Google Analytics is a free tool that helps website owners understand how people interact with their site. Imagine it as a digital window that shows who is visiting your website, what they are looking at, and how they found you. This information can help businesses improve their websites and attract more visitors.
It’s really all about understanding people and how they interact with websites. If you’re running a business, having a basic grasp of Google Analytics is crucial for anyone looking to optimise their online presence, understand user interactions, and ultimately achieve their digital goals more effectively.
Visitor Information: Google Analytics shows how many people visit a website, where they come from (like search engines or social media), and which pages they look at.
User Behaviour: It tracks how long visitors stay on a page and what they click on. This helps website owners know what content is engaging and what might need improvement.
Traffic Sources: It tells you how visitors find the website. Are they searching on Google? Clicking on links from emails? Knowing this helps tailor marketing efforts.
Demographics: Google Analytics can provide insights into the age, gender, and interests of visitors, helping businesses better understand their audience.
Goal Tracking: If a website has specific objectives, like signing up for a newsletter or making a purchase, Google Analytics can track how well these goals are being met.
When you set up Google Analytics, you add a small piece of code to your website. This code collects data about the visitors and sends it to Google’s servers. From there, you can log into your Google Analytics account to view detailed reports and insights.
Google has a create 8 minute You Tube on how to do this here. Or, read below for our step by step tutorial:
Sign In to your Google Account:
Open Google and make sure you are signed into your account (read tips on how to create an account if you have not already)
Go to Google Analytics.
Set Up a Google Analytics account:
After signing in, you’ll be prompted to set up a new account. Click on the "Start measuring" button.
Account Setup:
Enter an account name. This is usually your company or website name.
You can choose to enable or disable data sharing options based on your preferences.
Property Setup:
A “property” is a website or app you want to track. Enter a property name (e.g., your website name), select the reporting time zone, and set the currency.
Click “Next” to proceed.
About Your Business:
You’ll be asked about your business, including industry category and business size. This helps Google tailor analytics features to your needs.
Stream Setup:
7. Install Tracking Code:
After setting up the stream, you’ll get a tracking code. This code needs to be added to your website’s HTML. If you use a CMS like WordPress, there are plugins to help you add this code.
8. Verify Installation:
After installing the code, go back to Google Analytics and verify that data is being received. This can usually be done through the “Real-Time” reports.
Go to Google Analytics.
Log in with your Google account.
From the dashboard, select the account and property (website or app) you want to find the ID for.
3. Go to Data Streams (or Property Settings if you are using Universal Analytics)
In the left-hand menu, click on Admin.
Under the Property column, click on Data Streams (or Tracking Info then Tracking Code if using UA)
Select the Data Stream for which you want the Measurement ID.
4. Find your Measurement ID
The Measurement ID will be visible at the top right of the screen, starting with "G-" followed by a series of letters and numbers (e.g., G-ABC123XYZ).
If you are using Universal Analytics the Tracking ID will be at the top of the page. It usually starts with "UA-" followed by a series of numbers (e.g., UA-12345678-1).
Much like the Google Tracking Id, the Meta Pixel, formerly known as the Facebook Pixel, is a piece of code that you place on your website. This code enables you to track visitor interactions and gather valuable data about how users engage with your site. The Meta Pixel helps you monitor a variety of actions, such as page views, purchases, sign-ups, and other significant events.
When users visit your site, the Meta Pixel collects information that can be used to create custom audiences, optimise ad campaigns, and measure the effectiveness of your marketing efforts. Essentially, it allows you to connect the dots between your website and your advertising on platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
Setting up a Meta Pixel is relatively straightforward:
1. Log in to Meta Business Suite
2. Access Events Manager
3. Select the Pixel
4. View Your Pixel ID:
5. Add the Pixel Code to your website. If you're using platforms like WordPress, Shopify, or Wix, there are plugins and integrations that make this process easier. This is where you seamlessly drop it into the Cookaborough platform on the same page in the platform as your Google Analytics ID.
6. Define Events you want to track (like purchases or sign-ups) and set them up in Events Manager sop you can Monitor and Optimise your campaigns based on the data collected.
In today’s competitive digital landscape, leveraging tools like Google Analytics and Meta Pixel is essential by enabling you to track user interactions, retarget audiences, create custom campaigns, and measure your ROI.
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