What is Google Analytics?
Using Google Analytics, you can get more detailed insights about the user interactions on your Website, and/or Mobile App(Android or IOS). It is tightly integrated with Google Tag Manager, making it easy to handle and place tracking tags without having to directly change the website's code.
In this article, you will learn:
• How to setup Google Analytics
• How to integrate your Website with Google Analytics using Tag Manager
• How to directly integrate your Website with Google Analytic
Getting started
Setting up Google Analytics requires you to have a Google account (Who doesn't?!). Google allows you to have multiple Google analytics account under one Google account. So, you can have the data of multiple businesses organized in separate GA accounts. Here's how you do it,
1. Visit the GA4 Website and login to your Google Account (If you haven't already).
2. After logging in, you'll be prompted to enter your preferred account name and choose your desired data sharing settings. Click on Next once you've made your selections.
3. On the following page, you can create a property. A property serves as a container for data related to your website and/or mobile app. Provide a name for your property, select the appropriate time zone and currency, then click on Next.
4. On the subsequent page, you'll be prompted to select your business type and specify the number of employees. Once you've made these selections, click on Next.
5. You'll have the option to select the type of reports that align with your specific needs. Many users opt for the Baseline report, which provides fundamental insights. After choosing your preferred report type, proceed by clicking on Create and agreeing to the terms and conditions.
6. Finally, you'll specify the data source - whether it's from a Website, Android, or iOS. Then, you'll register your Website or Mobile App to establish the data stream for tracking and analysis purposes in Google Analytics.
After creating the data stream, you'll access the Measurement ID (also known as Tracking ID) and instructions for installing the Google Tag either in your Website's code or Google Tag Manager. Click on "Continue" to move to the Home page, where you can further manage and explore your Google Analytics settings and data.
How to install Google Tag into your Website?
To start seeing some data in Google Analytics, you must install the Google Tag into your Website. Here's how you can do it:
• Google Tag Manager
• Website's Code
• Adding the Tag to the Website builder or CMS hosted Builder
How to integrate your Website with Google Analytics via Google Tag Manager?
Google Tag Manager simplifies the management of scripts, tags, and tools on your website. When you add a Google Tag through GTM, it sets up a data stream to Google Analytics, facilitating the flow of information for analysis and insights. In order to link your website with Google tag manager, you can insert the GTM script/ pixel into the <head> section of your Website's code.
1. Visit the GTM Website and login to your Google Account.
2. Click on the Create Account button to start setting up a new GTM account.
3. Enter the Account Name and select the Country.
4. Enter the Container name and choose your target platform.
5. Click on the Create button to generate your GTM account and container. Make sure to review and accept the Terms and Conditions.
Now you will be able to find the Google Tag Manager script which you will need to insert into the <head> tag and <body> tag of your website. By doing this, you enable Google Tag Manager to start managing and deploying various tags, including Google Analytics, on your site. Now, let's integrate Google Tag manager with Google Analytics in order to start sending data.
Note there are two tags need to be created, i.e. a Google Tag and a Google Analytics event tag. The Google Tag initiates the Data stream between the Website and Google Analytics and the Google Analytics events tag listens for events, such as User clicks, scrolls, views, etc..., from the website. Here's how you can create a Google Tag:
1. Visit Google Tag Manager and choose the container you want to configure. Open Tags Menu.
2. Create a New tag. Enter a name for the tag at the top (e.g., "Google tag configuration - example.com").
3. In the Tag Configuration box, select Google tag under Google Analytics.
4. Configure your tag. In the field Tag ID, enter your Google tag ID (Measuremnt ID).
5. Choose Initialization - All pages under Triggering section.
How to link Google Analytics directly with the Website?
In order to directly link Google Analytics with your Website, you will need access to your Website's code. If you do not have the access to the website's code, you can ask your developer to insert the Google Tag into the <head> section of your Website's code. Here's how you can get the Google Tag:
1. In Admin, under Data collection and modification, click Data streams.
2. Select the Web tab and click on Web Data Stream.
3. Click on View Tag Instructions under Google Tag section to view the Google Tag snippet.
Linking Google Analytics with your website through Google Tag Manager is a recommended practice. This not only makes it easier for you to add scripts, such as our Serviceform Pixel, but also facilitates debugging. Certain custom events from Serviceform can only be seamlessly sent to Google Analytics via Google Tag Manager. Check out the next article for more on integrating Google Analytics with our tools.
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