Are you looking for a way to add Google Analytics directly to your WordPress website?
If so, you’re not alone. Google Analytics is one of the best ways to keep track of who is visiting your website and what they are doing while they are there. It’s possible to dive in and take a look at your bounce rate, page views, link traffic, and so much more.
Previously, the only way to track your Google Analytics on your website involved adding in code and then manually tracking your stats from the Analytics website. This method is effective but can be time-consuming and difficult for those who are unfamiliar with coding.
There’s an easier way to track all of your analytic stats directly from your WordPress website. You’ll have access to all of your data in real time, and you won’t have to touch a single line of code to add your analytics account to your site.
We’re going to show you how to add your Analytics account to WordPress.
Step 1: Sign in to Google Analytics
The first step is making sure you have a Google Analytics account and that it is connected to your website. Go to the Google Analytics website and sign in with your Gmail account.
Type in your email, then click next. Google will then ask for your password. Enter your password then click Log In to access your account.
After you log in to the analytics page, you’ll have to sign up for your Google Analytics account. This process only takes a few minutes. You’ll have to enter in your website, your home URL, and the report time zone. Your screen will look like the one below.
Step 2: Locate Your Tracking Code
Now that you’ve set up your Analytics account, you’ll end up on the user dashboard. To get your tracking code for your account click on the Admin panel
From the Admin panel, you’ll see a drop-down menu on the left side of the screen. Click on Tracking Code, and this will populate the code you need to link your analytics account to your WordPress website. Make sure you either copy this code or keep the tab open while you continue the integration process.
Step 3: Install MonsterInsights
Remember at the start when we discussed how you could add your analytics account to your website without coding? Well, the MonsterInsights plugin is the tool we are going to use to link our Google account to our website.
MonsterInsights gives you complete control over your analytics and lets you see specific information such as form and link tracking, the demographics of your audience, and much more.
This plugin comes with both a free and premium version, depending on what kind of data you would like to track. Most people can benefit from the free version of MonsterInsights, while those more interested in data like eCommerce and author tracking might like the premium version.
Today we are going to look at how to install the lite/free version of this plugin.
Make sure you’re signed in to WordPress and check the plugin page. Search for MonsterInsights, and you’ll see it at the top of the page.
Click the blue Download button to install MonsterInsights on your WordPress site.
Step 4: Activate MonsterInsights
Now that you’ve installed MonsterInsights on your website, it’s time to activate it and add your tracking code. Go to your WordPress dashboard and look for the Plugins popout window on the left side of the screen. Click Installed Plugins.
Locate MonsterInsights from the plugin page and make sure it says “deactivate” which means that it is currently activated. If you notice a blue button that says “activate” click to activate the plugin. Your plugin page should look something like this when properly activated.
Step 5: Link your Google Analytics Account
Now that you’ve logged into your Analytics account and installed MonsterInsights, it’s time to merge the two. Here’s how.
After activating the plugin, you’ll see a new menu appear on the left side of the screen on your WordPress dashboard that says “Insights.” Click the Insights button and a list of options will appear, select “Settings.”
On the next page, scroll down until you see a tab for Google authentication. Just like the image below.
After you click Authenticate with your Google Account, you’ll get redirected to a page that will ask if you want to give MonsterInsights permission to integrate with your Analytics account. Confirm the request, as this is asking if you want MonsterInsights to do what it’s designed to do–track your data for you.
You’ll now have to confirm with MonsterInsights which website you want it to track. The menu will look similar to the one below.
Select All Web Site Data, confirm that you’re not a robot, then click Complete Authentication.
Step 6: Check Your Data
All you have left to do now is to confirm that your Analytics is linked and is displaying your data. Depending on the time frame between installing MonsterInsights and checking your data, your screen may look a little empty. This is because MonsterInsights and Google Analytics work together to track your data in real time from the point where you authenticate your account.
Here’s how you check your data.
Go to your WordPress dashboard and click on the Insights tab on the left, then click reports.
You’ll get redirected to your MonsterInsights data tracking page, which shows you all of the important information about your website. Here’s an example page.
As you can see here, the data provided is extraordinarily valuable to bloggers and website developers who want to track their traffic, bounce rate, page views, and more.
If you scroll down, you’ll see additional data such as where your readers are coming from, how they are landing on your page, general demographics, and much more.
Conclusion
Google Analytics is the key to understanding why customers come to your page. If you want to generate more quality leads, see what kind of content readers enjoy, and learn more about your target customer, MonsterInsights and Google can help you gather the data you need in real time.
The best part about putting your analytics account on your website is the fact that you’ll save time. You don’t have to worry about cycling back and forth between your Google page and your WordPress site. Everything is in one place, and all of your website’s data is at your fingertips.