Using Google Analytics with WordPress

Google Analytics is a free application provided by Google which enables you to monitor your internet site users and acquire in-depth analysis and reports on your site overall performance. To start using Google Analytics, you will need to have a Google account. Very often, you may not even know you have a Google account. If you have a Gmail account, or a YouTube account, then you definitely have a Google account. You may use this same account info to authenticate and start establishing up your Google Analytics account.

Get your Google Analytics Account established

1. Log onto Google Analytics
2. Insert URL account name
3. Select time zone
4. Click on Continue
5. Read and agree to Terms of Service
6. Click on Create New Account

Employing your Google account and your Google password, proceed to sign in to Google Analytics. If you don’t have any of the previously mentioned accounts, don’t hesitate to sign up for a Gmail account if you want to secure access to your Google Analytics account. Just visit http://www.gmail.com to get started with the email setup process. Or, if you would like, you can simply get a Google Analytics account by clicking on Sign Up on the Google Analytics home page.

The very first thing you need to do is specify your homepage URL name. This name will also establish your account name. Now, select the time zone or territory. Then, click on Continue.

The subsequent step in getting your Google Analytics account setup is to read and agree to the Terms of Service. Feel free to take the time now to browse through the Terms and Conditions. Be certain you acknowledge what Google will do with the information it will obtain from your internet site. Most of the Terms of Service will include legal jargon, but if you are troubled about privacy issues or how the information is acquired or stored, then you will want to take a moment to read through the Terms of Service.

Once you consent to the Terms of Service, you must click on “Yes, I agree to the terms and conditions.” Then, you have to click on Create New Account to start.

What categories of sites can Google Analytics gather statistics for?

Let’s get started on monitoring your website employing Google Analytics. There are a number forms of online pages that Google Analytics can keep track of. This includes tracking single domains, multiple subdomains, or multiple top-level domains. And, if you happen to be a Google AdWords user, then you may possibly also would like to merge your AdWords data with your Analytics data. This is a notably functional feature that will help to assimilate and mix the data well.

Insert Google Analytics code into your WordPress Dashboard

Now, proceed and locate the Google Analytics code. You will require this information later, so be certain to identify it now prior to logging onto WordPress. This is the code that will work to collect data from your site and import it into your Google Analytics account.

1. Access WordPress
2. Click on Appearance
3. Click on Editor
4. Verify editable theme files (themes need to be writable)
5. Correct permissions using FTP, if necessary

Next, why don’t we log onto your WordPress dashboard. Now, click on Appearance. After that, click on Editor to begin editing the present theme that is in use. Please be aware that each of your theme files should be made writable, so if you see a message that reads, “You need to make this file writable” then you should toggle the permission parameters by using FTP to your WordPress theme.

Repairing FTP Permissions on WordPress themes

1. Log onto your FTP account
2. Click on wp-content
3. Access Themes folder
4. Select all files
5. Right click, choose File Permissions
6. Set this to “777”
7. Reload the page
8. Confirm Update File button
9. Find the footer file (footer.php)
10. Click on the footer file
11. Confirm functionality

If you need to adjust permissions, let’s finish this step before proceeding. Working with your FTP account login, click on wp-content. Then, click to the Themes folder. Search for the theme that you are presently using. Once you have located the theme, and assuming you are currently using the default theme, go on and select all the files. Then, right click and choose File Permissions. You will have to set this to “777”.

Next, you will want to refresh the page. If you scroll down, you will locate an Update File button. This button means your files are currently editable. Next, you must identify the Footer file, which is called footer.php. Go on and click on the file name. You will be able to observe that it opens the Footer file.

Insert the Google Analytics code in WordPress

1. Copy the Google Analytics code
2. Return to WordPress
3. Paste code before body tag
4. Click on Update File

Next, you will need to refer back and reference the Google Analytics code. Return to the Google Analytics code page and copy the code.Next, come back to the WordPress dashboard and paste the entire code just before the body tag. Now, click on Update File.

Commit your configurations in Google Analytics

1. Return to Google Analytics webpage
2. Click on Save and Finish
3. Dismiss warning message
4. In 2 hours, return to Google Analytics
5. Click on Edit
6. Click on Check Status
7. Confirm functionality

Next, you should come back to Google Analytics. Click on Save and Finish.

You will observe that WordPress functionality has been merged into your Google Analytics account, nevertheless, take note of the warning message. The warning message will tell you that Google Analytics is unable to pick up the webpage Web address, and not able to report on data. Of course, this warning will be addressed within a couple of hours once you allow the system to start processing and collecting the applicable data. To validate, you can return to Google Analytics in a few hours. Click on Edit, then you can click on Check Status.

If you have successfully configured Google Analytics for WordPress, you will be prompted with a confirmation that reads, “Analytics has been successfully installed and data is being gathered now.” If you check back in 24 hours, you will be able to see some rather useful statistics and insights into your web site targeted traffic.