How to Install Google Analytics on WordPress [TUTORIAL]

Google Analytics has set its standards as a stand-alone web analytics tool for the past few years now!

Here's the scary side for Wordpress Site Owners!

Even though it is more popular and used by many webmasters, there is still a struggle for a newbie Wordpress site user to add Google Analytics tracking code to get the tracking of their site visitors.

There are ways to get the GA tracking code easily installed on your Wordpress site. So that you don't miss the valuable insights of your Wordpress Web Design site anyhow!

We are going to show you two different ways to successfully add a Google Analytics tracking code. Here are some guided steps that you can easily follow and add Google Analytics in your Wordpress.

Google Analytics Dashboard for WP Plugin

Currently, Google Analytics Dashboard for WP plugin that is increasingly popular having more than 1+ million active installations allows you to track key website analytics stats in your Wordpress install.

With Google Analytics Dashboard for WP Plugin you can get:

Real-Time visitors reports, Acquisition and traffic sources reports
Page Views, Sessions, bounce rate and Organic Search analytic stats
Social networks, traffic mediums, traffic stats, and search engine analytics stats.
Browser stats, OS, mobile brand analytics, categories of devices used, and screen resolutions analytics stats.

Here are some useful steps to install Google Analytics Dashboard for WP plugin for free.

Step 1: You can install it directly from your Wordpress dashboard, just go to plugin > Add New and search for the plugin.
Step 2: Activate the plugin, then click on the Google Analytics tab and click the Authorize Plugin button.
Step 3: Next click Get Access Code to get the code for authorizing plugin.
Step 4: Now, select your Google account on a new tab used for Google Analytics.
Step 5: Allow access for Google Analytics from the popup window.
Step 6: Copy the access code from the next screen.
Step 7: Now you need to paste that code into the plugin Dashboard for the interface, then click on Save Access Code.
Step 8: Your tracking code is now successfully active.

Further, you can also exclude tracking of Google Analytics for administrators, users, authors, contributors, editors, and others from the Tracking Code>Exclude Tracking Code.

An interesting thing for this plugin is that you can view stats from the post tab in your Wordpress dashboard.

Manually adding Google Analytics tracking code on your Wordpress Theme

Alternatively, if you don't want to use plugin and simply add Google Analytics tracking code directly into your Wordpress theme then you can add it manually as well.

Well, here's how to exactly get it done easily.

You will need to put the Google Analytics tracking code right before the </head> tag in your header.php file.

Wondering where to find the Google Analytics tracking code?

Here's how to find it from your Google Analytics account.

Login to your Google Analytics Account
Go to the Gear icon placed on the bottom left side of your Google Analytics account.
Now, you need to select the Tracking info, click on that.
After that, you will be able to see the Tracking code, select tracking code
Now you can easily look for the script under the Website Tracking box.
That the exact script you will need to put in your header.php file on your Wordpress dashboard.
Go to Appearance > Editor and select the header.php file and place the Google Analytics Tracking code right before </head> tag in the editor.
Finally, update the file by clicking on the Update button. Now you are all set to track your website tracking analytics.

Bonus Tip: It's better to use Wordpress child theme and implement your Google Analytics tracking code into the child theme so there are no chances of GA tracking code overwritten whenever your Wordpress theme is updated.

Final Thoughts

Finally, to wrap up the things of the above-mentioned ways you can likely choose the best suitable option and opt for the same. If you are a novice and have no coding skills then we would prefer you to go for the former method.

Furthermore, we would like to hear your ideas and thoughts for any other different method. Don't hesitate to leave your comments below!

Author Bio: Almin Valyani is a passionate writer whose work specifically includes technology writing. When he is not writing, he loves to read about the tech news and the latest tech trends! https://www.websitedesignstudio.com.au/

About Jimmie Luthra

Jimmie Luthra is a Mariner, Tech enthusiast, Blogger and Gadget reviewer. He is fond of technology and is usually found playing with some piece of tech. He is also a Guitarist, Music lover & fitness freak.