What is Google Analytics, Why is it Important, and How to Add it to Your Website?

What is Google Analytics, Why is it Important, and How to Add it to Your Website?

If you have a website but don't know who is coming, where they are coming from, how long they stay, and which pages they spend more time on, you are essentially navigating digitally with your eyes closed. This is where Google Analytics comes into play.

In this article, we explain why Google Analytics is indispensable, how it works, and how to integrate it into your website both with the classic method and via Google Tag Manager, in a simple and understandable language.

What is Google Analytics?

Google Analytics is a free analytics tool provided by Google that allows you to analyze the behavior of visitors to your website. It provides clear answers to questions such as which of your pages is visited the most, how long users spend on your site, and which devices they use.

In short, it provides:

Tracking visitor numbers and sources
Seeing the most viewed pages
Monitoring the bounce rate
Analyzing traffic sources (organic, social media, advertising, etc.)
Measuring target conversions (form submission, shopping, registration, etc.)

Why is it Important?

Allows You to Make Data-Driven Decisions
You get clear answers to questions such as which content works, on which page users leave, and which advertising campaign is more efficient.
Strengthens Your SEO Strategy
You can better plan your content strategy with data such as the keywords visitors come from and how long they stay on which page.
Improves User Experience
By identifying the pages where users struggle the most or leave immediately, you can make UI/UX improvements. (See: UI Components That Enhance User Experience)
Allows You to Track Your Goals
For example, you can define a form submission or a purchase as a "goal" and track which sources lead to these goals.

How to Add Google Analytics to Your Website?

Method 1: Manual Code Insertion (For HTML or PHP Sites)

Create your Google Analytics account.
Create a new "Property" and get the tracking code.
Place the code inside the <head> tag as follows:

<!-- Google tag (gtag.js) -->
<script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-XXXXXXX"></script>
<script>
  window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];
  function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);}
  gtag('js', new Date());
  gtag('config', 'G-XXXXXXX');
</script>

If you are using PHP, define it in common areas such as header.php or template/header.php.

Method 2: Adding Google Analytics via WordPress

a) Easy Method with Plugin:

Site Kit by Google: It is Google's official plugin, integrating all Google services such as Analytics + Search Console + AdSense.
Alternative: Popular plugins such as MonsterInsights, Analytify.

b) Manual Code Insertion:

From the WordPress panel, open the Appearance > Theme File Editor > header.php file.
Paste the Google Analytics code given above just below the <head> tag.

Method 3: Using Google Tag Manager

Google Tag Manager (GTM) allows you to manage all tracking codes from a single panel. It is a professional solution especially for e-commerce and multiple integrations.

Create a Google Tag Manager account.
Add the GTM codes to your site.
Define the Google Analytics tag via the Tag Manager panel.

Tips and Things to Consider

Make sure that the Analytics codes are not loaded more than once on the page.
Add the tracking code to a common area that will work on all pages.
If you are using Google Analytics 4 (GA4), you can get more detailed analyzes by defining events.

Conclusion

Google Analytics is the most practical way to keep the pulse of a website. It provides vital information such as not only page views but also user behavior, traffic channels, and conversion analysis. If you want to achieve your goals, you must have an active and correctly configured Analytics account.

For more user-focused development: