How to set up and install Google Analytics on WordPress

Hey friends! In today’s post I will walk you through on how to set up Google Analytics (Universal Analytics) and install it on your WordPress blog or website using a plugin (MonsterInsights plugin).

If this blogging business is new to you, I know that you must be feeling pretty overwhelmed (but the good kind) right now. You’ve put in the hard yards to get it just right and now it is time to get going with creating all that awesome content. 

I hear ya.

Growing a business can be tricky. Sometimes things work and sometimes they don’t. But how do you actually find out? As your blog or website or rather, an online presence becomes the centrepiece of your brand and business, it’s so important to be able to start measuring its performance from the get go.

Looking for a guide to installing Google Analytics on Kajabi?

Well, now that you’ve got your website up and running it is important to be able to know how well it is doing and how you can improve on what you’re doing.

Setting up and installing a web analytics tool on your blog should be one of the first things you do before launch: This will be essential in ensuring you can start measuring all the hard work you’ve put in as your blog traffic grows. 

I hope you find this how-to guide useful in setting up and installing Google Analytics on a WordPress using a plugin.

Happy blogging. 

Jump to:

• How to set up a Google Analytics account
• Install and integrate Google Analytics to WordPress

Step 1: Sign up to Google Analytics

Signing up is easy. Even though it is not as easy as 1, 2, 3 – this guide will walk you through this unchartered territory! 

To sign up, go to www.google.com/analytics – here you will be welcomed by a whole suite of Google products on Google Marketing Platform. It’s really tempting to click and read everything but let’s stay focused. Click on the blue button Start for free on the homepage.

The next window will prompt you to sign-in to your Google account. If you have a Gmail email address that you currently use for your business that will be your Google account sign-in. If you (like me) have multiple Gmail email addresses for specific purposes then be sure to sign-in with the Gmail email address that is linked to your website or business. 

If you do not have a Google account, take this time to set it up now. This will be your single sign-on (SSO) or log in username to any Google products you use in the future.

After signing in you’ll be taken to a page to start setting up Google Analytics on your blog or website. Click on the blue button Start measuring to continue.

Need a printout of these instructions? I’ll send them to ya!

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Step 2: Set up Google Analytics (Universal Analytics)

Here is where we start setting up your Google Analytics account.

1. Enter your Account name. I recommend using your Business name here. For this example, I’ve used Learn with Michelle. Check all the boxes, then hit Next to continue.

   
   

2. In this step, enter your Property name. Think of property as a subset of your Account. You can have multiple properties under an account. For this step, I recommend entering your blog name or your web URL, ie. https://demo.michellechee.com. Select your timezone and currency – you will not be able to edit this later on. Do not hit Next. Click on Show advanced options.

   
   

3. In the new area that’s just appeared, turn on the toggle on the right hand side for Create a Universal Analytics property.
4. Enter your URL.
5. Select the second option, Create a Universal Analytics property only.
6. Click on the blue button Next to proceed.

   

7. Enter in your business information. Then click on the blue button Next to proceed.

   

8. Check through all Terms of Service to ensure you understand what you’re agreeing to. You will need to accept all the terms in order to proceed. When you’re satisfied, click on I accept to proceed.

    

9. Woo! You’ve just set up and created your Google Analytics account. Now to hook it up to your WordPress. After setting up your account, you’ll be greeted with all the helpful hints. Leave everything (for now) and head over to your WordPress website.

You have successfully set up Google Analytics.

Need a printout of these instructions? I’ll send them to ya!

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Step 3: Install onto WordPress

Now we have to move onto linking Google Analytics with your WordPress website. Head over to your WordPress website and log in.

1. Log in to your WordPress blog website. Then, click on Plugins on the left hand navigation.

    

   
   

2. Click on Add New.

    

   
   

3. Type in Monster Insights in the search bar. The screen below will refresh to bring up your search results.
4. Look for the cute purple guy next to Google Analytics Dashboard Plugin for WordPress by MonsterInsight. Click on the button Install Now to install the plugin on your website.

    

   

5. Once the plugin has been installed, the button will change to Activate. Click on the blue button Activate.

   

6. The page will refresh, bringing you the Monster Insight plugin page in WordPress. Click on the blue button Launch the Wizard! to proceed.

    

   

7. Once the wizard opens, select the category that best describes your website, then click on the blue button Save and Continue.

    

   
   

8. In this step, we’ll link our WordPress site to the Google Analytics account we created before. Click on the blue button Connect MonsterInsights to proceed.

    

   

9. You will be taken to a Google Account login screen, requesting you to select your Google Account. Select your account you created your Google Analytics account previously. On the next page, click on the blue button Allow to proceed.

   

10. You will be taken back to the Monster Insights wizard. The system automatically selects the Google Analytics property you created previously. Click on the blue button Complete Connection to proceed.
11. You’re almost there! This screen takes you through what MonsterInsights has set up to track automatically. If you are not actively marketing affiliates at the moment, you can remove the examples that’s been automatically set up by clicking on the red x. Scroll down, click on the blue button Save and continue to proceed.
12. Skip the next 2 screens (unless you are wanting to upgrade to a Pro version of MonsterInsights). On the last screen, click on the blue button Finish Setup & Exit Wizard to complete.

Oh my goodness, that was a journey, wasn’t it? Congratulations on making it to the end and on installing Google Analytics onto your WordPress website. 

So now that you’ve done all that, what’s next? Getting down with the data of course!

If you’re not sure how or where to start with Google Analytics, fret not 🙂 I’ve put together an eBook that will walk you through Google Analytics, its basic reports, and how to use it to improve your blog or website performance.

Need a printout of these instructions? I’ll send them to ya!

[convertkit form=1920166]