Google Analytics Account Setup Made Easy: Expert Tips and Tricks

August 5, 2023

Welcome to “Google Analytics Account Setup Made Easy: Expert Tips and Tricks!” In today’s digital world, understanding and harnessing the power of data is crucial for businesses to thrive.

Google Analytics provides a comprehensive platform for tracking and analyzing website performance, enabling businesses to make informed decisions and optimize their online presence.

Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced marketer, this guide will easily walk you through setting up a Google Analytics account.

From essential configurations to advanced techniques, we’ll share expert tips and tricks to help you make the most of this powerful tool. Let’s dive in and unlock the true potential of Google Analytics!

How to Set Up a Google Analytics Account in 10 Steps?

Setting up Google Analytics on your website is an essential part of tracking and analyzing user behavior, which helps improve your website’s performance, drive traffic, and optimize digital marketing efforts. Google Analytics is one of the most powerful tools for understanding how visitors interact with your website, allowing you to make data-driven decisions. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to set up your Google Analytics account.

Step 1: Visit the Google Analytics Website

To get started, head to the official Google Analytics website. Once there, you will either sign in to your Google account (such as Gmail) or create a new Google account if you don’t have one. Google Analytics is free to use, and having a Google account will enable you to access other essential features and tools Google offers.

Step 2: Sign In With Your Google Account

After visiting the website, click on the “Sign In” button located at the top-right of the page. If you already have a Google account (e.g., Gmail, Google Drive), sign in with your credentials. If not, create a new Google account by clicking on the “Create account” option, and follow the instructions.

Step 3: Set Up Your Google Analytics Account

Once logged in, click on “Start measuring” or “Create Account” to initiate the setup process. This will take you to a page where you can input your website details. Google Analytics will guide you through the necessary setup steps.

Step 4: Fill In Your Account Information

You will be asked to provide details about your website. These details will help Google Analytics tailor the reporting experience for your business:

Account Name: Enter a name for your Google Analytics account. This is usually the name of your business or website.
Website Name: The name of your website or online platform.
Website URL: Enter your website’s full URL (including “http://” or “https://”).
Industry Category: Choose a category that best describes your business or niche.
Reporting Time Zone: Select the time zone in which you want to view your data.

Step 5: Configure Data-Sharing Settings (Optional)

Next, Google will present several data-sharing options. These settings allow Google to use your data for improving their services or sharing with third-party partners. While these settings are optional, it’s important to review them and select your preferences. For example, you can opt to share your data with Google’s technical support team for assistance, or share it for benchmarking purposes with other users in the same industry.

Step 6: Click on the “Create” Button

After completing the form with your information, click the “Create” button to proceed. Google will now process your request and begin creating your Google Analytics account.

Step 7: Accept the Terms of Service

Next, you’ll need to accept Google’s terms of service. Make sure you read through the agreement before accepting. Once you agree, check the box confirming your acceptance, and then proceed.

Step 8: Get Your Tracking Code

Once you accept the terms, Google Analytics will generate a unique tracking code for your website. This is a small snippet of JavaScript that you need to add to your website’s pages to start collecting data. You’ll see the tracking code displayed on the screen after completing the setup process.

Step 9: Install the Tracking Code on Your Website

Now that you have the tracking code, it’s time to install it on your website. You need to place the code just before the closing </head> tag on each page you want to track. For most website platforms like WordPress, you can use plugins to install the code, making the process easier. If you’re managing a custom website, you can manually paste the tracking code into the site’s HTML code.

Step 10: Verify Data Collection

After installing the tracking code, it may take up to 24 hours for data to start showing up in your Google Analytics account. However, you can check the “Real-Time” report in Google Analytics to see live activity on your website. This will allow you to confirm that the tracking code is working correctly and that your website’s data is being collected.

Key Benefits of Google Analytics

By setting up Google Analytics, you’re opening the door to a wealth of data that can help optimize your website’s performance. With detailed insights into your visitors’ behavior, traffic sources, and conversion rates, you can make data-driven decisions that improve user experience and drive business growth. Some key benefits of using Google Analytics include:

Understanding User Behavior: Track user actions, page views, and time spent on your site to understand what works and what doesn’t.
Improving Marketing Efforts: Measure the effectiveness of your SEO and PPC campaigns by analyzing key metrics such as traffic, conversion rates, and bounce rates.
Enhanced Decision-Making: Leverage reports to make informed decisions about website improvements, content updates, and marketing strategies.

How to Set Up Google Analytics on CMs-hosted Sites?

Setting up Google Analytics on your CMS-hosted site is crucial for tracking your website’s performance, user behavior, and gathering valuable data for optimizing your digital marketing strategies. The process can vary slightly depending on the CMS you are using. Below is a step-by-step guide on how to set up Google Analytics for your CMS-hosted site.

Step 1: Sign Up for Google Analytics

The first step is to sign up for a Google Analytics account, if you don’t already have one.

Visit the Google Analytics website.
Click the “Start for free” button.
Follow the instructions to create your Google Analytics account. You’ll be asked for basic information like your website’s name, URL, industry category, and time zone.

Once your account is created, you’ll be directed to the Admin section to set up your property.

Step 2: Create a New Property

Once logged into Google Analytics:

Click on the “Admin” tab, located at the bottom left of the page.
In the Property column, select Create Property.
Fill out the form by adding details like your website name, URL, industry category, and the time zone where your data will be reported.
Click Create to proceed.

This will create a unique property in Google Analytics for your website.

Step 3: Get Your Tracking Code

After creating your property, you will need to get your unique tracking code:

In the Property column, click on Tracking Info.
Select Tracking Code from the dropdown.
A page will open showing your Global Site Tag (gtag.js), which is the tracking code.

Copy the tracking code to add it to your website.

Step 4: Add the Tracking Code to Your CMS-hosted Site

The process of adding the tracking code to your site varies depending on the CMS platform you are using. Here are the steps for some of the most popular CMS platforms:

a. WordPress

Install a Google Analytics plugin. Popular plugins include “Google Analytics for WordPress” or “MonsterInsights”.
From your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins > Add New and search for the plugin.
Install and activate the plugin.
Follow the plugin’s setup instructions and enter your Google Analytics tracking code when prompted.

This will allow you to integrate Google Analytics without manually adding the code to your site’s theme files.

b. Joomla

Log in to your Joomla admin panel.
Go to Extensions > Templates > Styles.
Select your active template.
Look for the Custom Code section or Code Injection tab, depending on the template.
Paste the Google Analytics tracking code in the head section and save the changes.

c. Drupal

Install a module like Google Tag Manager or Google Analytics to integrate your tracking code.
Go to the Modules section of your Drupal site and install the module.
Enter your Google Analytics tracking ID in the module settings.
Enable the module, and it will automatically insert the tracking code across all pages of your website.

d. Wix

Open the Wix editor for your website.
Click on the Settings gear icon at the top of the screen.
From the dropdown, select Tracking & Analytics.
Click on + New Tool and select Custom.
Paste the Google Analytics tracking code in the provided field and click Save.

Step 5: Verify the Tracking Code

Once you’ve added the tracking code to your website, it’s essential to verify that it’s working correctly.

Log in to your Google Analytics account.
Choose the property you just set up.
Go to the Real-Time reports section, located in the left sidebar.
Open your website in a different browser or device.
If everything is set up correctly, you should see your visit recorded in the Real-Time report.

If you don’t see any data within the first 24 hours, recheck the tracking code installation.

How to Set Up Google Analytics on WordPress?

Setting up Google Analytics on your WordPress site is essential to track and analyze the performance of your website. By integrating Google Analytics, you can gather valuable data about your website’s visitors, traffic sources, user behavior, and more. Here’s a detailed step-by-step guide on how to set up Google Analytics on WordPress:

Step 1: Create a Google Analytics Account

Go to Google Analytics:
- Visit the Google Analytics website.
- Log in with your Google account credentials. If you don’t have a Google account, you’ll need to create one first.
Start a New Account:
- Once signed in, click on “Start Measuring” to begin the setup process.
Create Your Google Analytics Account:
- Enter the required details for your account:
  - Account Name: Your business name or website name.
  - Website Name: The name of the website you’re tracking.
  - Website URL: Enter your website’s URL (ensure it’s in the correct format, e.g., https://www.example.com).
  - Industry Category: Select your industry or niche from the drop-down list.
  - Reporting Time Zone: Choose the appropriate time zone for your business.
- Accept the terms and conditions by clicking “Create.”

Step 2: Set Up a Property in Google Analytics

Create Property for Your Website:
- After setting up your account, you’ll be prompted to create a property.
- A property represents your website in Google Analytics. You will need to provide the following:
  - Website Name
  - Website URL
  - Industry Category
  - Reporting Time Zone
Configure Data-Sharing Settings:
- Choose your desired data-sharing settings and click on the “Create” button to finalize your property setup.

Step 3: Get Your Tracking ID

Access Tracking Information:
- In your Google Analytics account, click on the “Admin” tab at the bottom-left corner of the screen.
- In the Property column, click on “Tracking Info” and then select “Tracking Code.”
Copy the Tracking ID:
- Here, you’ll find your Tracking ID (it will look like UA-XXXXXXXX-X). This is the code that you need to integrate into your WordPress website.
- Copy the Tracking ID as you will need it in the next steps.

Step 4: Install Google Analytics on WordPress

There are two common methods to add the tracking code to your WordPress site: using a plugin or adding the code manually. Below, I’ll explain both methods.

Method 1: Using a Google Analytics Plugin

Install the Plugin:
- Log in to your WordPress admin area.
- Go to “Plugins” > “Add New”.
- Search for “Google Analytics” and select a reliable plugin, such as “MonsterInsights” or “Google Analytics Dashboard for WP”.
- Click Install Now and then Activate the plugin.
Authenticate the Plugin:
- After activating the plugin, go to the plugin’s settings page. Typically, it will be under “Settings” or “Insights”.
- Authenticate the plugin with your Google Analytics account by following the instructions provided. This will link your WordPress site with your Google Analytics property.
Automatic Tracking:
- Once the plugin is connected to Google Analytics, it will automatically insert the tracking code into your WordPress site, without requiring you to manually edit any code.

Method 2: Manually Add the Tracking Code

Access the Theme Editor:
- Log in to your WordPress admin area.
- Go to “Appearance” > “Theme Editor”.
Find the Correct File:
- In the right-hand sidebar, look for the “header.php” file (or “footer.php” depending on where you want to insert the tracking code).
- Click on the file to open it.
Add the Tracking Code:
- Paste your Google Analytics tracking code just before the closing </head> tag (in the header.php file) or just before the closing </body> tag (in footer.php).
- Save the changes.

Step 5: Verify Google Analytics Tracking

After adding the tracking code to your WordPress site, it’s essential to verify if the setup is correct.

Log in to Google Analytics:
- Go back to your Google Analytics account and open the Admin section.
Check the Tracking Status:
- In the Property column, click “Tracking Info” and select “Tracking Code.”
- Look for the “Status” section.
- If everything is set up correctly, you should see a message saying “Receiving Data” or “Tracking Installed”.
Use Real-Time Reports:
- You can also use Google Analytics Real-Time reports to check if your site is being tracked immediately.
- Open your site in a new browser window and visit a page to confirm if your visit is being recorded in real-time.

Why do you Need Google Analytics? Explain all the steps

1. Setting up Google Analytics Account

Visit the Google Analytics website (analytics.google.com) and sign in with your Google account. Make a new Google Analytics account for your website or app.

Provide relevant information about your website or app, such as the name, URL, and industry category.

2. Installing the Tracking Code

After creating your Google Analytics account, you’ll receive a unique tracking code.Copy the tracking code snippet provided by Google Analytics.Copy the tracking code into your website or app’s HTML source code, right before the closing </head> tag. Save the changes and make them live on your website or app.

3. Data Collection

Once the tracking code is implemented, Google Analytics will collect data from your website or app visitors.It captures information such as the number of visitors, their geographic location, the pages they visit, the devices they use, and their actions.

4. Accessing Google Analytics Dashboard

To access your Google Analytics data, sign in to your Google Analytics account.You’ll be directed to the Google Analytics dashboard, which comprehensively overviews your website or app performance.

5. Exploring Key Metrics and Reports

Google Analytics offers a wide range of metrics and reports to analyze your data.Key metrics include sessions (visits), users, pageviews, bounce rate, average session duration, and conversion rates.

Reports cover various aspects such as audience demographics, acquisition sources, user behavior, conversion tracking, and more.

6. Setting Goals and Conversions

With Google Analytics, you can create specific goals to track how many people complete important actions on your website or app. These goals help you measure the success of your site or app.

Goals can include actions like form submissions, newsletter sign-ups, product purchases, or any other desired user actions.

When you set up goals, you can see how well your marketing efforts are working and make improvements to your website or app based on that information.

7. Analysing and Optimising Performance

With the data collected and reports generated by Google Analytics, you can identify patterns, trends, and areas for improvement.

Analyse visitor behavior, identify high-performing pages, understand user flow, and uncover conversion bottlenecks.Use this information to optimize your website or app design, content, marketing strategies, and user experience.

8. Monitoring Real-time Data

Google Analytics also provides real-time data, allowing you to see immediate visitor activity on your website or app.Monitor live traffic, track the impact of marketing campaigns, and respond quickly to any issues or anomalies.

9. Utilizing Advanced Features

Google Analytics offers advanced features and customization options to enhance your analytics capabilities.

Features like custom dimensions, segments, event tracking, e-commerce tracking, and enhanced e-commerce provide deeper insights and tracking for specific business needs.

What to Do After You’ve Set up a Google Analytics Account?

1. Define Goals and Objectives

Clearly define your website or app’s goals and objectives. These include increasing sales, driving traffic, boosting engagement, or improving user experience.

By having clear goals, you can align your Google Analytics tracking and reporting accordingly.

2. Configure Data Filters

Data filters allow you to customize and exclude specific data from your reports. For example, you can exclude internal traffic (from your organization) or filter out spam referrals. Set up filters to ensure your data is accurate and relevant.

3. Enable E-commerce Tracking

If you run an online store, enable e-commerce tracking to gain insights into sales and revenue data. This feature allows you to track transactions, revenue, average order value, and other valuable metrics related to your online sales.

4. Set Up Goals

Goals in Google Analytics are specific actions or conversions you want your website visitors to take, such as making a purchase, submitting a form, or spending a certain amount of time on a page.

Define your goals and set them up in your Google Analytics account’s “Admin” section.

5. Implement Event Tracking

Events are user interactions on your website or app, such as button clicks, video plays, downloads, or form submissions.

Implementing event tracking allows you to measure and analyze these interactions to understand user behavior and engagement.

6. Create Custom Dashboards and Reports

Google Analytics provides customizable dashboards and reports that allow you to visualize your data in a way that suits your needs.

Make personalized dashboards to keep an eye on important measurements and use reports to analyze how well things are going across different aspects.

7. Link Google Analytics with Google Ads

If you’re running Google Ads campaigns, linking your Google Analytics and Google Ads accounts enables powerful insights and reporting.

It allows you to track the performance of your ads, understand user behavior after clicking on an ad, and optimize your campaigns accordingly.

8. Utilise UTM Tracking

UTM (Urchin Tracking Module) parameters are tags added to your URLs that help track the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns.

Implement UTM tracking by adding relevant parameters to your campaign URLs. This lets you identify which marketing channels drive the most traffic and conversions.

9. Set Up Custom Alerts

Custom alerts can notify you of significant changes in your website’s performance. For example, you can set up an alert to be notified of a sudden drop in website traffic or if a specific goal conversion rate increases significantly. This helps you identify and address issues promptly.

10. Regularly Analyse and Optimise

Google Analytics provides you with a lot of information and valuable insights. To make the most of it, it’s important to regularly check and study the reports and data.

This helps you spot trends, patterns, and areas where you can make things better. Use the data to optimize your website or app, make data-driven decisions, and improve your digital marketing strategies.

5 Simple Ways to Use Google Analytics to Study Your Website’s Traffic

1. Track Overall Website Performance

Using Google Analytics, you can easily keep an eye on important things like how many people visit your site, like the number of visitors, sessions, pageviews, and bounce rate on your website.

These metrics provide a high-level overview of how your website is performing and can help you identify trends and patterns over time.

By analyzing this data, you can assess the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns, track the impact of changes to your website, and make informed decisions to improve user engagement.

2. Understand Traffic Sources

Google Analytics provides detailed information about the sources of your website traffic. It categorizes traffic into organic search, direct, referral, social media, and paid search.

By analyzing these traffic sources, you can determine which channels drive the most visitors to your site.

This information helps you identify successful marketing strategies and optimize your efforts by focusing on the channels that bring the most qualified traffic.

3. Analyse User Behavior With Behavior Flow

Behavior Flow in Google Analytics visualizes the path users take on your website, showing how they move from one page to another.

It provides insights into the most popular landing and exit pages, where users spend the most time and the paths they take through your site.

By understanding user behavior, you can identify areas where users are dropping off or experiencing difficulties. This knowledge helps you optimize your website’s navigation, improve user experience, and increase conversions.

4. Set Up and Track Goals

Goals in Google Analytics allow you to define specific actions or conversions you want users to take on your website. These can include completing a purchase, submitting a form, signing up for a newsletter, or spending a certain amount of time on a page.

By setting up and tracking goals, you can measure the success of your website in achieving these objectives. Google Analytics provides valuable data on goal completion rates, conversion funnels, and users’ steps before reaching a goal. This information helps optimize your website to improve conversion rates and user engagement.

5. Utilise Segmentation and Audience Insights

Google Analytics enables you to segment your website traffic based on various dimensions such as demographics, geolocation, behavior, and technology.

By segmenting your audience, you can analyze the behavior and preferences of specific groups of users.

For example, you can compare new visitors’ behavior versus returning visitors or analyze users’ performance from different countries.

This data allows you to tailor your marketing strategies, content, and user experience to specific audience segments, increasing the effectiveness of your campaigns.

Conclusion

Setting up a Google Analytics account has become much easier with the help of expert tips and tricks. By following these guidelines, users can navigate the complexities of account creation effortlessly.

The expert insights provided invaluable knowledge on optimizing data tracking, configuring goals and filters, and interpreting analytical reports effectively.

This comprehensive approach ensures that you get accurate and useful information. It helps businesses make smart decisions and improve their performance online.

With Google Analytics, users can harness data analytics to gain valuable insights into their website’s performance, user behavior, and marketing effectiveness, ultimately leading to enhanced growth and success.