How To Add Google Analytics To Wordpress

Google Analytics is an effective tool for monitoring the functionality of your website, comprehending user behaviour, and enhancing your online visibility. Anyone who wants to make data-driven decisions must integrate Google Analytics with their WordPress website. We'll show you how to integrate Google Analytics with WordPress in this tutorial so you can gather useful information about your site's visitors.

Step 1: Create a Google Analytics Account

Before adding Google Analytics to your WordPress site, you need an account. Follow these steps:

Go to the Google Analytics website.
Sign in with your Google account or create one if you don’t already have it.
Click Start Measuring to create a new account.
Enter an account name and choose the relevant data-sharing settings.
Click Next to set up a property. Input your website’s name, URL, time zone, and currency.
Select the type of data stream (Web, Android, or iOS). For WordPress, choose Web.
You’ll be given a tracking ID or Measurement ID. Copy it for later use.

Step 2: Choose a Method to Add Google Analytics to WordPress

There are several ways to add Google Analytics to WordPress. The most common methods are:

Using a Plugin
Manually Adding Code to Your Theme

Method 1: Using a Plugin

Google Analytics may be added most easily with plugins without changing the code of your website. ExactMetrics, Google Site Kit, and MonsterInsights are popular plugins for this use.

Using MonsterInsights

1. Install the Plugin

Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
Go to Plugins > Add New and search for "MonsterInsights."
Click Install Now and then Activate.

2. Connect Your Google Analytics Account

Navigate to Insights > Settings in the dashboard.
Click Authenticate with your Google account and follow the on-screen prompts.
Select your Google Analytics property to complete the connection.

3. Configure Settings

Customize the tracking settings based on your needs.
MonsterInsights will automatically add the tracking code to your site.

Using Site Kit by Google

Google's official WordPress plugin, Site Kit, offers a smooth integration of Analytics and more Google technologies.

1. Install Site Kit

Go to Plugins > Add New, search for "Site Kit by Google," and install it.
Click Activate after installation.

2. Set Up Analytics

Go to Site Kit > Dashboard and follow the setup wizard.
Connect your Google Analytics account and property.

Method 2: Manually Adding Code

You can incorporate the Google Analytics monitoring code straight into your WordPress theme if you know how to code.

1. Locate Your Tracking Code

In your Google Analytics account, go to Admin > Data Streams and select your website.
Copy the Global Site Tag (gtag.js) provided.

2. Add the Code to Your Theme

In your WordPress dashboard, navigate to Appearance > Theme File Editor.
Select the header.php file (or the equivalent file in your theme).
Paste the tracking code before the closing tag.

3. Save Changes

Click Update File to save your changes.

Step 3: Verify the Integration

To ensure Google Analytics is properly set up, verify the integration:

Log in to your Google Analytics account.
Go to Real-Time > Overview.
Visit your website in a separate browser tab.
Check if your visit appears in the real-time report.

Benefits of Adding Google Analytics to WordPress

Understand User Behavior: Analyze how visitors interact with your website, which pages they view, and how long they stay.
Track Conversions: Set goals to monitor form submissions, purchases, or other key actions.
Optimize Performance: Identify pages with high bounce rates or slow loading times.
Enhance SEO: Use insights to improve your content strategy and search engine rankings.