Understanding Blog Statistics: Key to Boosting Growth
When it comes to blogging, analyzing your blog’s statistics is crucial for its success and growth. Whether your blog attracts 100 daily views or a staggering 100 million, having reliable stats to monitor and evaluate your blog’s traffic is essential. In a previous blog post, we explored three statistic programs specifically designed for WordPress blogs, with Google Analytics as the go-to tool for any website. In this comprehensive tutorial, we will guide you through the process of setting up a Google Analytics account and seamlessly integrating it into your WordPress blog. Don’t worry if you’re not a tech expert; this guide is designed to assist users of all technical expertise levels.
Step by Step: Setting Up a Google Analytics Account
Let’s begin by creating a Google Analytics account for your WordPress blog. Even if you’re setting up your first website, the following steps are straightforward:
1. Go to the Google Analytics page and log in using your Google account. If you don’t have one, no worries! You can easily create an account for free.
2. For first-time setup, follow the instructions, providing your website details and personal information to get started.
3. If you already have an account, simply click on the Admin tab at the top, select your account, and click “Add a New Property.”
4. On the next page, enter your website details to obtain the tracking code. Refer to the sample screenshot below for reference.
Sample Screenshot of Google Analytics Tracking ID
[Image: Google Analytics Tracking ID]
5. Click on “Get Tracking ID” to access your Google Analytics tracking code or script. Depending on the integration method we choose for WordPress, we may use either the tracking ID or the complete script. This code establishes the connection between WordPress and Google Analytics, enabling you to track site visitors and more.
Integrating Google Analytics with WordPress
Now, let’s explore the different methods you can use to add Google Analytics (GA) to your blog. Depending on your level of blogging experience, you can choose from the following options:
Method 1: Google Tag Manager Integration
We highly recommend utilizing Google Tag Manager (GTM) to manage all the tags for your blog. GTM is a free and convenient platform that allows you to handle all your tags in one place. Here’s a brief tutorial on integrating GTM with your WordPress blog:
1. Set up a Google Tag Manager account.
2. Install the Google Tag Manager plugin on your WordPress site.
3. Follow the plugin’s configuration instructions to link it with your GTM account.
4. Once set up, you can effortlessly manage all your tracking codes and tags through GTM.
Method 2: Utilizing WordPress Theme’s Header/Footer Script Option
Some WordPress themes offer the option to add header and footer scripts to your site. Take advantage of this by integrating your GA tracking code into your site’s footer script. Here’s how:
1. Copy the tracking code obtained in Step 1.
2. Access your theme settings and locate the option to add the footer script.
3. Paste the code into the footer script option.
4. Save the settings. Your tracking code will now seamlessly integrate into your site without the need for an additional plugin.
Method 3: Employing a Google Analytics WordPress Plugin
The WordPress plugin repository offers several Google Analytics plugins, both free and paid. One popular option is the Google Analytics plugin by MonsterInsights. Here’s how you can utilize it:
1. Install and activate the Google Analytics plugin on your WordPress site.
2. After activation, a popup window will appear, requesting permission to track your website. Select “Do not allow tracking.”
3. Go to Settings > Google Analytics to configure the plugin.
4. Click on “Click here to authenticate with Google” or manually enter the UA code.
5. Save the settings to complete the configuration.
Monitoring Google Analytics Data in Your WordPress Dashboard
If you prefer to monitor your Google Analytics data directly from your WordPress dashboard, follow these simple steps:
1. Navigate to Insights > Dashboard.
2. You will now have direct access to your Google Analytics data within your WordPress dashboard.
Conclusion
Out of the three integration options discussed, we recommend using Google Tag Manager for its simplicity and convenience in managing tags. However, if you’re an experienced blogger seeking more comprehensive data analysis, the MonsterInsights plugin is an excellent choice. Make sure to explore other essential Google Analytics tutorials for bloggers to enhance your understanding of blog analytics.
Now that you know how to add Google Analytics to your blog, we encourage you to share this tutorial with your network on LinkedIn. Let us know which method you’re using to track visitors on your blog and what other stats programs you’ve implemented.
