Google Analytics: Have you got it set up yet?

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Google Analytics has been around since November 2005, and was recently revamped with a new GUI as pictured below. Given all the other options that are around, including Sitemeter, MyBlogLog, and so on, Google Analytics is really the simplest solution and can provide a lot of useful statistics without much configuration.

analytics

Have you installed it on your website yet? If not, why not?…!

Step 1: Make sure that you have signed up for your Analytics Account (it’s free). If you already have a Google Account, so much the better.

Step 2: Log in, and create a new Analytics Account.

newaccount

Step 3: Then click on ‘Add Website Profile’ (Top Right in the image below).

websiteprofile

Step 4: Now you’ll see your website profile which is easy to fill out.

profile

Step 5: Once done, you’ll get your tracking code.

script

Step 6: Look for the tracking code at the bottom, copy the entire text in the box beginning <script>…</script>. It looks like this, but the UA number is different for each code.

<script src=”http://www.google-analytics.com/urchin.js” type=”text/javascript”>
</script>
<script type=”text/javascript”>
_uacct = “UA-******-*”;
urchinTracker();
</script>

Now open your blog software (I’m assuming WordPress 2.0+). Login to the administration area of your blog.

Step 7: Look at this image to identify the three mini-steps to locate the right file to edit for your current theme.

admin

  • i. Find the theme editor, under Presentation.

  • ii. Select your current theme.

  • iii. Click on the file called ‘footer’ to edit that file.

Step 8: Each footer file will be different, but the process is similar. Place the code at the bottom of the footer file, but BEFORE the last <BODY> tag. Then click “Update File”.

foooter

(Observant users will note that I didn’t paste my code in there! I can’t remember where I put it on this blog! … But for my other website, that’s where it is, right on the orange line!!! :D)

Step 9: You should go back to your Analytics account to check that the status has changed. You will see the following graphic.

wait

Step 10: Wait patiently for about 12 hours or more before data starts to show up in the reports!

Happy Googling!

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