How To Add Google Analytics To Your Blog

Another question I get frequently is how to add Google Analytics to a WordPress blog. The good news is that it’s incredibly easy.

1. Download the Google Analytics plugin.
2. Upload the plugin via FTP and activate it in you WordPress Dashboard plugins menu.
3. Go to Google Analytics and sign up/in. Add your new website, and get the tracking code.
4. Back in WordPress, go to the Google Analytics plugin options page (under Plugins) and enter the UA-XXXXXX number that appears in your tracking code. There are some other options that you can configure and read about on the plugin homepage.

What’s the benefit of using this plugin over adding the tracking code to your theme?
a) It is set not to track admin users – when you’re logged in the code won’t appear, and you won’t be tracked, potentially skewing the results.
b) If you change theme you won’t need to remember to add the code again.
c) No need to edit any html/php files.

Below is a Google-made introduction to Google Analytics, it’s an excellent overview and a good way to spend 10 minutes of your time. If you can’t see this video, click here. As always if you have any further questions, please let me know.

5 thoughts on “How To Add Google Analytics To Your Blog”

  1. Great, thanks for letting me know Tina! If you upgrade to WordPress 2.6 it may change some of this plugin settings so you may want to check everything is working afterwords. Simply click the Reset settings link at the bottom og the options page and then re-enter your UA number.

  2. Great, thanks for letting me know Tina! If you upgrade to WordPress 2.6 it may change some of this plugin settings so you may want to check everything is working afterwords. Simply click the Reset settings link at the bottom og the options page and then re-enter your UA number.

  3. Thanks for this post! I have added GA to other websites, but wasn’t sure exactly how to do it using WP. This will be very helpful!

  4. Thanks for this post! I have added GA to other websites, but wasn’t sure exactly how to do it using WP. This will be very helpful!

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