If you own a website, then you might want to install google analytics. Adding Google Analytics to WordPress will help you know how the viewers interact with the website, which is vital for a blogger. It is the easiest way to understand the viewers by knowing the traffic statistics. So, today we will discuss in detail Google Analytics, how to install it and why adding Google Analytics to WordPress is crucial. Read on to know it all!
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Why adding Google Analytics is Vital for Bloggers?
When someone starts a blog, their main goal to get more subscribers and traffic. Analytics will help you to understand what kind of content is getting more visits than others. Here are something that you will see:
Who visited your website?
You can see from what geographical location your audience is from, which web browser did they use, and a lot more significant data. Some of the data you will know about is language, JavaScript support, screen resolution, Flash support, and a lot more.
Moreover, this data is helpful because you will use this information to make the site more compatible with the audience when you custom design.
For example, if most of the audience does not have Flash support, avoid all the website’s flash elements.
Or else if the visitors use 1080 screen resolution, then make a design that is compatible with that resolution.
What does the audience do when they visit the site?
You can track everything once the visitor opens your site. Moreover, you can see how much time they spend on the site, and the time they are leaving the site.
This data helps you know how to increase page views since you can also know the most popular article, what content the audience wants from you, and which piece of content is not doing well.
At what time do people visit the site?
Once you know the audience’s geographical location, you can then choose a time to publish the post. The time zone should be compatible with the audience and not yours.
Moreover, you can schedule the post if the time zone between you and your audience is enormous.
How do visitors find the site?
This shows where the visitors come from, such as direct links, search engines, or a referral link. Also, it shows what percentage of the users came from every source.
Moreover, Google Analytics will break down each source even more. For example, if the category is a search engine, you will see which one is used most by your audience, such as Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc.
Again, a breakdown of the referral links shows that from which sites the most audience is visiting. For example, if your top source is Instagram, then you should do exclusive Instagram content so that your Instagram viewers feel special.
Google Analytics Sign up Process
Google Analytics is a free tool, and the only thing you need is a Gmail account for the sign-up process. It is a straightforward and simple process to sign up at Google Analytics. We will provide you a step-by-step guide on how to sign up. Check out the following:
- Firstly, go to Google Analytics. Here they will ask to login with the Gmail or Google account. So, if you have a Gmail account, then sign in with that. Or else, first, you need to create a Gmail or Google account.
- Secondly, after you sign up with the Gmail account, a new screen will appear. On this page, you have to sign up for Google Analytics using the Gmail account. Now, they will ask you to make an account name. Furthermore, this account name is used internally; hence you can use any name.
- Thirdly, now you be directed to a new screen, here you have to choose between 3 options: an app, a web, or both web and app. If you want to have WordPress analytics, then select the option “web.”
- Now you have to enter the website’s URL, website name, time zone, and country. After you are done with this, click on the “next button.” Here you will see all the terms and conditions of Google Analytics that you have to agree to, thus click on the “I agree” key.
- Lastly, now you can access the Google Analytics tracking code. Here you have to copy the tracking code as you need to put it on the WordPress website.
Installing and Adding Google Analytics to WordPress
You can install Google Analytics in different ways. However, we will show you two methods one is very easy and straightforward, and the other is more complicated and is suitable for advanced users.
First Method: Monster Insights
This is the most popular way of adding Google Analytics to WordPress. More than 3 million sites use this, such as WP Beginner, Play Station, Bloomberg, Zillow, and many more.
Moreover, it is easy to use it. Thus, both beginners and experts use this the most.
Furthermore, monster insights available for both a free version and a premium plugin version. For this post, we will be using the free version.
The paid version has more features such as author tracking, ad tracking, e-commerce tracking, etc. However, the method to set them up is the same. Below is the way you can use monster insights:
Install Monster Insights
Firstly, you need to install and start the monster insights plugin. After activation, it will show that the plugins are added to a new menu categorized as “Insights” to the WordPress main menu. Once you click it, it will open the Monster Insights setup wizard.
Select a type for the website
It will ask for you to select a category for the website, such as an online shop, personal blog, or business website.
Choose one of them and click on the “Save and Continue” key. After that, click again on the “Connect Monster Insights” access.
Access to Google Analytics
Now, there will be a pop-up that will bring you to the Google or Gmail accounts. Here you need to sign in or choose a Gmail account if an account is already signed in.
After selecting the account, it will ask you to allow Monster Insights to access the Google Analytics account. You need to click on the “Allow” key.
You have to choose the profile that you will like to track. Choose your site and now click on the “Complete Connection” key to continue.
Settings for the website
Monster Insights will now be installing Google Analytics on the site. Now it will ask to choose the suggested settings for the website.
More the default settings work for almost every website. However, if you are using an affiliate plugin, you have to add a path you use for affiliated links. Therefore, you can track the affiliated links.
Here it will show the add-ons, which are only accessible if you buy the premium version. Just click the “Save and Continue” key to skip this.
Now it will ask to install the WPForms plugins, and it is one of the best plugins. Either you can download it or click on “Skip this Step.”
And this is the easiest way of adding Google Analytics to WordPress to your website. Remember Google Analytics takes some time before it shows the statistics.
Why is Monster Insights best for adding google analytics to WordPress?
Monster Insights is best cause you can see the Google Analytics information inside the WordPress dashboard. To check it, visit “Insights” then select “Reports.” Here you will see the overview of the analytics data.
Second Method: Install Google Analytics in WordPress Theme
Advanced users who already know about code can use this method. However, it is slightly unreliable as the code disappears once you update or switch the theme. Hence using this method can be troublesome.
First of all, you need to copy the Google Analytics code. Here we have two ways to add the code to the WordPress Theme. You can select any one of them.
Header Php File
Edit the header PHP file in the WordPress theme. Now you have to paste the tracking code that you have already copied earlier. Save it, and you can upload the file to the server.
Functions File
Using the functions file, you can add the Google Analytics code to WordPress. Once you do it, the functions file will automatically add the code on all the web pages on the WordPress site. Add the code to the theme‘s functions. php file.
Importance of Google Analytics Code
Google Analytics Tracking Code helps Google to scan data from every page of the site swiftly. Then it sends to the Google Analytics reports saving the exact date.
To find the tracking ID, first click “Admin,” choose Property Settings, after that, Tracking Info and Tracking Code.
The ID will be at the topmost section of the page. You can copy and paste the ID in a generator for a new and updated code.
You can paste the ID on the “on Click” attribute of the HTML of any page you want to track the clicks.
The Benefits of adding Google Analytics to WordPress Site
When you are developing a site, data about the audience is highly beneficial. Once you can understand your target audience, it will help you know everything from marketing to content tactics.
Google Analytics is the most famous platform that offers this information. Moreover, it is free; hence you won’t be losing anything.
Why You Should Use Google Analytics
They have a huge variety of metrics that you can trace in real-time. Thus, you can check what time and how people behave on the website at that exact moment.
Once you install Google Analytics, you will see they will add this information to the WordPress dashboard with the help of a plugin.
A few of the features offered by Google Analytics are stated below:
Pageviews
This shows the number of times people have viewed the website/webpage. Moreover, it can show you which posts of yours is the most popular ones.
Session duration
This shows how long a person has been on your website. Again, you can get a detailed view of how long an individual is looking at a particular post of yours.
Bounce rate
If you know the bounce rate of different pages, it will help you make a strategy to engage the audience on your posts before they leave your website.
Pages Per Session
This helps you to know the number of web pages every visitor is exploring on your website.
Social Overview
From WordPress, you can share posts like marketing campaigns on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook. Google Analytics collects the data on how many people visited your page from all these social media sites.
Benchmarking
This compares your website with others from a similar field and gives you a comparison with others on the internet. Moreover, this contains everything such as search campaigns, paid staff, and direct visitors.
AdWords Campaigns
Once you link the AdWords account to the site, you will see the per click pay is effective or not. Hence this will help you to save money.
Best Google Analytics Plugin for WordPress
Adding Google Analytics to WordPress helps track the people visiting the website and gives precise data about it. In that way, one can make a better decision on improving their website.
Here are the seven best Plugins for WordPress:
- Monster Insights
- Analytify
- WP Google Analytics Events
- Google Analytics by 10 Web
- Exact Metrics
- GA Google Analytics WP Google Analytics Events
- Enhanced Ecommerce Google Analytics Plugin
How to Add Google Analytics to Website?
Google Analytics will also track the visitors to the website. Moreover, you can see which page they are landing and navigating, and even when they leave the page. When you are handling your website, this is an important date one should know of.
Setting Up Google Analytics:
- Firstly, create or sign in on the Google Analytics account. Now click on “Admin,” which is at the left bottom.
- Secondly, on the right, choose the account you would want to use or make a new account. To create a new account, click on the “Create Account” button.
- Now click on the “Create Property” and select a website.
- Lastly, here you have to add the following date: website name, industry category, time zone, and website URL. Click on the “Get Tracking ID.”
- Copy the ID on the following page, under “Global Site Tag.”
Final Thoughts
Google Analytics is a great platform that will help you to boost your website. It will also give you a lot of data about your audience, which in return will help you to make your site better for your viewers. Let us know your views and opinions in the comment section below!