To install google analytics in WordPress for beginners, simply install the “MonsterInsights” plugin, connect it to your google account, and start tracking your website’s traffic. If you want to track the performance of your website and gain insights into your visitors’ behaviour, adding google analytics is crucial.
Without analytics, you won’t have access to essential data such as who your visitors are, where they come from, and what they do while on your website. Installing google analytics on your WordPress site may sound daunting, but with the right plugin, it’s actually quite straightforward.
In this article, we’ll guide you through the process of installing google analytics on WordPress for beginners in just a few simple steps.
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Setting Up A Google Analytics Account
Creating A Google Analytics Account
Before beginning with the setup process of google analytics, the first step is to create an account. Follow the simple steps mentioned below to create your account.
- Go to the google analytics website and click on ‘start for free’ or ‘sign in.’
- After you have signed in, click ‘admin’ located at the bottom left of the homepage.
- Then click ‘create account’ and fill in the necessary details such as account name, website name, website url, and select an industry category.
- Next, select your reporting time zone from the drop-down menu to set the time zone in which you want the reports to display.
- Finally, click on ‘create account’ to create your new google analytics account.
Setting Up A Property For Your Website
Once you have created your google analytics account, you need to set up a property for your website. Follow these simple steps to set up a property.
- Click on ‘admin’ again, select the account you have just created, and click ‘create property.’
- Select ‘website’ as the type of property.
- In the next step, enter your website’s details such as name, url, and reporting time zone.
- Click on ‘show advanced options’ to enable features like site search tracking, enhanced link attribution, and more.
- After filling in all the details, click on ‘create’ to create your new property.
Obtaining Your Google Analytics Tracking Code
The final step in setting up google analytics for your WordPress website is to obtain your tracking code. Follow the simple steps below to obtain the tracking code.
- Click on ‘admin’ and select the property for which you want to obtain the tracking code.
- Click on the ‘tracking info’ tab and select ‘tracking code.’
- Copy the code provided by google analytics.
- Open your WordPress dashboard and navigate to appearance > editor and open the header.php file.
- Paste your tracking code just before the closing head tag .
- Finally, click ‘update file’ to save your changes.
Congratulations! You have successfully installed google analytics on your WordPress website. Wait for a few hours for the reports to start showing up on your google analytics dashboard.
Installing Google Analytics On WordPress
Overview Of Available Options For Installation
Google analytics is the most widely used tool among website owners and digital marketers to track website traffic, measure user engagement, and analyze user behavior. When it comes to installing google analytics on a WordPress website, there are two options available: using a plugin or manually adding the tracking code to your WordPress theme.
Both options have their advantages and disadvantages. Let’s take a closer look at these options to help you choose the one that best suits your needs.
Installing Google Analytics Using A Plugin
Using a plugin is an easy way to incorporate google analytics into your WordPress website, even for beginners. Here’s how to get started:
- Go to the WordPress plugins directory, search for the google analytics plugin, and install and activate it.
- After activating the plugin, go to the plugin settings and enter your google analytics tracking code. The plugin automatically adds the tracking code to your website’s header section.
Benefits of using a google analytics plugin:
- Easy to install and use even for beginners.
- Classify and view traffic sources and keep track of bounce rate, the average session duration and similar metrics.
- Allow google analytics to track your website anonymously and allow for enhanced user privacy.
However, there are also some drawbacks to using a plugin:
- Additional plugins have the potential to slow down your website.
- May add 3rd party issues to your website which effects speed optimization.
- Some plugins are not free and may require a paid version.
Adding Google Analytics Tracking Code Manually To Your WordPress Theme
If you don’t want to use a plugin, or if you don’t want to add another plugin to your WordPress website, you can manually add the google analytics tracking code to your WordPress theme.
- Log in to your google analytics account to access your tracking code.
- Copy the tracking code and paste it into the html of your WordPress website just before the closing ‘head’ tag.
Benefits of manually adding google analytics tracking code:
- You have complete control over your website’s code.
- There are no additional plugins to potentially slow down your site.
- Website owners can customize analytics to meet their specific needs.
But, there are also some drawbacks to manually adding the tracking code:
- It can be time-consuming to add the code.
- If you make a mistake when adding the code to your website theme, you may run into errors.
Both options have their advantages and disadvantages, and the final choice depends on the user’s preference. It’s essential to choose the method that works best for you and your website.
Understanding Google Analytics Data
Google analytics is a powerful tool that can help you to understand your website traffic and user behaviour. The tool provides a plethora of data, and it can be difficult to make sense of all the information. To help you out, we’ve put together a guide on how to interpret the key metrics in google analytics.
Here’s what you need to know:
Explanation Of Key Metrics In Google Analytics
Plain paragraph: when you log in to your google analytics account, you’ll be presented with a range of data points that can help you to understand your website visitors. Some of the most important metrics include:
- Sessions: The number of times visitors have clicked through to your website.
- Pageviews: The total number of pages viewed.
- Average session duration: The average amount of time that visitors spend on your website.
- Bounce rate: The percentage of visitors who leave your website after viewing only one page.
Bullet points:
- Sessions: The number of times visitors have clicked through to your website.
- Pageviews: The total number of pages viewed.
- Average session duration: The average amount of time that visitors spend on your website.
- Bounce rate: The percentage of visitors who leave your website after viewing only one page.
Understanding User Behavior On Your Website
Plain paragraph: google analytics gives you detailed insights into how users are interacting with your website. One of the most useful features is the behaviour flow report, which shows you how users move from one page to another. This data can help you to identify which pages are most engaging and which pages are causing visitors to leave your site.
Bullet points:
- Behaviour flow report shows how users move from one page to another.
- Identifies which pages are most engaging.
- Helps you to identify which pages are causing visitors to leave your site.
Interpreting Demographic And Location Data
Plain paragraph: google analytics can also provide you with information about the demographics and locations of your website visitors. This data can be useful for tailoring your content to better suit your audience.
Bullet points:
- Google analytics provides information about the demographics and locations of your website visitors.
- Use this data to tailor your content to better suit your audience.
Best Practices For Using Google Analytics
Understanding Website Goals And How To Track Them With Google Analytics
Implementing google analytics on your WordPress site is crucial to understanding your audience and metrics. However, simply installing it will not automatically lead to better website performance. First, you need to determine your website goals and how to track them using google analytics.
Here are some tips:
- Determine your website goals: Understanding the purpose and goals of your website is the first step to tracking them. Determine your website’s main objective, such as generating leads, increasing traffic, or boosting conversions. Once you have identified your goals, you can track them using specific metrics.
- Set up conversion tracking: Conversion tracking helps you to track specific actions that visitors take on your website, such as signing up for a newsletter or purchasing a product. Set up conversion tracking by creating a conversion goal in google analytics and adding the tracking code to your website’s thank-you page.
Importance Of Regularly Reviewing And Analyzing Data
Google analytics is a powerful tool for monitoring website data and tracking performance. But simply collecting data is not enough; it’s important to regularly review and analyze the data in order to gain insights and make data-driven decisions. Here are some tips:
- Track and analyze key performance indicators (KPIS): KPIS are metrics that measure the success of your website goals. Identify the most important KPIS for your website by considering how they relate to your business objectives.
- Monitor website traffic and user behavior: Regularly reviewing your website traffic and user behavior can provide valuable insights into your audience’s preferences, interests, and needs. Use google analytics to analyze user behavior, such as the pages they visit and how long they stay on each page.
- Use data to make informed decisions: One of the most significant benefits of using google analytics is the ability to make data-driven decisions. Use the data you collect to make informed decisions about website changes, such as modifying content, improving user experience, or adjusting marketing strategies.
Making Data-Driven Changes To Improve Website Performance
Once you have set up google analytics and analyzed your website data, it’s time to make data-driven changes to improve your website’s performance. Here are some tips:
- Test and measure website changes: Always a/b test any significant changes to your website, such as titles, images, or content. This will help you to understand which changes are most effective in achieving your goals.
- Optimize for user experience: User experience plays a significant role in website performance. Use data to identify areas where user experience can be improved, such as page speed, mobile optimization, or navigation.
- Continually monitor and adjust: Website performance is not a one-time fix. Continuously monitor and adjust your website, using data to make informed decisions about what’s working and what’s not.
By following these best practices for using google analytics, you will gain valuable insights into your website’s performance and be able to make data-driven changes to improve website performance.
Frequently Asked Questions On How To Install Google Analytics In WordPress For Beginners?
What Is Google Analytics And Its Benefits For WordPress Websites?
Google analytics is a free web analytics tool offered by google. It helps you track and analyze your website’s traffic and user behavior, and provides insights that can help you optimize your site’s performance. With this data, you can make informed decisions about your online business or blog.
Does Google Analytics Slow Down WordPress Website?
No, google analytics doesn’t have any visible impact on your website’s load times. It loads asynchronously, meaning it doesn’t block other resources from loading on your site. However, installing too many plugins or poorly coded theme can slow down your website’s performance.
How To Install Google Analytics On WordPress Website?
First, sign up for a google analytics account and create a tracking code. Then, install google analytics plugin on your WordPress website. Finally, paste the tracking code into the plugin settings and you’re done.
Do I Need To Have Coding Skills To Install Google Analytics In WordPress?
No, you don’t need any coding skills to install google analytics on your WordPress website. With plugins like Monsterinsights and google analytics dashboard for WP, you can easily install and set up google analytics without any technical knowledge.
Can I Track My Website’S Conversion And Goals With Google Analytics?
Yes, google analytics allows you to set up conversion tracking and track your website’s goals. You can measure specific actions, such as form submissions, downloads, or purchases, and track the performance of your marketing campaigns. These insights can help you optimize your site for better conversions and revenue.
Conclusion
As a beginner, installing google analytics may seem like a daunting task, but with the right guidance, it can be achieved with ease. By following the step-by-step process outlined in this article, you can successfully install google analytics on your WordPress website and start tracking your website’s performance.
Remember, google analytics is a valuable tool that provides important insights into your website’s traffic behavior, which can help you optimize and improve your website’s performance. With the correct data analysis, you can make informed decisions about your marketing strategies, content creation, and website design.
It is essential to keep your google analytics account organized and make sure your tracking code is operational at all times to ensure accurate data collection and analysis. By implementing google analytics, you are taking the first step in improving your website’s success.
Happy tracking!