We encourage all current Attentive customers using AI Pro to upgrade their standard tag to the Enhanced Attentive Tag, part of Attentive Signal & Identity AI.
The Enhanced Attentive Tag is now the default tag for all new Attentive customers due to its ability to help grow your subscriber list, drive more welcome & abandonment journey revenue, and accurately attribute purchases to your Attentive program. If you have specific questions about the benefits of the Enhanced Attentive Tag and Identity AI, please contact your AM or CSM.
Follow the installation instructions below for step-by-step guidance. If you’re looking for more details about how the tag works, what data it collects, or its benefits, check out the FAQs.
Install the Enhanced Attentive Tag
The steps below explain how to install the Attentive tag:
Step 1: Get DNS records and tag code
Fill out the form to let Attentive know that you want to install the Enhanced Attentive Tag.
After you fill out the form, your CSM or AM will send you the following:
- New CNAME and TXT records to add to your DNS host
- Custom pixel code for Shopify or new tag code for Shopify with headless commerce or other eCommerce platforms
Step 2: Update DNS records
After Attentive sends you new CNAME and TXT DNS records, add them individually at the domain provider you use to host your eCommerce website. All records should be set as “DNS only.”
Note: Add each record individually as a new record (i.e., don’t modify your existing ones). Don't delete any existing records.
Follow the instructions linked below (based on your domain provider) to add records:
- Amazon Route 53
- Bluehost
-
Cloudflare
Note: If Cloudflare is your DNS provider, turn off the Proxied option when adding new DNS records. - DNS Made Easy
- Dreamhost
- Dynadot
- ENOM
- GoDaddy
- Hostgator
- Namecheap
- NameSilo
- Network Solutions
- Register.com
- Shopify
Step 3: Install or update tag
Follow the instructions below that correspond to your eCommerce setup.
Shopify (not headless)
Ensure the Attentive app-embed is enabled in the settings of your Shopify Theme:
- From your Shopify Admin page, go to Themes.
- Click Customize.
- Go to App Embeds.
- Verify that the Attentive Tag app-embed is toggled on.
If you don’t see the Attentive Tag app-embed:
- Go to Attentive.
- In the Marketplace tab, open the Shopify Integration.
- Click Activate Attentive Tag. A window opens with your Shopify Admin page.
- Click Save to enable the Attentive Tag app-embed.
Now add the custom pixel code you received from Attentive to your Shopify store:
- In Shopify, go to Settings > Customer events.
- Click Add custom pixel.
- Enter a Pixel name.
- Make sure the “customer privacy” settings for the pixel align with your expectations. If these are set incorrectly, the tag may not be able to collect data as expected.
- Copy and paste the pixel code you received from Attentive in the Code box.
- Click Save at the top of the page.
- Click Connect.
Notes:
- For the Enhanced Attentive Tag to work as expected, it’s critical that the Attentive app-embed remains active on your Shopify Theme. If you make adjustments to your Theme, make sure the Attentive app embed remains active.
- If you use Shopify with headless commerce, follow the steps in Other eCommerce platforms (including Shopify headless without checkout extensibility) below.
Shopify headless with Shopify checkout extensibility
Add the custom pixel code you received from Attentive to your Shopify store:
- In Shopify, go to Settings > Customer events.
- Click Add custom pixel.
- Enter a Pixel name.
- Make sure the “customer privacy” settings for the pixel align with your expectations. If these are set incorrectly, the tag may not be able to collect data as expected.
- Copy and paste the pixel code you received from Attentive in the Code box.
- Click Save at the top of the page.
- Click Connect.
Replace the existing Attentive tag on your site with the new tag provided by Attentive:
- If your existing tag is installed using a tag manager (e.g., Google Tag Manager):
- First, follow instructions to deploy the new tag directly on page.
- If you use the Tag SDK, continue to use it with the new tag.
- Next, confirm with Attentive that the new tag is collecting data as expected. If it is, we'll instruct you to remove your old tag.
- To remove your old Attentive tag:
- In the Attentive Marketplace, find your tag manager (e.g., Google Tag Manager), then click Disconnect.
- If you use Google Tag Manager, follow these instructions from Google to delete the Attentive tag.
Note: For best results, install the new tag directly on page. Installing through a tag manager doesn't allow the tag to identify as many visitors as possible.
- First, follow instructions to deploy the new tag directly on page.
- If your tag is installed directly on page:
- First, follow instructions to deploy the new tag directly on page.
- If you use the Tag SDK, continue to use it with the new tag.
- Next, confirm with Attentive that the new tag is collecting data as expected. If it is, we'll instruct you to remove your old tag.
- Remove all old Attentive tag code from your page.
- First, follow instructions to deploy the new tag directly on page.
Other eCommerce platforms (including Shopify headless without checkout extensibility)
If you use another eCommerce platform or Shopify headless without checkout extensibility, replace the existing Attentive tag on your site with the new tag provided by Attentive.
- If your existing tag is installed using a tag manager (e.g., Google Tag Manager):
- First, follow instructions to deploy the new tag directly on page.
- Next, confirm with Attentive that the new tag is collecting data as expected. If it is, we'll instruct you to remove your old tag.
- To remove your old Attentive tag:
- In the Attentive Marketplace, find your tag manager (e.g., Google Tag Manager), then click Disconnect.
- If you use Google Tag Manager, follow these instructions from Google to delete the Attentive tag.
Note: For best results, install the new tag directly on page. Installing through a tag manager doesn't allow the tag to identify as many visitors as possible.
- If your tag is installed directly on page:
- First, follow instructions to deploy the new tag directly on page.
- If you use the Tag SDK, continue to use it with the new tag.
- Next, confirm with Attentive that the new tag is collecting data as expected. If it is, we'll instruct you to remove your old tag.
- Remove all old Attentive tag code from your page.
- First, follow instructions to deploy the new tag directly on page.
Step 4: Verify setup
After you’ve completed setup, fill out the form to let us know. We'll validate that everything is set up correctly, finish deploying the tag, and reach out if there are any issues.
Note: If you operate in markets where consent is required for data collection, you must ensure that your consent collection tool is set up properly. If you haven’t already set this up, reach out to your Attentive CSM or AM.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Enhanced Attentive tag and how does it work?
The Enhanced Attentive tag, like the standard Attentive Tag, is a small piece of code added to your website that allows your Attentive sign-up units to be displayed and captures events on your behalf. In recent years, changing privacy restrictions and the use of ad blockers have made it harder to track customer behavior and attribute revenue. Unlike the standard Attentive Tag, The Enhanced Attentive Tag uses server-side technology to address these challenges. While a client-side tag depends on browser functionality, which can sometimes miss data, the Enhanced Attentive Tag runs from a subdomain of your website instead of loading from attentive.com. This server-side approach builds trust with web browsers, ensuring more consistent data collection, and helps brands regain lost visibility into subscriber actions.
What are the benefits of the Enhanced Attentive Tag?
For all Attentive customers, by deploying on a subdomain of your website (frequently referred to as “server-side deployment”), the Enhanced Attentive Tag can more reliably capture data and attribute purchases.
Customers who use AI Pro and also install the Enhanced Attentive Tag see the following benefits:
- Sign-up Performance lifts: The Enhanced Attentive Tag enables brands to more reliably serve Attentive sign-up units, due to server-side technology, leading to 5-10% more subscribers being captured, and a corresponding 5-10% increase in Welcome Journey revenue.
- Abandonment Journey Performance lifts: The Enhanced Attentive Tag enables brands to set more persistent first-party cookies, helping brands to more reliably recognize and capture customer behavior, and trigger a higher volume of top-performing Journeys. AI Pro customers typically see a 10-15% additional lift in abandonment revenue.
- Expanded identity graph: The Enhanced Attentive Tag enables brands to capture a higher volume of critical identifiers to build a more complete picture of individual customer behavior.
If you’re not already using AI Pro, reach out to your Attentive AM or CSM to get started!
Does the Enhanced Attentive Tag encrypt data that it collects, such as IP address?
Yes. Attentive uses industry-proven technologies and practices to protect your data and secure our platform. Data hosted in production databases is encrypted with AES-256 at rest. Data in transit is protected using modern versions of Transport Layer Security (TLS) and associated cipher suites, enforcing connections using TLS 1.2 or higher. More security information, including Attentive’s SOC2, can be found at https://security.attentive.com/.
Does the Enhanced Attentive Tag collect new or different personal information than the standard tag does?
No. On your behalf, The Enhanced Attentive Tag collects the same information as the standard tag. It gathers details like telephone numbers, email addresses, IP addresses, user and device IDs, browser type, click behavior on your website, customer messages, and any customer attributes that you collect.
Do I need to update my privacy policy?
We always recommend that you check with your legal team about your privacy policy’s language when making changes to how data is collected on your website. For US text messaging programs, carriers require a link to a text-messaging-specific privacy policy in your SMS sign-up. Attentive offers a template for this, which you can use as-is or modify. Alternatively, you can link to your general website privacy policy. If you choose that route, consider disclosing that you collect automated data (like IP addresses, date and time, and device IDs) and information users provide (like email addresses and phone numbers). You should consider disclosing that you may share data with third-party providers for advertising or marketing.
Also, to meet US carrier rules, consider adding this line:
If you sign up for our text messaging program, cookies may be used to personalize your experience (for example, to send you shopping cart reminders).
For non-US messaging programs, we don’t provide a template privacy policy, and you should link to your general company privacy policy in your SMS sign-up.