You can’t improve your WordPress website if you don’t know what’s happening on it.
Google Analytics gives you those insights for free. Although it may sound technical, you don’t need to be a developer to add it to WordPress.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to install Google Analytics in WordPress step by step.
Before you can connect your site, you need a Google Analytics account and a Measurement ID. If you already have both, you can skip ahead to the installation methods below.
How to Sign Up With Google Analytics
To start tracking your site visitors with Google Analytics, sign up for it with your Google account.
First, visit the Google Analytics website and click the ‘Get started today’ button. Then sign in with your Google account, or create one if you don’t have it yet.
Once you are signed in, click the ‘Start measuring’ button on the welcome screen. Google will then ask for an ‘Account name’, which only appears in your own account, so enter your business name here.
You can leave the data-sharing settings at their defaults and click ‘Next’.
Once your account exists, Google asks you to create a property. A property is simply the container that holds the data for one website. Enter a property name for your website, select your reporting time zone and currency, and then click the ‘Next’ button.
Google will then ask about your business industry, size, and goals. Answer these to match your business, click ‘Next’.
Now that your property is ready, Google needs to know where its data will come from. This is called a data stream. Since we are tracking a WordPress site, select ‘Web’ as the platform.
After that, enter your website URL and a stream name. By default, Google Analytics keeps ‘Enhanced measurement’ turned on, which tracks pageviews, scrolls, outbound clicks, file downloads, and more.
Next, click the ‘Create & continue’ button.
You will now see your stream details, including the Measurement ID. It starts with ‘G-‘ and is what connects your website to this Google Analytics property.
Google also shows an alert bar at the top with instructions for adding the tracking code to your site. Click the ‘View tag instructions’ button to see them.
Switch to the ‘Install manually’ tab, and you will see the Google Analytics tracking code. You only need this code for Methods 2 and 3 below.
If you plan to use the plugin method, MonsterInsights adds the code for you.
Keep this browser tab open. You may need to come back to it while installing the code on your WordPress site.
How to Install Google Analytics in WordPress
Now that you have your Google Analytics account and Measurement ID, let’s add the tracking to your WordPress site.
There are three ways to add Google Analytics to WordPress. We recommend using a Google Analytics plugin (Method 1) because it’s the easiest and safest option for most WordPress users. You won’t need to edit your theme files, plus you can see Analytics data directly from your WordPress dashboard.
The other two methods let you add the tracking code manually. They’re useful if you prefer not to use a plugin or want more control over how the code is added.
- Method 1: Install Google Analytics with an Analytics Plugin
- Method 2: Install Google Analytics in WordPress with WPCode (Manual)
- Method 3: Install Google Analytics in Your WordPress Theme (Advanced)
- Bonus Tip: Track More Analytics Data in Google Analytics
- Video Tutorial: Install Google Analytics in WordPress
Method 1: Install Google Analytics with an Analytics Plugin
The easiest way to add Google Analytics to WordPress is by using a Google Analytics plugin. We use and recommend the free MonsterInsights plugin. It connects your site to Google Analytics without touching any code and shows your traffic reports right inside the WordPress dashboard.
You can also find many other Analytics plugins, like Google Site Kit, which works well for basic pageview and search data. But unlike MonsterInsights, it doesn’t offer a Pro version and lacks many advanced features, like User Journey, which shows the exact conversion path a visitor took through your site.
For details, see our comparison of MonsterInsights vs. Site Kit.
First, you need to install and activate the MonsterInsights plugin. For more details, see our step-by-step guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.
Upon activation, MonsterInsights opens its setup wizard. If it doesn’t, go to the Insights » Settings page and click the ‘use our setup wizard’ link.
The wizard first asks which category best describes your website. Choose business website, publisher, or eCommerce, and then click the ‘Save and Continue’ button.
Next, you need to connect the plugin to your Google Analytics account. Click the ‘Connect MonsterInsights’ button.
This takes you to Google, where you choose the Google account you used to create your Analytics property. Then click ‘Allow’ so that MonsterInsights can access your Google Analytics data.
After that, select the property you created for your website from the dropdown menu and click the ‘Complete Connection’ button.
MonsterInsights will now add the tracking code to your site for you. All that’s left are a few screens where the wizard suggests settings based on the website category you picked earlier.
The defaults work well for most websites, so you can click ‘Save and Continue’ on each screen.
If you see a screen asking for a license key, just click the option to finish setup without upgrading.
That’s it! You’ve now successfully set up Google Analytics on your WordPress website.
View Google Analytics Reports Inside the WordPress Dashboard
Once Google Analytics has collected some data, you can see your reports without leaving WordPress. Visit the Insights » Reports page to see an overview of your traffic, top pages, and where your visitors come from.
Keep in mind that Google Analytics takes a few hours to start showing data after you install it.
Method 2: Install Google Analytics in WordPress with WPCode (Manual)
If you don’t want to use a dedicated Google Analytics plugin, then you can use the free WPCode plugin instead. WPCode keeps the code separate from your theme, so you won’t have to worry about losing it during theme updates or accidentally breaking your site while making changes.
First, install and activate the WPCode plugin. If you need help, see our guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.
Upon activation, go to the Code Snippets » Header & Footer page. Then paste the Google Analytics tracking code you copied while creating your Analytics account into the ‘Header’ box.
Don’t forget to click the ‘Save Changes’ button. Google Analytics is now installed on your site.
Method 3: Install Google Analytics in Your WordPress Theme (Advanced)
The last method skips plugins altogether and adds the tracking code directly to your theme.
Keep in mind that with this method, you will lose Analytics tracking whenever you update or switch your theme.
Simply add the following code at the bottom of your WordPress theme’s functions.php file.
add_action( 'wp_head', 'wpb_add_googleanalytics' );
function wpb_add_googleanalytics() { ?>
<!-- Paste your Google Analytics tracking code here -->
<?php }
Replace the comment line with the tracking code you copied from your Google Analytics account, and then save the file.
Your WordPress theme will now load the Google Analytics tracking code across your WordPress site.
Bonus Tip: Track More Analytics Data in Google Analytics
By default, Google Analytics tracks pageviews and basic engagement. However, it does not give you advanced reporting, like eCommerce tracking, affiliate link clicks, video tracking with Vimeo, and more.
With MonsterInsights Pro, you can enable additional tracking through addons. All you have to do is install the right addons by navigating to Insights » Addons page. Here is how to set up each one.
- eCommerce tracking: Enable the ‘eCommerce’ addon if you run a WooCommerce store, a digital downloads store, or a membership site. You can then see which products and customers bring in your revenue, and more.
- Set up form conversion tracking: Enable the ‘Forms’ addon to start tracking your form views, submissions, and conversion rates. MonsterInsights integrates with form plugins like WPForms, Formidable Forms, and more, so no additional configuration needed.
- Track video analytics: Enable the ‘Media’ addon to track whether people watch your videos or click away after a few seconds. It works with YouTube, Vimeo, and self-hosted HTML5 videos.
- Custom event tracking: With custom event tracking, you can record specific actions visitors take on your site, like a button click. It doesn’t need a separate addon to be installed.
For example, if you want to track a custom click event, then follow this formula:
<a href="https://www.example.com" data-vars-ga-category="Custom Category" data-vars-ga-action="Custom Action" data-vars-ga-label="Custom Label">Example</a>
Using this template, you’ll be able to override the default tracking behavior of MonsterInsights to customize what gets tracked as the category, action, and label. For example:
<a href="http://www.example.com/download.pdf" data-vars-ga-category="CTA">Download now</a>
To see the results, log in to your Google Analytics account and go to Reports » Engagement » Events. Your category name will appear in the list of events.
FAQs About Installing Google Analytics in WordPress
Here are answers to some of the most common questions we get about setting up Google Analytics.
Is Google Analytics free to use?
Yes, Google Analytics is completely free. Google offers a paid version for large enterprise websites, but the free version is more than enough for most small business sites and blogs.
How long does it take for Google Analytics to start working?
After you add the tracking code, Google Analytics may take a few hours to begin showing data in your reports. We recommend checking back after 24 hours to see your first full day of statistics.
Do I need Google Analytics if my site has Jetpack Stats?
Jetpack Stats gives you a simple overview of your traffic. Google Analytics goes much deeper, with detail about your audience, their behavior, and how they found your site.
For a full comparison, see our article on Google Analytics vs. Jetpack Stats.
How do I keep personally identifiable information (PII) out of Google Analytics?
Google’s terms do not allow you to send personal details like names, email addresses, or phone numbers to Google Analytics. To ensure you’re not accidentally adding such details via forms, you can go to Admin » Data streams and select your website’s stream in your Google Analytics Account. Then click ‘Redact data’ and strip any URL parameters.
If you use MonsterInsights, the Privacy Guard feature does this automatically from Insights » Settings » Engagement. It is included in the Plus plan and higher.
Video Tutorial: Install Google Analytics in WordPress
If you prefer to watch the process, our video tutorial shows you how to install Google Analytics in WordPress.
We hope this article helped you learn how to install Google Analytics in WordPress.
Next, you may want to see our ultimate guide to GA4 in WordPress to make sense of your new reports. You can also check our WordPress SEO guide for tips on growing your traffic in AI search era.
If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.
William Hails
I don’t know what I did wrong but my setup is not complete… it is not connected to my gmail account but only to my website ?
WPBeginner Support
If you have created your account then you should be able to log in with the google account you signed up with. If you have multiple Gmail accounts you may want to change accounts to see if you set up analytics on a different account.
Admin
faisal
may time i tried to install google analystics i functions.php in wordpress.
its given errors
.Your PHP code changes were rolled back due to an error on line 67 of file wp-content/themes/Extra/functions.php. Please fix and try saving again.
syntax error, unexpected ‘<', expecting end of file.
guide me what i do now.whats its solutions.
WPBeginner Support
You would want to try removing line 1 from the code in our guide for that specific error.
Admin
Tikyda
Thanks a lot for sharing on how to install Google Analytics.
WPBeginner Support
Glad our guide was helpful
Admin
Marsha
I installed Google Analytics to my blog using Monster Insights via the tutorial above but I can only see analytics using the Monster Insights dashboard on WP, the analytics is not showing up on the Google Analytics website at all.
WPBeginner Support
You would want to make sure if you have multiple properties that you’re checking the correct one and you have given 48 hours for Google Analytics to populate the data.
Admin
Elena
I keep getting this message:
“The selected account doesn’t have any Google Analytics Web properties.
Please select another Google Account and make sure your Google Analytics property is set as “Web” not “Apps and web” or “Apps”.
You can find more details about setting up your Google Analytics property in this article.
Try picking a different app/profile to auth into”
I’ve linked my account to Web only, but I don’t know if it’s an issue with how I worded the property? Please help! Thank you!
WPBeginner Support
If you have multiple properties, ensure you are connecting to the correct one, you can also reach out to MonsterInsight’s support for assistance with that error if everything is set correctly.
Admin
Lourdes
Super Helpful!!!! thanks!!
WPBeginner Support
You’re welcome
Admin
Claire
Can you set up Google Analytics for multiple websites with the same Google account? And how?
WPBeginner Support
In your Google Analytics Admin section, there is the option to add a new account that would be your new site.
Admin
David Pasquaone
Thanks! Exactly what I needed. ✌
WPBeginner Support
You’re welcome, glad our guide was helpful
Admin
putri
Thank you for the post! Your content helps me a lot in setting Google Analytics up!
WPBeginner Support
You’re welcome, glad our guide was helpful
Admin
Charlotte van Noord
after following the instructions I got this error showing up:
syntax error, unexpected ‘<', expecting end of file
WPBeginner Support
It would depend on how you are attempting to add the code, you may want to try some of the other recommended methods in the article for the moment.
Admin
Kiran
Very helpful for the beginner
WPBeginner Support
Glad you found our guide helpful
Admin
mahmoud
Thanks.
Great information
WPBeginner Support
You’re welcome, glad our guide was helpful
Admin
Thomas
Thank you for making this well thoughtout content. For FREE!
WPBeginner Support
You’re welcome, glad you’ve found our content helpful
Admin
shine htet linn
Dear Team,
I tried to connect Google analytics code to the wordpress using insert Header and Footer plugin. But when i verify it said “verification unsuccessful”. Please help me to solve it.
WPBeginner Support
You would want to start by clearing the caching on your site for the most common solution to this issue.
Admin
Srai
Excellent instructions. Thanks a bunch!
WPBeginner Support
You’re welcome, glad our guide was helpful
Admin
Stephanie
Amazing! I love how you walked through each step, was so much easier to understand, all three methods when watching you calming and in real time go through it as a newbie.
Bookmarking and Subscribing
WPBeginner Support
Glad our guide was helpful
Admin
David ayeni
thanks alot, this was really helpful, fixed it in minutes, How to i add adsense to my website after that, is there any article on that
WPBeginner Support
For adding Adsense you would want to take a look at our article below:
https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/how-to-add-google-adsense-to-your-wordpress-site/
Admin
Chisom
Hello, Thanks for this helpful article, but i have a question,
If i use the Monster insight or the “Insert header and footer plugin”, if i create a new page after setting the analytics up, will it be automatically added to the new page or i will have to set it up again.
WPBeginner Support
Using either of those methods would automatically add the code to your new posts and pages
Admin
Ian Warner
Thanks for this helpful information. I want to install Google Analytics without Google Tag Manager. Where do I find the code for this please?
WPBeginner Support
You would not add Google Tag Manager if you do not want to use it on your site.
Admin
Dileepa K
Thanks for this detail explanation. Very helpful
WPBeginner Support
You’re welcome
Admin
Gabbi
OMG so helpful and easy! Follow all the steps now I am set up! Thanks a bunch
WPBeginner Support
You’re welcome
Admin
Brian
Very helpful. The steps to take were clear and understood.
WPBeginner Support
Glad you found our article helpful
Admin
Helen C
Thanks, I dont know alot about any of this but I installed google analytics with no problem by following your tutorial.
Now on to something else!
WPBeginner Support
Glad our guide was able to help
Admin
Eli
Super helpful; thanks brother.
WPBeginner Support
You’re welcome
Admin
Johnny Come Lately
Thank you! Very useful video. I used the Headers and Footers Plugin as I prefer to have google analytics app on my phone and I can view all websites from that.
taekookyizhan
this article was super helpful and contained everything I wanted to know. thank you
WPBeginner Support
You’re welcome
Admin
Paul
Can’t wait to learn more.
WPBeginner Support
We hope our guides can help
Admin
Heather
Thank you! This was super easy to follow and I was able to setup Google Analytics using Monster Insights very quickly following this guide.
WPBeginner Support
You’re welcome, glad we could help simplify the process
Admin
Amin Al Salim
It’s quite very good and useful
WPBeginner Support
Thank you, glad you found our guide helpful
Admin
Avi
Hey! Amazing tutorial.
But while going with the 3rd method I faced an error which says :
Your PHP code changes were rolled back due to an error on line 1006 of file wp-content/themes/oceanwp/functions.php. Please fix and try saving again.
syntax error, unexpected ‘<', expecting end of file
Please help.
WPBeginner Support
Your functions.php likely did not close its PHP, you should be able to add the code without the first line
Admin
Rich
Yep, that worked for me – removed ‘<?php' and the error dispeared.
Thanks..
dell
Hi. My plan is free. It doesn’t support plugin installation. In that case, what can I do for using google analytics?
WPBeginner Support
For WordPress.com sites, you would need to check with the support documentation for what they allow at the moment.
Admin
Lisanne
Hello,
I did instal Google Analytics correctly and it works perfectly!
But it is tracking my own IP as well.
Is there an solution to this problem?
I couldn’t found it anywhere.
WPBeginner Support
This is one of the reasons why we recommend MonsterInsights, it should filter out your own visits without needing to set up a filter in Google Analytics.
Admin
Enni
I follow the steps exactly from the video tutorial, but I can’t update my file of theme editor, it says this:
Your PHP code changes were rolled back due to an error on line 83 of file wp-content/themes/neve/functions.php. Please fix and try saving again.
syntax error, unexpected ‘<', expecting end of file
WPBeginner Support
We would recommend taking a look at our guide on copying snippets from the web below for the most common reasons for an issue like that:
https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/beginners-guide-to-pasting-snippets-from-the-web-into-wordpress/
Admin
Janet
Thank you for all of this, G Analytics is something I struggle with implementing as my brain shuts down at the thought, but you’ve made it more clear to me!
I’m using Insert Headers and Footers to paste the code, but I already have code on there for other stuff – can I paste code directly below?
WPBeginner Support
Yes, you would add the new code below your current code
Admin
Peggy
Thank you. I am just launching my website and you have been such a great resource. This quickly explained how to set up Google analytics in my website and I love that I don’t have to put code on each page as I was very confused on the google analytics page.
WPBeginner Support
Glad our guide was able to simplify the process for you
Admin
mayank jain
thannks a lot man ..really helped alot
WPBeginner Support
Glad our article was helpful
Admin
Efren
Really cannot find a good site where to explain how to add the Google tracking code to a wordpress site without plugin. Why plugin is needed anyway? IS there any other website apart from this wordpress where i can add the hmtl code i want without having to purchase, add plugin, update my account or anything like that? Man, they make it complicated
WPBeginner Support
It sounds like you are on WordPress.com which would be the main factor for that issue, you may want to take a look at our comparison here:
https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/self-hosted-wordpress-org-vs-free-wordpress-com-infograph/
WordPress.com requires one of their paid plans currently to connect Google Analytics
Admin
andreia
just to say thank you
WPBeginner Support
You’re welcome, glad you liked our guide
Admin
Jaymin Thakkar
Hello,
I’m using #3 to add GA in Wordpress Theme. I just wanted to know if add code in header.php file then do I also have to add via functions.php? Will only update in header.php work?
WPBeginner Support
You would use one of the methods, you would not want to use both and it is personal preference on which method you use
Admin
Jaymin Thakkar
Thank You so much for the information!
WPBeginner Support
You’re welcome
Elisabeth
Thank you so much for the information! You mention it takes some time for Google Analytics to connect to the website. How long is that process generally? My Siteground dashboard shows sessions and pageviews, but GA still shows zero.
Thanks for your help!
WPBeginner Support
normally 24-48 hours but times can vary
Admin
Sandra
Will this plugin report the hits back to my main analytics (web) account? Because I’m unable to paste the analytics code on my web pages.
Will like to hear your response, Thanks.
WPBeginner Support
As long as it is connected it will send the information back to your Google Analytics account.
Admin
Vanessa Williams
Thanks for sharing this topic. It’s help a lot.
WPBeginner Support
You’re welcome, glad you like our guide
Admin
Michael
Thanks for your excellent guides.
WPBeginner Support
You’re welcome, glad you like our guides
Admin
Kelly
Thank you for the information! I have Google Analytics, but didn’t know how to read it. You cleared that up here. Thanks
WPBeginner Support
You’re welcome, glad our guide was helpful
Admin
Cheri Moe
Thank you for continually posting articles and videos to help us walk through the process and set up great sites. I’ve been wanting to learn more about GA and this article and video were the perfect starting point for me!
WPBeginner Support
You’re welcome, glad our guides are able to help you
Admin
Sandra
I use Google Analytics all the time, but have not understood how to use the info. Great article.
WPBeginner Support
Thank you, we hope our recommended additional resources at the end help you understand how to use the information
Admin
Expy
Already installed google analytics on my website 8years ago now am thinking of changing the entire website thus I will need to reinstall it again. With this article I won’t have issue
WPBeginner Support
Glad our guide could be helpful to you
Admin
vanessa
This is very helpful info i love the video addition as well. Thanks for all the great help and work your team does.
WPBeginner Support
Thank you for your kind words and glad our guide could be helpful
Admin
David S
I am trying to install Google Analytics. By accident I selected Web & mobile instead of just Web for the property. How can I fix thiss?
WPBeginner Support
If you do not have any data on the page then you should have the option to delete it and create a new analytics page for the site
Admin
samptest
My company is using a wordpress theme and building our website. If I wanted to integrate the google analytics, Google tag manager account, Facebook pixels to my website. Can I still use the MonsterInsights plugin?
WPBeginner Support
Yes, you can still use MonsterInsights for a site wanting to add all of that
Admin