Helping Benjamin – Installing Google Analytics Traffic Data Directly into the WordPress Dashboard

Relevant for: WordPress Users

Average time: 8 minutes

Ben of creativecourage.org writes about Lifestyle Design, taking advantage of new opportunity on the internet and having a real life. I really enjoyed his last post for it’s authenticity. How to Pursue Lifestyle Design and Have a Girlfriend. Ben came to us struggling with some Google Analytics issues. (the best and really only analytics web software you should be using) After he sorted out how to get Google tracking his WordPress blog, he wanted to see the data easily. There’s an easy solution for him and other WordPress users looking to do the same…a simple plugin that takes 3 minutes to install. The Google Analytics Dashboard plugin gives you a convenient view of your google traffic data directly in the dashboard of WordPress. It’s easy to install and much more powerful than the default WordPress stats, which tends to be a bit off.

Note: You’ll need a Google Analytics account and tracking already installed on your blog for this to work! If you need to install tracking into your blog, you will need to use a plugin like Google Analytics for WordPress, or Headspace.

The plugin offers advanced view features, but your most likely only interested in viewing relevant hit counts. You can see this data in the dashboard, include it in posts, or allow only specific authors to view it. Goal tracking is also available.

Installation

Login to WordPress
a. Click Add New Plugin under the Plugins header on the left sidebar
b. Enter Google Analytics Dashboard into the search field and perform the search:
c. The search results should then show the plugin. Clicking on install will automatically download and install the plugin onto your blog.
d. When finished, activate the plugin!

Activate

At the WordPress Dashboard, Click Google Analytics Dashboard under the Settings heading in the left sidebar
Log in using your Google Analytics credentials.
After authenticating with your Google Analytics account you will need to select one of your analytics profiles (websites) to display.

Note that SimpleXML is needed for this plugin. It is enabled by default in PHP version 5 but some host may have it turned off. Don’t worry about this, unless the plugin alerts you to a SimpleXML error.

Screenshots Dashboard Integration: Post Integration:

photo by anna pearson

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16 Comments

grahunt on April 10, 2010 at 9:43 pm

Interesting post Robert an something that is relatively easy to do too.
- Rob on April 10, 2010 at 10:08 pm
  
  Yep, easy indeed! Thanks Graham. Let us know if you need any tweaks at http://www.houses-for-sale-in-spain.net or are looking for ways to reach a wider audience, love to work with you.
grahunt on April 10, 2010 at 9:43 pm

Interesting post Robert an something that is relatively easy to do too.
Rob on April 10, 2010 at 10:08 pm

Yep, easy indeed! Thanks Graham. Let us know if you need any tweaks at http://www.houses-for-sale-in-spain.net or are looking for ways to reach a wider audience, love to work with you.
Greg Blencoe on April 11, 2010 at 1:25 am

Rob,

I found out about your website a few minutes ago through one of Ben’s tweets. I just want to let you know that I ABSOLUTELY LOVE what you are doing here. It’s so cool that just about every post is helping somebody with a problem. Wishing you MUCH success!

All the best,
Greg
- Rob on April 11, 2010 at 5:10 am
  
  Thanks so much Greg, looking forward to helping YOU out…really appreciate the comment.
Greg Blencoe on April 11, 2010 at 1:25 am

Rob,

I found out about your website a few minutes ago through one of Ben's tweets. I just want to let you know that I ABSOLUTELY LOVE what you are doing here. It's so cool that just about every post is helping somebody with a problem. Wishing you MUCH success!

All the best,
Greg
Greg Blencoe on April 11, 2010 at 1:42 am

Rob,

I tried installing this and got the following message: “Google Analytics is not active. You must enter your UA string for it to work.” when I clicked on Google Analytics under Settings. But I’m not sure what this is. Can you let me know what I should do?

Thanks!
- Rob on April 11, 2010 at 3:49 am
  
  I’d be glad to help you!
  
  First question…do you already have google analytics set up and tracking
  installed on your blog? It sounds like you either didn’t pick a website in
  the plugin dashboard, or you don’t have tracking already installed on your
  blog (which if you need help with that, check out an earlier post here –
  https://itarsenal.com/installing-google-analytics-wordpress-plugin/)
  
  If you’d like, I’d be glad to log into your blog and take a look at what
  could be causing the trouble!
  
  -r
  
  —
  Robert Granholm
  https://itarsenal.com
  http://thelifedesignproject.com
- Rob on April 11, 2010 at 5:10 am
  
  E-mailed you, sounds like you don’t have tracking set up yet, or you haven’t chosen a profile in the WordPress dashboard.
Greg Blencoe on April 11, 2010 at 1:42 am

Rob,

I tried installing this and got the following message: “Google Analytics is not active. You must enter your UA string for it to work.” when I clicked on Google Analytics under Settings. But I'm not sure what this is. Can you let me know what I should do?

Thanks!
- Rob on April 11, 2010 at 3:49 am
  
  I’d be glad to help you!
  
  First question…do you already have google analytics set up and tracking
  installed on your blog? It sounds like you either didn’t pick a website in
  the plugin dashboard, or you don’t have tracking already installed on your
  blog (which if you need help with that, check out an earlier post here –
  https://itarsenal.com/installing-google-analytics-wordpress-plugin/)
  
  If you’d like, I’d be glad to log into your blog and take a look at what
  could be causing the trouble!
  
  -r
  
  —
  Robert Granholm
  https://itarsenal.com
  http://thelifedesignproject.com
Rob on April 11, 2010 at 5:10 am

E-mailed you, sounds like you don't have tracking set up yet, or you haven't chosen a profile in the WordPress dashboard.
Rob on April 11, 2010 at 5:10 am

Thanks so much Greg, looking forward to helping YOU out…really appreciate the comment.
Greg Blencoe on April 11, 2010 at 7:26 pm

Hi Rob,

Thanks for the e-mail.

I started the whole process over and installed Headspace (instead of Google Analytics for WordPress) and Google Analytics Dashboard. I think I am all set now. I noticed on your previous post that it takes a few hours for Google Analytics to be viewed in the dashboard. I’ll let you know if there are any problems.

Thanks!
Greg
Greg Blencoe on April 11, 2010 at 7:26 pm

Hi Rob,

Thanks for the e-mail.

I started the whole process over and installed Headspace (instead of Google Analytics for WordPress) and Google Analytics Dashboard. I think I am all set now. I noticed on your previous post that it takes a few hours for Google Analytics to be viewed in the dashboard. I'll let you know if there are any problems.

Thanks!
Greg

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