How To Set Up Google Analytics

Learn about all you need to do to create your very own Google Analytics account

Do you want to get insights into traffic and user behaviour on your beloved website? Well, the clever folks at Google have a handy tool that can help you do just that, Google Analytics.

Google Analytics is a completely free tool that you can set up and connect to your website, giving you a labyrinth of valuable data to explore and enjoy. If you’re even remotely serious about digital marketing and website performance, Google Analytics is an absolute must have

How To Create A Google Analytics Account

Google has made every effort to make creating your first Google Analytics account as simple as possible. In less than five-minutes, you can get your shiny new account made and ready to link up to your website; just follow the steps below!

Navigate to google.com/analytics
Click the blue Start for free button
On the new screen, click the blue Start measuring button
Enter your preferred account name and select Account Data Sharing Settings you are comfortable with – then click the blue Next button
Enter your Property details – properties are the website, mobile app, or device you are wanting to get insights for; a Google Analytics account can have more than one property
By default you will be creating a Google Analytics 4 property, which is the latest version of Google Analytics and an update from the previous Universal Analytics property – if you would like to create the older version, you can select this under the Show advanced settings option – NOTE: Universal Google Analytics is being sunsetted from July 2023
Select your business industry, company size, and choose how you intend to use Google Analytics from the options provided, then click the blue Create button
You’re sorted!

How To Add Google Analytics To Your Website

It may be no surprise to hear that there is no one universal way to upload Google Analytics to your website. The method largely depends on the type of CMS you are using – do you use WordPress, Shopify, Wix? – and even then there are hardcoding, tagged, or plug-in options available.

When adding Google Analytics to your website, you will typically need one of three things: a Tracking ID (for Universal Analytics properties), a Measurement ID (for Google Analytics 4 properties), or a Global Site Tag (also known as a gtag.js). Both of these can be found in the Admin settings of your account.

The Tracking ID, used in the older Universal Analytics property, is a string that appears in a format like UA-000000-2 and tells Analytics which account and property to send data to. This can be found under Admin, Tracking Info, then Tracking Code in the Property column.

The Measurement ID, used in the latest Google Analytics 4 property, works in much the same way as the Tracking ID; however, it is instead formatted like G-XXXXXXX.

The Global Site Tag (or gtag.js, to those who like the lingo) is a block of code that can be copied and pasted onto a site you want to start tracking traffic for. This piece of code will usually begin with the line <!– Global site tag (gtag.js) – Google Analytics –> and end with </script>.

For Google Analytics 4 properties, you can find the Measurement ID and the gtag.js under Admin, Data Streams, and by then selecting the site you want to add the tracking code too. For Universal Analytics properties, it can be found under the same Tracking Code section that holds the Tracking ID.

Look For A CMS Specific Guide

When uploading Google Analytics to your website, we would recommend seeking out a help guide specifically for the CMS you are using as this will give you all the information you need in order to get your tool up and running correctly.

Many CMS have a built in option that allows you to simply add your Google Analytics account either through the use of Tracking ID or some of that scary looking Global Site Tag tracking code mentioned earlier.

Take The Google Tag Manager Route

Adding Google Analytics via Google Tag Manager (GTM) is an option we typically recommend for the majority of CMS as it offers you more flexibility with setting up conversions and other data related settings for a website.

This method involves setting up a Google Tag Manager account and loading the codes from the container onto your website. Once this has been added, you can set up a Google Analytics Universal or GA4 tag with a Page View trigger in your GTM container. Depending on the type of account you have, you can then add your Tracking ID or Measurement ID variable, which will identify the Google Analytics account you want to have information sent to.

Use The Help Of A Handy Plugin

Plugins are little bits of downloadable software that you can add to your website in order to expand its functionality – pretty cool, ey? They are used across many CMS, but in the instance of Google Analytics, they are especially popular for those using a WordPress CMS.

There are quite a few options out there that do a grand job at connecting your WordPress website to Google Analytics, but in our experience the most popular and simple to use plugin for this is MonsterInsights – it’s also free, which is always a bonus. The software provides a simple connection process that will get your Google Analytics connected in no time.

You can find and download most free WordPress plugins using the WordPress Plugin Directory in the backend of your website.

Looking For Digital Marketing Support?

If you’re keen to take your first steps into the world of digital, reach out to the Spark Agency or take a look at our selection of digital marketing packages designed to improve your website visibility and get the most out of your budget.