Perhaps you've heard about Google Analytics, yet you still failed to use the same to track and boost traffic to your website. It is actually very surprising that not all site owners use Google Analytics when it can totally change your online presence. So what exactly is Google Analytics? How does it work? Let's know more below.

Beginner's Guide to Google Analytics

A brief history of Google Analytics will tell us that it is one of the most powerful applications available today. You can easily install Google Analytics WordPress Plugin and, best of all, it comes for free. It was initially made popular by Google in 2005 after it acquired Urchin on Demand software from which Google Analytics was developed. Analytics wasn't made publicly available before and it was only offered by invitation to a select group of people. However, a year after it was released, it was made fully available to the public and to all users.

The very first step in using Google Analytics is to install recommended Google Analytics plugin and create your own account. If you already have a Google or Gmail account, then you can use the same for the Analytics. A little caution, don't allow anyone to create a Google Analytics account for you and do not let them use their own Google or Gmail account to create an Analytics account for you.

In creating your own account, there is really no right or wrong therein. You have to customize the same according to your preference and how you would like to organize things.

After setting your account properly, you will be directed to the Data Sharing Settings which you can also customize. Once you are finished, you should click the Get Tracking ID button and then agree to the Google Analytics terms and conditions. You will then receive your tracking code, which you can paste into any of your website that you want to track.

Remember that there are actually different Google Analytics plugins that you can install. Each of them has their own settings, but it will basically appear the same and it will always involve having a tracking code which you can set up in your own website. Some of the most common plugins include Google Analytics by Analytics Cat and Yoast.

After setting up the code on your website, you should then set up your Goal which you can find the same in the Admin link. This will basically depend on what your end is. For example, if you are selling a product then you will want to have a thank you note or confirmation page for your clients after they have completed a purchase.

Google Analytics may seem to be a very complicated concept, but it can be easily learned. Once you have already started navigating and experimenting Analytics, you will then learn the art of how it works. The difficulty is only in the beginning. Once you have fully grasped its concept, you will definitely agree that Analytics is one good way of tracking traffic to your website.