You don’t need an expert to tell you knowing how people use your website is key to making it better. Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is the perfect tool for the task; it’s free and easy to set up!

To add Google Analytics 4 (GA4) to your WordPress site: create a GA4 account, choose a plugin for WordPress that works with GA4, and activate this plugin on your WordPress site. Finally, connect your GA4 account to WordPress through the plugin.

Adding GA4 to your WordPress site is incredibly simple. This article will show you how, regardless of your technical proficiency. By the end, you’ll be ready to use GA4 to improve your website!

Step 1: Sign Up for Google Analytics (GA4)

3 Simple Steps to Add Google Analytics (GA4) to WordPress Websites in 2024

The first step is setting up Google Analytics 4 (GA4) for your website. Here’s how you can get started:

  • Visit the Google Analytics website: Open your web browser and go to the Google Analytics site. If you have a Google account, you can use it to sign in. If you don’t, you’ll need to create one.

Click Start measuring on the Google Analytics page

  • Create an account: Once you’re signed in, look for an option to create a new account. This is your Google Analytics account, separate from your Google account. Follow the prompts to enter your account name.
  • Set up a GA4 property: Next, you need to set up a new property for your website. In GA4, a property represents your website. On the “Create a property” page, enter your website’s name, URL, and other requested details. Choose the correct time zone and currency for your reports.

Enter the details of your website property

  • Provide your business details: On the next page, you’ll be required to enter your website’s industry category, the size of your business, and your business objectives.

Describe your business by choosing your industry and business size

Choose your goals for your WordPress website from the list

  • Agree to the Terms of Service: Once you click “Create,” a popup with the GA4 Terms of Service agreement will appear. Read through it if you care about that sort of thing, then click “I Accept.”

 

Accept the Google Analytics Terms of Service

Set Up Your Data Stream

Next, choose your preferred platform to collect data. Since I’m doing the set up for my blog, I picked Web. After that, set up your data stream by providing your website URL and stream name.

Choose the platform from which you want to collect analytics

Set up your GA4 web stream

If the web stream is created without a hitch, then you’ll have access to a Measurement ID, but we’re not done! You still need to integrate it to your WordPress site before Google Analytics can begin data collection.

In the next two sections, I’ll go over how you can integrate GA4 into WordPress manually and automatically using a plugin.

Step 2: Manually Adding GA4 Code to Your WordPress Site

After setting up your GA4 account and obtaining your Measurement ID, you have two primary options for integrating GA4 with your website: using a website builder or CMS plugin, or installing the code manually.

For those who prefer hands-on control or have specific custom needs, manually adding the GA4 tracking code to your WordPress site offers flexibility and ensures that you’re directly involved in the setup process.

Get Tagging Instructions:

Upon completing your GA4 property setup, Google Analytics offers “View tag instructions.” Here, you’re presented with two options: “Install with a website builder or CMS” and “Install manually.” For manual installation, select “Install manually” to get your unique GA4 tracking code.

Click View tag instructions to get your GA4 tracking code

Choose Install manually to get the tracking code

Manual Installation Steps:

  • Access your tracking code: Choose the “Install manually” option to view your GA4 tracking code. You must add the code to your website, specifically in the header section of each page.

Copy the Google tag to paste in your WordPress website

  • Edit your WordPress theme: Log into your WordPress dashboard and navigate to the theme editor. The path to add your tracking code varies based on your theme:
    1. For some themes: You might find an option to paste your GA4 code by going to Appearance > Editor. Here, you can access your theme’s header file (header.php) and paste the tracking code just below the <head> tag.
    2. For themes like mine: If your theme has specific areas for custom scripts, like mine, you’ll likely need to go to Theme Options > Advanced Settings. This area is designed to safely insert scripts like the GA4 tracking code without editing the theme’s core files directly.

Enter your Custom Script in the provided box

  • Paste your GA4 tracking code: Whether you’re editing the header file directly or using a theme option for advanced settings, paste your GA4 tracking code as instructed.

Paste your GA4 tracking code into the box

  • Save your changes: After pasting the code, save your changes. Go back to your Analytics dashboard and click the “Test” button to see if everything is working.

Click Test on the Google Analytics dashboard to check whether the code works

Confirm Google Analytics is Working

If everything is working as expected, you should be able to view analytics for your website from the Google Analytics dashboard in a couple of hours.

The Google Analytics dashboard

Manually adding your GA4 tracking code to your WordPress site is a more technical approach, but it gives you complete control over the installation process.

Next Steps: In the next section, we’ll explore how you can achieve the same outcome using a website builder or CMS to install a plugin, offering a more straightforward and less technical method for integrating GA4 with your WordPress site. This approach is particularly appealing for users looking for convenience and ease of use.

Step 3: Integrating GA4 with WordPress Using Plugins

For those seeking a simpler, less technical route to add Google Analytics 4 (GA4) to their WordPress site, plugins offer a convenient solution.

There are several freemium plugins available that facilitate this integration. In the GA4 dashboard, click “Select your platform” to get started.

Click Select your platform to automatically choose a plugin for WordPress

Click scan to have Google Analytics identify the correct platform for your website

Google Analytics has plugin support on numerous platforms, including Shopify, Drupal, Duda, and more. If you provide your URL and click the “Scan” button, it will automatically choose the best option for you.

Because my site is a WordPress blog, it picked Monster Insights, which is a fine choice its ease of use and comprehensive features, but it’s not the only option available. Other popular plugins include: ExactMetrics, Analytify, and WP Google Analytics Events.

For this tutorial, I use Monster Insights, but any of the above work just as well.

Installing GA4 with MonsterInsights

Monster Insights is a powerful plugin that makes integrating GA4 with your WordPress website straightforward. Here’s how to set it up:

  • Install Monster Insights Plugin:
    1. Go to your WordPress dashboard and navigate to Plugins > Add New Plugin.
    2. Search for “Monster Insights” in the plugin repository.
    3. Finally, click “Install Now” and then “Activate” once the installation is complete.

Go to the Plugins menu in your WordPress dashboard and click Add New Plugin

  • Connect Monster Insights to Google Analytics:
    1. Upon activation, Monster Insights will launch a setup wizard. Follow the prompts to connect your WordPress site to your Google Analytics account.
    2. Sign in to your Google account and grant Monster Insights permission to access your Google Analytics data. This step is crucial for linking your GA4 property to your WordPress site.

Launch the Wizard to get started with setting up MonsterInsights

Click Continue & Connect to Google to link MonsterInsights with your Google Analytics

  • Select Your GA4 Property:
    1. The setup wizard will display a list of available Google Analytics properties associated with your Google account. Select the GA4 property you created for your website.
    2. Monster Insights will then automatically retrieve your GA4 Measurement ID and configure the tracking code for your site.

MonsterInsights will let you know if the tracking code was installed successfully

  • Configure plugin settings: After connecting your GA4 property, you can configure additional settings through the Monster Insights dashboard within WordPress. Options include adjusting privacy settings, enabling or disabling certain tracking features, and customizing reports to suit your needs.

Click on the new Insights tab in your WordPress dashboard to get access to your analytics from MonsterInsights

And you’re all set! It may take a few hours for data to appear after the initial setup. By using Monster Insights or similar plugins, you can enjoy a hassle-free way to integrate GA4 with your WordPress site, benefiting from detailed analytics without diving into code.

This approach is ideal for users who prefer a user-friendly interface and quick setup, allowing you to focus more on interpreting your data and less on the technicalities of implementation.

Final Thoughts

Adding Google Analytics 4 (GA4) to your WordPress site helps you see how well your site is doing. You can do this by adding code yourself or using a plugin like Monster Insights. This lets you know what your visitors like and helps you make your site better.

GA4 offers many benefits that can help improve your website. With GA4, you can see which pages on your site are the most popular and how people find your website.

Additionally, you can track if people do what you hope on your site, like signing up for newsletters or buying products, and how users interact with your site on different devices, whether they’re on a phone, tablet, or computer. This helps you make sure your site works well for everyone.

Use what you learn from GA4 to make your website better. You can change things to make sure your visitors like what they see and come back for more. Keep learning from GA4, and watch your website grow. It’s all about making small changes that make a big difference!

For more marketing tips and tricks, check out my post on how to write a YouTube script.

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