Google Analytics is the most popular analytics tool widely used by webmasters because it provides accurate stats and has extensive features. Not only you can use Google Analytics to view the number of visitors, but also where they come from, demographics, behaviors, how they get to your website and many other parameters.
Some WordPress themes — premium themes in particular — have a feature to allow you effortlessly install Google Analytics by pasting the tracking code to the provided field in the theme’s setting. If the theme you use doesn’t provide this feature, you can manually install Google Analytics yourself. It is extremely straightforward.
To install Google Analytics manually on your WordPress site, all you need to do is add the tracking code to either the footer of your theme or the header. You can paste the tracking code to either theme’s footer or header because they are two elements that are always be loaded when your website is opened.
How to manually install Google Analytics on WordPress
First and foremost, visit the Google Analytics page and click the Sign in to Analytics button to create your Google Analytics account.
On the next page, click the Sign up button.
You will be asked to create a new Account. Enter your account name, website name and website URL on the available fields and click the Get Tracking ID button.
Accept the service agreement and copy the tracking code.
Now login to your WordPress dashboard and go to the Theme Editor
Open either theme’s footer or header. On this example, we will paste the tracking to the theme’s footer.
Paste the tracking code right before the </body> tag and click the Update File button.
Done. You have successfully installed Google Analytics on your WordPress site. Give Google Analytics time to collect the visitor stats. Return to the Google Analytics dashboard in two or three days to view your visitor stats.
