This post will look at the process of setting up Google Analytics as a few of you have asked me in emails what it is and how to install it. I would always recommend installing analytics as you just cant trust the stats that WordPress or Blogger give you, I always find that they report higher than normal.
What is Google Analytics?
If your blog is small or large, it is important to know what the visitors to your site are looking at and for how long, as well as what content keeps bringing them back. It gives you some insight in to what works and what doesn’t.
While Google Analytics is more important for sites that are wanting to sell products or have an ecommerce shop it has some really neat features that I feel are really important to get your head around even if your just starting out.
You can also do some custom reports to see how many people per hour are on your site, but I’ll cover this in a different post as I’m still learning new things everyday with it.
How to Install Google Analytics.
As everyone reading my site uses a different blogging platform, I’ll cover the top 3 – WordPress, Blogger and Tumblr. If you have any issues following I have also made a video for each type of website showing you how to set it up. If you do end up with any questions just throw them in the comment section below or poke me on twitter @letsstrikeapose
Setup Analytics Account
Step 1 – Head over to http://www.google.com/analytics, You will need a Google account. Anyone that has been using blogger will already have one, if you don’t just click Access Google Analytics and it will start the sign up process.
Step 2 – Next screen will show you it’s a simple 3 step process, just press Sign up on this screen.
Step 3 – It will ask you what type of Analytics account you want to setup, You will have the option of Universal and Classic. I would recommend using Universal Analytics over the classic as you get access to the new features much faster!
Step 4 – Enter all the details that it asks for. I always enter the name of the blog in to the Account Name and the Website. Then enter the website url and what industry your site would be classed in and finally set the time zone that you are in. Otherwise real time tracking will be in the wrong zone.
Step 5 – Decide if you want to be part of any Google service or share your website data with them. I always leave them on as I feel it cant really have a negative effect on anything and I don’t have anything to hide.
Step 6 – Accept the Google analytics terms of service. Make sure that you have a good read :). And if you agree with everything you will be granted access to the service.
Step 7 – TADA! This is what you need if you are to setup analytics on your blogs.
Once you are at this screen please continue to the next step, depending on what type of blogging platform that your on.
Blogger
Blogger is very easy to setup.
Step 1 – Head to blogger.com
Step 2 – Select your site, and go to the drop down and press on settings
Step 3 – Go to other located at the bottom of the list, and copy paste your tracking ID.
Step 4 – Check it’s working by going to https://www.google.com/analytics and clicking on realtime.
Video:
Tumblr
Tumblr again is super simple to setup just a little bit hidden.
Step 1 – Head over to http://www.tumblr.com/
Step 2 – To go customise
Step 3 – Enter your Google Analytics ID where it asks.
Step 4 – Check it’s working by going to https://www.google.com/analytics and clicking on realtime.
WordPress.org (Self Hosted, such as mine)
As with everything in WordPress they is more than 1 way to do it. I’ll be showing what I feel is the most simple.
Step 1 – Login to your admin panel yourname.com/wp-admin
Step 2 – Go to Plugins > Add New
Step 3 – Search for Google Analytics, Look for the plugin by Joost De Valk
Step 4 – Press Install Now, Accept the warning.
Step 5 – Active Plugin
Step 6 – Go to Setting Google Analytics and copy paste the UA code.
Step 7 – Check it’s working by going to https://www.google.com/analytics and clicking on realtime.
WordPress.com
They officially don’t allow you to do this, but they is a bit of a workaround if you have your own custom domain name. If a few of you want me to talk about it I’ll do a post on it, as it’s a touch more complicated than the rest. But nothing amazingly tricky! The stats that they give are a little bit out (have used jetpack on this site to compare).
How to check it is work.
The great thing about Google Analytics is that in the old days you would have to wait about 24 hours and hope that you set everything up correctly. These days it has a great feature for seeing real time information. Just click realtime on the left side of analytics and click around your site, you will show after about 20-30seconds. It’s a great way to see if it is working.
I hope that you have found this guide to setting up Google analytics useful. If you have any questions feel free to comment below, and if you found it useful please share on facebook and twitter. As always check out my other Tecky Tuesday posts here and let me know of any future ones that you would like me to make.
Thanks for sharing your tips with us. It is really helful, I didn’t know that I could do that on blogger, and with your instructions it was super easy to install. Thanks :)
prettyassummer.blogspot.co.uk
I spent an hour last night trying to figure out how to install analytics on http://www.JollyCacusRace.blogspot.com ,no joke! So lucky that you started following me on bloglovin’ this morning so…miracles do happen! lol.
Thanks for this, it made it so easy and fast ;)
This was so helpful, I finally set it up ! About time haha xx
I’ve tried many times to install this and everything seems to be okay until I click on real time or any other overview. It shows 0 no matter what I do. Maybe You have any ideas where the problem is?
http://www.jedisbonjour.blogspot.com
Thank you for this!
thank you for this…so helpful…I have finally set mine up after weeks of uhming and ahing! X
http://www.tamsinamy.blogspot.co.uk
Thank you so much for this post!! It was truly helpful!
Best,
Christina
looksbylau.blogspot.com
I have put in my tracking code but it still wont work. I don’t know what else to do.
Great post, I forgot I had this! very helpful
http://www.peachy-milk.blogspot.co.uk
Thanks for the advice! I’ve wanted to try this, but I had no idea it was that easy to set up!
just set this up on my blog now, I found this post very helpful, thank you :D
http://phoenixfaie.blogspot.co.uk/
This was so helpful thank you xx
http://yougottabegorgeousx.blogspot.co.uk/
thanks for the post, i actually had google analytics on my blogger since i started, but i didn’t know about posting the tracking id part in the settings, i just been posting them on every post I made! thanks!!
http://melissatruong.blogspot.ca
Thank you for sharing!
http://fashionmusingsdiary.blogspot.fr
Thanks, I always enjoy learning more about this topic! ^^
http://nagareboshi9.blogspot.ch/
This was really helpful, thanks a lot! Just set this up on my blog. :)
http://beautopiaxoxo.blogspot.com/
Thanks for following me on Bloglovin’! As a new blogger (still trying to find my identity!) I enjoy reading the blogs of the new people that follow me! You seem to know a lot about beauty/fashion (which is not my department!!) I will enjoy the afternoon looking through your posts!
Thanks again! And I like your techy-tuesday feature! I looks forward to reading those in the future!
geocrafty.blogspot.com
This is such an awesome post, Mary! I have to give it a try finally. Thank you for all the info!
wow this is so so useful! I will definitely start using this now and follow this tutorial to help me set it up – thanks so much! x
http://www.amuchprettierpuzzle.com
Hey :)
Thanks for the post. I use wordpress and have my own domain, can you help me set this up?
Fie xx
Coffee & Confetti
Finally set my Analytics up! I tried once before but didn’t understand so I gave up.
Thank you :) xx
http://www.yazzyscorner.co.uk