Beginner Google Analytics for WordPress

Google Analytics is a free web analytics service offered by Google for website owners so that they can get insights into visitor behaviour on their website including info such as

• Total number of site visits 
• Total page views (these two are different numbers)
• How many pages people visit on average 
• Your bounce rate (Bounce rate is the percentage of people who leave having only visited one page on your site)
• Average time people spend on your site 
• New visits vs returning visitors

The information you can access from Google Analytics will help you to understand your audience and deliver more of the content that they want. [clickToTweet tweet=”Use Google Analytics to understand your audience & deliver what they want. It’s free, why not install it?” quote=”Google Analytics will help you to understand your audience better and deliver more of the content your site visitors want. Since it’s so helpful and free, why not install it?”]

It’s free and easy. Here’s how to add it to your WordPress website.

Step 1: Set Up Your Google Analytics Account

Start by creating a Google Analytics account. Click on the Sign up  for free button. Make sure that you select website – not Mobile App.

Once you’ve filled in your website info, click on Tracking Code ID. This is the code that you will add to your plugin (which you have to install – see below).

Step 2: Install MonsterInsights

Go back to your WordPress dashboard and click on Plugins → Add new

Search for Google Analytics by MonsterInsights (Note: This Google Analytics plugin was originally developed and managed by Yoast.)

Once installed and activated, you will have a new menu item in your left sidebar called Insights.

1. 

   Go to Insights → Settings.
2. Click on “Authenticate with your Google Account.” 
3. Click connect and allow the plugin access to your Google Analytics account
4. Another window will open with a Google Authentication Code. Copy and paste in the code
5. Save your changes in the plugin.

Step 3: Begin to Learn About Your Visitors’ Behaviour

You’ve signed up for Google Analytics, installed the MonsterInsights plugin and connected the two together. Now you’ll be able to learn more about your website visitors, the content they like, how long they stay and where they come from — all from your WordPress dashboard.