How to Set Up Google Analytics in WordPress for Beginners

Knowing your audience and how they interact with your content is very important. That’s why how to set up Google Analytics in WordPress is a great idea. Especially in optimization and proper

marketing of your website! Information is very significant and can influence almost every business decision you make.

Google Analytics is one of the best tools in the marketing world. It helps you gather information about people visiting your website. Many users have issues with integrating Google Analytics with WordPress. With the help of plugins, it can actually be a simple task to do.

In this article, we’ll be exploring Google Analytics and its advantages. We’ll also go through three different processes that you can use to add this important tool to your WordPress site.

Let’s check it out!

What is Google Analytics?

Google Analytics is a great platform that enables users to navigate into their website’s audience, traffic patterns, and more. It’s easy and simple to use. It’s probably the best analytical tool available out there.

Below is an example of the sort of chart that you will find for your business in Google Analytics:

Google Analytics works by securing a tracking code on your site. Usually in the header section, so that it will be present on every page. It then proceeds to use that code to record details about each visitor that accesses your website.

These details include:

• How they’re able to link to your website.
• The pages they land on and leave from.
• The pages they visit and how long they spend on that page.
• Their demographic information (such as age, gender, and interests).

You can always separate this data for clearer details. This results in a great view of not just the volume of traffic your site receives, but also the reactions of your visitors. This information can be very useful in influencing all manner of business decisions you want to make. From your marketing strategy to which blog posts you’ll display on your home page!

How to Set up Your Google Analytics on WordPress

Setting up Google Analytics in WordPress is an easy thing to do. Although, if you’ve not been navigating the HTML that makes up your site, adding the tracking code can be intimidating. This is why various plugins exist to make the process easier by automatically securing that code.

I’ll be explaining the setup of GA using the best WordPress plugins.

The first thing you need to do is to set up Google analytics running on your device. I’ll show you three (3) ways of installing Google analytics on your device.

1. Installing Using OrbitFox Plugin

OrbitFox is a great multifunctional, and free plugin that you can explore. When compared to other plugins, it offers a greater set of features. This includes Gutenberg blocks, a site optimizer, menu icons, and lots more. It’s best for users that want a total package solution to make their WordPress sites better.

For you to start using Google Analytics on OrbitFox, go to your WordPress dashboard, select Plugins from the list on the left, click and Search OrbitFox and install the plugin, then activate it. Once it’s activated, navigate to OrbitFox, then go to General Settings.

Locate the Analytics Integration in the list of options and click on the Activate switch. The page will automatically scroll down to display that it is activated with a Google button.

You’ll have to click on the button and choose your Google account from the popup, then confirm the requested permissions. You’ll be taken back to the OrbitFox settings screen, and a fresh section will be displayed at the bottom.

You can now choose the appropriate tracking code for your website from the drop-down menu and click on Save. And that’s all. The code will automatically be added to your website, and you can view your stats from the Google Analytics website.

2. Installing Using the MonsterInsights plugin

The next method I’ll walk you through is the MonsterInsights WordPress plugin. It’s a popular tool for implementing Google Analytics in WordPress. It helps you set up Google Analytics with ease. This plugin also lets you see important statistics without having to leave your WordPress dashboard.

To begin this process, go to your WordPress dashboard, look on the left for Plugins click, go to Search on the top right-hand side, and type in MonsterInsights click and activate the plugin. After activation, a welcome screen will be displayed. Scroll down the screen until you see the “Launch the Wizard” button. Then click on it.

After clicking on the button, it will open a setup wizard that will assist you through the process. The first thing is, you’ll be asked to choose a category for your site. This determines some of the default settings you’ll start with.

You’ll then be asked to Connect to MonsterInsights, which is what will synchronize your site with Google Analytics.

Information Needed

You can now enter your Google Analytics account information or select the associated Google account. Once you’re done with that, give MonsterInsights the requested permissions.

Then choose your website from a list of Google Analytics web properties.

It can take up to 24 hours for the data to start flowing between your WordPress and Google analytics account. Once you’re done, you can always check your site’s stats from either the Google Analytics website or your WordPress dashboard.

The basic MonsterInsights plugin is free for everyone to use. You can always upgrade to a premium version if you want to. It will only cost you about $99.50 per year. It offers additional features such as more advanced dashboard tools and integrations with other WordPress plugins.

3. Installing GA Manually on WordPress

This is the last process, and it is the most basic, but also the most technical to implement. Especially when adding the required tracking codes to your WordPress site manually! If you go with this approach, it’s necessary that you use a WordPress child theme.

Otherwise, your Google Analytics code will be overwritten anytime you get your theme updated. It’s a really good idea to back up your website before making any changes to your website’s core files.

First, you need to add the Google Analytics tracking code to your WordPress theme manually. And you’ll need a piece of code known as the “Global Site Tag”.

This can be found in your Google Analytics admin dashboard (look up Google Analytics and the listing will take you to your Google Analytics page) 

Look at the bottom of the left-hand side list for Admin, click, look in the central column for the <> Tracking Info, click and select Tracking Code, click. Find the tracking Info from the list of options, then select the Tracking Code.

Find Your Tracking Code

On the next page, you’ll be shown your Tracking ID, and below that, you’ll find the needed code. Copy that code and paste it somewhere safe or better still leave the tab open.

You’ll have to go back to your WordPress dashboard and go to Appearance, and then Theme Editor. It’s a built-in code editor for the files that contain your WordPress theme.

In the sidebar at the right, find the file labeled Theme Header (header.php). Be sure to choose the file from your child’s theme. If you don’t see a header.php file in your child theme, you can add it manually. This is done by copying from the parent theme folder to the child theme folder. Click on that file to open it in the main editor window.

Paste directly the Global Site Tag you copied earlier into this file below the opening tag.

Click on the Update File pop-up to save the changes. And finally, now, you’ve added the Google Analytics tracking code manually!

Conclusion

It doesn’t matter if your website is a hobby or a key business asset, knowledge is a great tool. Only a few platforms offer the amount of knowledge that Google Analytics does. Integrating Google Analytics with your WordPress website is exciting on its own. This can help you generate more traffic and revenue.

If this has helped you in your research, I would love you to leave a comment, or a like and share.

Thanks for visiting.

LILY