Add Google Analytics to your WordPress website

Tracking and analyzing your website’s performance is crucial for understanding user behavior, measuring the effectiveness of your content, and making data-driven decisions. Google Analytics is a powerful tool that allows you to gather detailed insights about your website’s traffic and user interactions. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to add Google Analytics to your WordPress website.

Step 1: Create a Google Analytics account

1. Sign up for Google Analytics:

   • Go to the Google Analytics website.
   • Sign in with your Google account. If you don’t have one, create a new Google account.
   • Click on “Start measuring” to create a new account.
   • Enter the required information about your website and agree to the terms of service.

2. Set up a property:

   • In the Account Setup section, enter an account name (e.g., your business name).
   • Click “Next” and fill out the Property Setup section with your website’s name, URL, industry category, and reporting time zone.
   • Click “Create” to set up your property.

3. Get your Tracking ID:

   • After creating the property, you will be provided with a unique Tracking ID and a tracking code snippet. Keep this information handy as you will need it to link your WordPress site with Google Analytics.

Step 2: Add Google Analytics to your WordPress website

There are several ways to add Google Analytics to your WordPress site, including using plugins or manually inserting the tracking code. Here are the most common methods:

Method 1: Using a plugin

Option 1: MonsterInsights

1. Install and activate MonsterInsights:

   • Go to your WordPress dashboard.
   • Navigate to Plugins > Add New.
   • Search for “MonsterInsights” and click “Install Now.”
   • Activate the plugin after installation.

2. Connect MonsterInsights to Google Analytics:

   • Once activated, you will be prompted to launch the setup wizard.
   • Follow the instructions to connect MonsterInsights to your Google Analytics account.
   • Select the appropriate website and allow MonsterInsights to access your Google Analytics data.

3. Configure settings:

   • Go to Insights > Settings to configure additional settings like tracking options and user roles.
   • MonsterInsights will automatically add the necessary tracking code to your site.

Option 2: GA Google Analytics

1. Install and activate GA Google Analytics:

   • Go to Plugins > Add New.
   • Search for “GA Google Analytics” and click “Install Now.”
   • Activate the plugin after installation.

2. Enter Tracking ID:

   • Go to Settings > GA Google Analytics.
   • Enter your Google Analytics Tracking ID in the provided field.
   • Save changes to enable tracking.

Method 2: Manually adding the tracking code

1. Copy the Tracking Code:

   • In your Google Analytics account, navigate to Admin > Tracking Info > Tracking Code.
   • Copy the Global Site Tag (gtag.js) code snippet.

2. Insert the Code into Your Theme:

   • Go to your WordPress dashboard.
   • Navigate to Appearance > Theme Editor.
   • Find the header.php file under Theme Files.
   • Paste the tracking code right before the closing </head> tag.
   • Save the changes to apply the tracking code to all pages.

Method 3: Using Google Tag Manager

1. Set up Google Tag Manager:

   • Go to the Google Tag Manager website.
   • Create a new account and container for your website.
   • After creating the container, you will receive a container code snippet.

2. Install Google Tag Manager on WordPress:

   • Go to Plugins > Add New.
   • Search for “DuracellTomi’s Google Tag Manager for WordPress” and install the plugin.
   • Activate the plugin after installation.

3. Configure the Plugin:

   • Go to Settings > Google Tag Manager.
   • Enter your container ID and save the settings.
   • Use Google Tag Manager to add the Google Analytics tag and configure triggers.

Conclusion

Adding Google Analytics to your WordPress website is essential for tracking visitor behavior and improving your site’s performance. Whether you choose to use a plugin, manually insert the tracking code, or leverage Google Tag Manager, each method provides a reliable way to integrate analytics into your site. Once set up, you can start analyzing data, understanding your audience, and making informed decisions to enhance your website’s effectiveness.

For further information, you can visit the Google Analytics Help Center and MonsterInsights Documentation. If you need help with Google Analytics integration on your WordPress website contact us.