on merit, 4.7★ from 488 reviews, but shows at wp.org #12. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 GTM4WP – A Google Tag Manager (GTM) plugin for WordPress 700K+ · 4.5★ (155) wp.org #1 2 PixelYourSite – Your smart PIXEL (TAG) & API Manager 400K+ · 4.3★ (277) wp.org #4 2 too low 3 GTM Kit – Google Tag Manager & GA4 integration 30K+ · 4.8★ (20) wp.org #3 4 Pixel Manager for WooCommerce – Conversion Tracking, Google Ads, GA4, TikTok, Dynamic Remarketing 40K+ · 4.9★ (398) wp.org #8 4 too low 5 GDPR Cookie Compliance – Cookie Banner, Cookie Consent, Cookie Notice for CCPA, EU Cookie Law 300K+ · 4.6★ (205) wp.org #7 2 too low 6 Analytify – Analytics Dashboard for WordPress (Google Analytics 4) 20K+ · 4.7★ (488) wp.org #12 6 too low 7 Stape Conversion Tracking 10K+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #2 5 too high 8 Conversios – GA4, Google Ads & Meta Conversion Tracking with Product Feed for WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.3★ (206) wp.org #11 3 too low 9 Tag Pilot FREE – Google Tag Manager Integration for WooCommerce 1K+ · 5.0★ (8) wp.org #5 4 too high 10 TrueAna – True Analytics Dashboard 2K+ · 5.0★ (30) wp.org #19 ↓1 9 too low 11 Tracking and Consent Manager – WP Full Picture 3K+ · 5.0★ (21) wp.org #15 ↓1 4 too low 12 UniPixel: Meta, Pinterest, TikTok, Google & Microsoft Server-Side Tracking for WooCommerce 200+ · 4.8★ (4) wp.org #6 6 too high 13 Kansleri Cookie Consent 700+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #18 ↓1 5 too low 14 Server Side Tracking via GTM for Google Analytics 4, Meta Conversions API & Google Ads 10+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #10 4 too high 15 CodeKit – Custom Codes Editor 7K+ · 4.8★ (16) wp.org #24 9 too low 16 TrackSure Cloud – Server-Side Tracking, Meta CAPI & GA4 for WooCommerce 70+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #9 7 too high 17 WP MyLinks 1K+ · 4.0★ (14) wp.org #23 6 too low 18 Cookie Consent – GDPR & CCPA Cookie Banner & Consent Manager 40K+ · 4.3★ (4) wp.org #21 3 too low 19 CAPI Suite: Meta Pixel, Pinterest & TikTok for WooCommerce 70+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #17 ↓1 2 too high 20 TrackSharp: Server-Side GA4 Tracking + Attribution Audit for WooCommerce 10+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #14 ↓1 6 too high 21 ServerTrack – Server-Side Tracking & Tagging for WooCommerce 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 ↓1 5 too high 22 410Gone Consent Manager for Google Consent Mode and GTM 30+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #13 ↓1 9 too high 23 Tagging 500+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 1 too high 24 LocalWeb All In One 5K+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 ↓1 4 too high

Merit ranking caps the install boost at 1M (wp.org leaves it uncapped), replaces the raw star average with a volume-weighted Bayesian score and a Wilson lower bound, and keeps wp.org's own freshness and compatibility decays. Method from the plugin-directory source; see Meta Trac #8298. Positions are tracked daily from the first visit to a keyword, so the small arrows show movement since tracking began.