Do you want to add Google Analytics to WordPress sites?

Google Analytics provides detailed insights and valuable data about your website’s traffic and user interactions. This powerful tool is essential for understanding visitor behavior and optimizing your content to improve engagement and conversions.

Therefore, we’ll show you how to add Google Analytics to WordPress sites so you can make informed, data-driven decisions to enhance your site’s performance starting today!

Table of contents:

What Is Google Analytics & Why It Matters

Imagine managing a high-tech control room that monitors every aspect of a building—from energy usage and security systems to foot traffic. Google Analytics serves a similar function for your website, providing a comprehensive dashboard that details visitor interactions, traffic sources, and engagement metrics.

Google Analytics collects essential data such as visitor counts, their geographical locations, how they arrived at your site, and their behavior while visiting—whether they make a purchase, sign up for a newsletter, or exit after just one page. This data is invaluable as it enables you to pinpoint what attracts visitors and what might deter them from engaging further.

Integrating Google Analytics is essential for running a successful online business. It enables you to measure the effectiveness of your marketing efforts, optimize your content and navigation, and ultimately improve user engagement and conversion rates. By integrating Google Analytics, you can make informed decisions that drive traffic, enhance user experience, and increase profitability.

So, in this tutorial, we’ll show you how to add Google Analytics to WordPress, enabling you to start leveraging data to grow your business! 

What You Need To Get Started

Before you can add Google Analytics to WordPress sites, you need a few things:

• A Google Account: If you already use Google services (like Gmail), you’re all set. If not, you’ll need to create one.
• A Google Analytics account: We’ll show you how to create one and how to get the tracking or measurement ID. 
• Administrative Access to Your WordPress Site: You’ll need this to install plugins and configure settings.

How To Sign Up For Google Analytics 

It’s free to sign up for Google Analytics; only a Google account is required. If you already have a Gmail account, you can proceed with the following steps. If not, please create a Google account first, then follow along. 

Step 1: Visit Google Analytics

Visit the Google Analytics website to sign up, and click “Get started today” to initiate the signup process.

Now, sign in using your Google account or create one if you haven’t already done so. 

Step 2: Create Google Analytics Property 

Once signed in, you should see the welcome screen. Click “Start measuring” to sign up for Google Analytics. This will present a guided wizard. 

Start by giving your Account a name. You can name it after your business. Then, choose whether you’d give your consent for data sharing and click “Next” to proceed. 

Now, you need to create your property by giving it a name and setting the currency and time zone. Click “Next” to proceed to the next step. 

Provide your business category and business size, then click “Next” to proceed further. 

Choose your business objectives to get personalized reports, and click “Create” to finish setting up your property. 

Step 3: Get Your Measurement ID

Now, it’s time to start collecting data. Since we want to add Google Analytics to WordPress, choose “Web” as the platform. 

Next, provide your website URL and give it a name. Finally, click “Create & continue”.

Now, you should see the details of your web stream. Please copy your Measurement ID if you want to configure Google Analytics using the Method 1 described below.

Step 4: Get Google Tag

Alternatively, if you want to add Google Analytics to WordPress manually, you need to add the Google tag to your website. You get the Google tag by clicking the “View tag instructions” button on your web stream details page. 

Now, navigate to the “Install Manually” tab, and you’ll find the Google tag for Google Analytics. Please copy the Google tag if you want to configure Google Analytics using the Method 2 described below.

How To Add Google Analytics To WordPress Sites

Now that you have done the groundwork, it’s time to add Google Analytics to your website. To do so, you need a code management plugin. WPCode is the most advanced code manager for WordPress. Using this, you can seamlessly add any type of code snippets and scripts to your website.

Here’s why WPCode is the ideal choice for integrating Google Analytics into your WordPress site:

• Simple Management: Effortlessly manage your code snippets with WPCode’s intuitive interface—no technical expertise required. Add, modify, and sort your snippets with ease.
• Comprehensive Support: WPCode is compatible with various coding languages, including JavaScript, HTML, CSS, PHP, and more, making it perfect for any site customization you may need.
• Streamlined Processes: WPCode automates complex backend tasks, freeing you up to focus on other critical aspects of your business.
• Widely Trusted: Join a community of over 2 million website owners who trust WPCode to enhance their site operations smoothly and effectively.

Let’s learn how to add Google Analytics to WordPress using one of the following methods. Remember to use only one of the methods to avoid double-tracking.

Method 1: Add Google Analytics To WordPress Using WPCode Conversion Pixel (Recommended)

When you get the WPCode Plus or a higher package, you’ll have access to the WPCode Conversion Pixels addon. This addon will enable you to add not only Google Analytics but also TikTok, Pinterest, Snapchat, and Facebook Pixel easily. 

The Conversion Pixels add-on automatically adds code snippets and scripts, so you don’t have to do it manually. Also, if you’re running an online store, you can enable advanced eCommerce tracking for WooCommerce, Easy Digital Downloads, and MemberPress. 

You can install and activate WPCode like any other WordPress plugin. Once successfully activated, you’ll notice a new menu item, “Code Snippets,” appear on the left sidebar of your WordPress admin dashboard. 

To enable the Conversion Pixel addon, go to Code Snippets > Conversion Pixels and select the “Install Addon Now” button. After a short wait, the addon will automatically install and activate.

Now, all that is left to do is add your Google Analytics ID to the Conversion Pixel addon, which will automatically take care of the tracking. The measurement ID is your Google Analytics ID, which is the one you copied in “Step 3” when creating a Google Analytics account. 

Navigate to the Code Snippets > Conversion Pixels page and select the Google tab; paste your Google Analytics Measurement ID in the Google Analytics ID field. 

Click “Save Changes” to finish your setup. That’s it! You have successfully added Google Analytics to WordPress. It’s that easy! 

Method 2: Add Google Analytics To WordPress Manually For Free Using WPCode Lite

You can manually install Google Analytics to WordPress by adding the Google tag to the website header. 

You have created and copied the tag in “Step 4” when creating a Google Analytics account. 

Google asks that this code be added to every page of your website immediately after the <head> element. We can do that very easily with the free version of WPCode. You can install it like any other WordPress plugin. Once WPCode is activated, visit Code Snippets > Header & Footer page and paste the Google tag in the Header section. 

It will add the Google Analytics tag on every page of your website. Click “Save Changes” to successfully add Google Analytics to WordPress. 

How To Verify If Google Analytics Is Working Correctly

You can easily check if your Google Analytics integration is working properly by visiting your Google Analytics dashboard. Log into your account, visit Reports, and select the “Realtime” tab. Then, visit your website from a new browser tab/window. 

If your visit appears in the Google Analytics dashboard, then the integration is working correctly. 

In case you can’t see traffic show up in Google Analytics after visiting your website. Here are a few things you can do to fix Google Analytics not working on your WordPress site: 

• Check Your Tracking Code: Make sure that the measurement ID or the Google Analytics tracking code you pasted is correct. You can check this by viewing your webpage’s source code. Right-click on any page of your website, select “View page source,” and check for your Google Analytics tracking ID.  
• Clear Caches: If you use a caching plugin on your WordPress site, clear your cache after installing the tracking code. Caches might be serving an older version of your site that doesn’t include the Google Analytics script.
• Use Tag Assistant Companion: Google’s Tag Assistant Companion is a Chrome extension that can help you verify the installation of your Google Analytics tracking code. It will tell you if there are any errors with the tracking code that might be preventing data from being collected.
• Wait 24-48 Hours: Sometimes, it can take some time for data to start appearing in your Google Analytics dashboard, especially if it’s a new setup. If everything seems to be installed correctly, give it a little time.

Making The Most Out Of Google Analytics

Now that you have Google Analytics up and running, here are a few tips to leverage its full potential:

• Set Goals: Goals track specific user interactions on your website. Whether signing up for a newsletter or completing a purchase, setting goals helps you measure success.
• Review Regularly: Make it a habit to check your analytics regularly. Look for trends, identify which content works best, and understand where there’s room for improvement.
• Learn and Adapt: Google offers free courses through its Analytics Academy to help you understand and utilize more complex features of Google Analytics.

Conclusion 

We hope you’ve found this guide on how to add Google Analytics to WordPress sites helpful. Integrating Google Analytics into your site is like installing a high-tech dashboard in your car. 

It provides valuable insights to guide your website to success. By understanding your audience better, you can tailor your content, optimize your marketing strategies, and ultimately grow your business faster. 

Get WPCode Pro to easily add Google Analytics, as well as TikTok, Pinterest, Snapchat, and Facebook Pixel, to your WordPress site.