Google Analytics for Bloggers Part 2: Set-up
Jan 19, 2009 Digital Marketing & Metrics, Web Analytics
Once you have determined that you want to learn more about your blog visitors (Part 1 of this series) you need to set up Google Analytics. Just like Blogging – it doesn’t take a tech wizard to set-up Google Analytics. Here is a quick guide to getting started!
Step 1: Sign-in to Google
If you already use Google for anything else (Google Talk, Gmail, or Blogger) you already have a Google account – so just head to Google Analytics and sign in. If you don’t have one…also go to Google Analytics and get yourself one (free and easy!).
Step 2: Set-up a new Website Profile
Essentially enter information for your URL, location, time zone.
Here is a screen shot:
Google Analytics Setup
Step 3: Here is the code part
Don’t freak out…you don’t need to know any code…you just need to put a piece of already written code onto your blog. AND, if you are using Wordpress there is a plug-in (go figure!) to do it for you.
Once you have filled out the above form, Google will give you a piece of script that looks like this:
<script type=”text/javascript”>
var gaJsHost = ((“https:” == document.location.protocol) ? “https://ssl.” : “http://www.”);
document.write(unescape(“%3Cscript src=’” + gaJsHost + “google-analytics.com/ga.js’ type=’text/javascript’%3E%3C/script%3E”));
</script>
<script type=”text/javascript”>
try {
var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker(“UA-XXXXXXX-X”);
pageTracker._trackPageview();
} catch(err) {}</script>
The UA-XXXXXXX-X part will be your account number.
On Blogger
Go to Layout>Add a Page Element then select HTML/Javascript. Paste tracking code into body of this box (don’t include a title to the box).
On Wordpress
Go to Appearance>Themes>Editor then select Footer.php. Paste tracking code here.
Alternatively you can use a Plug-in such as Google Analyticator by Ronald Heft Jr. or Google Analytics for Wordpress by Joost de Valk – both of these will input the code for you. All you need to know is the UA-XXXXXXX-X number!
To ensure it is working, head over to Google Analytics and go to Profile Settings and click “Check Status”. If there is a problem a warning sign with exclamation mark will show up under “Status” as seen here:
That is it! You are done, in 24 hours or so you will see some lovely data! Next, you need to figure out what it all means…
Google Analytics for Bloggers Part 3: An Intro
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Tags: google analytics, how to, set-up, Web Analytics
