In this post, I will show you how to track visitor conversions by installing Google Analytics on your WordPress website.
Why use Google Analytics?
One of my coach clients and I recently had a discussion about how best to track conversions (or leads opting into her email marketing) on her new website. You see, I was rebuilding her current funnel to include several additional steps that qualify leads before she spends her valuable time on the phone with them.
That meant we were also moving this client’s landing pages over to WordPress from LeadPages. She was going to need to set up her own conversion tracking process instead of relying on LeadPages’s built-in tracking.
That begged the question: which is better to track conversions – the Facebook Pixel OR Google Analytics (GA)?
Can’t I just use the Facebook pixel?
After some research, I discovered that actually utilizing BOTH the FB pixel and GA is important for tracking conversions. The reason why it’s good to use both is because the two platforms track conversions differently.
You can read more in-depth on their differences in tracking here, but one of the main ones is that FB tracks conversions based on the FIRST ad someone clicked. And GA tracks conversions based on the LAST ad someone clicked. So the two won’t ever match up with each other, and that’s not a bad thing.
Instead, what the two offer is two different ways of looking at the same conversion.
This is good because it gives you a 3D view of the user — you get to know how users interact with the marketing you put out for your coaching business. And you can adjust accordingly to do more of what’s working and less of what isn’t.
Now you know why using a Facebook Pixel AND Google Analytics is a good idea. Go here to read about how to install a FB pixel.
Keep reading to learn how to integrate GA with your WordPress website so you can start learning what’s working and what isn’t in your coaching business marketing.
How to set up Google Analytics on your WordPress Website
First, you need to go to Google Analytics and sign up for a Google Analytics account. Then, you’ll set up Google Analytics on your WordPress website.
Note: You must have a Google account or Gmail to use Google Analytics. If you don’t have one yet, go ahead and create one first, then proceed with the next steps.
Step 1: Create a Google Analytics account
To create a Google Analytics account, go to the Google Analytics website linked above, which should direct you to a page similar to the one below.
Click Sign-up to get started.
When you sign-up, you’ll be asked to fill in some necessary information to properly set up your Google Analytics profile. This information is visible to you and to Google.
Create your Account Name. This can be your business name or whatever you want to name your account to distinguish it for you. Leave the Account Data Sharing Settings checked if you prefer, then click Next.
The next part will be choosing what you want to measure in Google Analytics. In this case, we’ll be tracking your website conversions, so choose Web.
The next part is to fill out your Property Setup. Fill in the name of your website and the URL. Then, choose the appropriate industry and your time zone. I always just choose “Other” for Industry when I’m setting up GA for my coach clients.
The prefix of your website URL will either be http:// or https:// depending on if you have a security certificate installed via your web host. I do recommend getting a security certificate if you can. Just choose appropriately from the dropdown options at this point, though.
Tip: If your website has a lock icon 🔒 before your domain name in the address bar when you open your website on a browser, then, it’s an https:// otherwise it’s http://.
Once everything is filled out on this Property Setup page, click Create.
After that, Google Analytics will ask you to accept the Google Analytics Terms of Service Agreement. You have to accept to proceed with the setup, so if you’re good with the terms go ahead and click I Accept.
Now, you have a Google Analytics account set up!
Step 2: Integrate Google Analytics to WordPress
Now, let’s integrate Google Analytics to your WordPress website.
There are a few ways to integrate Google Analytics with WordPress, but, I’ll show you the way I prefer to integrate using a plugin.
First, log in to WordPress (usually at yourwebsite.com/wp-admin). In your Dashboard, go to Plugins >> Add New, and type MonsterInsights on the search bar.
Find Google Analytics Dashboard Plugin for WordPress by MonsterInsights from the results. Install it, then Activate.
Once you’ve clicked on Activate, it will directly start the set up for the plug-in.
In the setup, first, choose the appropriate category for your website.
Then, click Connect MonsterInsights. This will allow MonsterInsights to connect with Google Analytics.
The page will then redirect you to a Google account login page. Be sure to choose/login with the same Gmail account that you used when setting up your Google Analytics account earlier.
There will also be a prompt asking your permission for Google Analytics to view data and other information from your Gmail account, which you’ll need to Allow to proceed with the GA set-up.
After you hit “Allow,” you’ll be directed back to the final step in the Google Analytics set up. In the dropdown, choose All Web Site Data for your website, then complete the connection.
After that, review all the recommended settings before clicking Save and Continue at the bottom. I don’t usually find the need to change anything on this page.
Next, MonsterInsights will try and upsell you on some of their Pro add-ons. Good marketing, but you don’t need any of those add-ons to set up Google Analytics. You can just Save and Continue to proceed.
Lastly, finish the setup by clicking Finish Setup & Exit Wizard.
And, you’re DONE!
When You’ll be able to see Reports
Within 24 hrs you should be able to see the data or the stats of your website on your WordPress Dashboard. If you don’t see any of it, you can go to the left-side panel of your WP Dashboard and find Insights and click on Reports.
You can also access these reports if you hover over the Dashboard and click Insights.
But actually, for even more in-depth reports I recommend viewing data directly on the Google Analytics website. The integration with your website will pull information into that Analytics dashboard directly.
Next Steps
Feeling a little overwhelmed? It’s totally normal. Google Analytics reporting is a huge well of information that might feel a little difficult to process. Thankfully, Google has got our backs.
To learn everything you need to know about Google Analytics, you can check out the Google Analytics Academy for FREE online courses about this tool and how you can use it to grow your coaching business.
