How To Set Up Google Analytics

Want to learn how to use Google Analytics? You’ve come to the right place!

Google Analytics is the most popular data collection software for websites. It collects information about the visitors to a website and how they interact with it. Therefore, it provides powerful insights to any digital marketing campaign.

That’s why checking that Google Analytics is set up correctly is one of the first SEO tasks we complete when setting up or improving a website.

Note that this example shows how to install Google Analytics on WordPress for a non-ecommerce website. If your website has ecommerce functionality you’ll need to follow the documentation from that CMS to make sure that transactions and revenue are passed through to GA.

Step 1

The first step is to check if you already have a Google Analytics account. If yes, then log into that account and use the tracking codes from it instead of starting a new account (skip to step 2). If not, you will need to add this from scratch.

To do this go to Google Analytics home > admin > property and click ‘Create new property’.

Step 2

You should now see the below page. Fill out each field appropriately, ensuring all information is correct – double check if the website is a Secure site by going to the website and checking the URL. If it starts with https:// it is a secure site, and this should be selected in the drop down. Choose a category and set the time zone appropriately. Click ‘Get Tracking ID’ and accept the terms and conditions.

The first page you will see in your new account will include the Tracking Codes. You will need this information to install tracking on the website.

Step 3

The next step is to install this code on the website. If the website is not accessible or is built in such a way that we are not able to easily add the necessary code, this task will have to go to be completed by your developer.

There are two different methods for installing the code:

Google Tag Manager

The first choice for installing Google Analytics is through Google Tag Manager. Set this up, if you haven’t already done so.

Directly on the Website

If it’s a website where Tag Manager cannot be installed or it’s an ecommerce website, log in to the admin area and install using in-built functionality, adding the code directly to the head or a plugin.

The best option is to then add the code straight into the header.php file. If you are unable to do this, Alpha Digital uses the SEO-Yoast (WordPress Only) plugin to install the Google Analytics code. If this plugin is not already installed, install it and enter the analytics information.

Step 4

Share the Account

The final step is to add permissions to the account for any relevant people. To do this go to Admin > Account > User Management then click ‘Add New’. Add the person’s email address and you’re done. Pat yourself on the back, you now know how to set up Google Analytics!

Learn more about our digital analytics tracking agency.