WordPress Plugin: GA Google Analytics

Updated July 27, 2024 • 18 comments

[ WordPress Plugin: GA Google Analytics ] I’ve joked that there a million different Google Analytics WordPress plugins available, but I’ve never been able to find one that’s just dead-simple, plug-n-play, and with clean code and markup, so I wrote my own that does just that: a no-frills way to add the new Google Analytics asynchronous tracking code to all pages on your WordPress-powered site. This analytics plugin is lightweight, fast, and now has over ~~50,000~~ 80,000 active users via WordPress.org.

New Pro version of GA Google Analytics now available! Check out GA Pro »

Instructions

Install the plugin as usual. Then visit the “Google Analytics” options page to enter your GA ID and done. The Google Analytics plugin works silently behind the scenes to add the required GA code to asynchronously track your site’s activity. Plus the plugin includes a bunch of great options for advanced configuration and optimization.

Screenshot

Here is a screenshot of the plugin settings page (click image for full-size view):

Check out more screenshots »

Download

You can get more information and download GA Google Analytics from the WordPress.org Plugin Directory:

Download GA Google Analytics »

About the Author

Jeff Starr = Creative thinker. Passionate about free and open Web.

18 responses to “WordPress Plugin: GA Google Analytics”

Jon Bukiewicz 2012/04/10 10:25 am

This looks great, Jeff. Thanks for putting it together!

Jeff Starr 2012/04/10 10:31 am • Post Author

My pleasure! I hope it’s useful :)

Robbie 2012/04/10 4:20 pm

Hey Jeff, thanks for this. Do I need to do anything to ensure logged in users/admin are not tracked?

Jeff Starr 2012/04/12 5:27 pm • Post Author

Nope, the tracking code is added via your theme’s wp_head tag, which isn’t included in the WP Admin area. So it’s included on the front-end only :)
- Andy 2012/05/04 2:40 pm
  
  I think he’s asking if logged-in users are tracked on the front end… Some less “dead simple” analytics plugins allow you to prevent this.
  
  Nice work on the minimalist GA plug, anyway.

Nima 2012/04/10 4:58 pm

Perfect. Sometimes all you need is just a simple solution without all the unnecessary bells and whistles. Will be adding to all my sites. Thanks!

Jeff Starr 2012/04/12 5:32 pm • Post Author

Exactly. Thanks for the feedback :)

Micah 2012/04/10 9:57 pm

This was a great idea. Do you think you could add an option for positioning the code just before the end of the </body> code? There was discussion on the H5Bp project about positioning and I agree with Paul’s comments.

Jeff Starr 2012/04/12 5:29 pm • Post Author

I’ve been thinking the same thing, so yes, in the next update I’ll include the option to display the GA code before the closing </body> tag. Good call.

Dan Blumenthal 2012/04/11 2:36 pm

Great. Does this also show the analytics within the dashboard?

Jeff Starr 2012/04/12 5:34 pm • Post Author

Nope, but Google Analytics Dashboard (404 link removed 2017/02/01) comes highly recommended.

Grace 2012/10/31 4:25 pm

Probably a very basic question, but I’m new to both WP and Google Analytics, so – once I’ve installed the plugin, how do I actually see/access the stats? Do I need to also install the Google Analytics Dashboard (or similar), or can I check it somewhere else online…?

Jeff Starr 2012/10/31 4:32 pm • Post Author

Correct, you’ll need to log into your Google account to view the statistics, or you can install the Dashboard plugin (or similar).

Grace 2012/10/31 5:15 pm

Great – have figured it out now :) thanks for the quick reply

Caitlin @ Chasing Cait 2012/11/05 11:40 pm

Thanks Jeff, not only for making something simple, but also continuing to answer questions! After installing the plugin, typically how long till results start to show? Is it immediate?

Jeff Starr 2012/11/06 2:20 pm • Post Author

Should be within 24 hours (or sooner), see this thread: http://bit.ly/TtrsPH

jay 2012/11/13 8:53 pm

I installed the plugin, activated it, entered the GA ID, ticked enable Google Adsense but Google says it can’t detect the tracking code on my website’s home page. When i checked my page source, the tracking code is there, right before . What am i doing wrong?

Jeff Starr 2012/11/13 10:17 pm • Post Author

Not sure, but if you send login infos I’ll be glad to jump in and take a look. To do so, send via my private contact form at https://perishablepress.com/contact/

Comments are closed for this post. Something to add? Let me know.

Jon Bukiewicz 2012/04/10 10:25 am

This looks great, Jeff. Thanks for putting it together!
Jeff Starr 2012/04/10 10:31 am • Post Author

My pleasure! I hope it’s useful :)
Robbie 2012/04/10 4:20 pm

Hey Jeff, thanks for this. Do I need to do anything to ensure logged in users/admin are not tracked?
- Jeff Starr 2012/04/12 5:27 pm • Post Author
  
  Nope, the tracking code is added via your theme’s wp_head tag, which isn’t included in the WP Admin area. So it’s included on the front-end only :)
  - Andy 2012/05/04 2:40 pm
    
    I think he’s asking if logged-in users are tracked on the front end… Some less “dead simple” analytics plugins allow you to prevent this.
    
    Nice work on the minimalist GA plug, anyway.
Nima 2012/04/10 4:58 pm

Perfect. Sometimes all you need is just a simple solution without all the unnecessary bells and whistles. Will be adding to all my sites. Thanks!
- Jeff Starr 2012/04/12 5:32 pm • Post Author
  
  Exactly. Thanks for the feedback :)
Micah 2012/04/10 9:57 pm

This was a great idea. Do you think you could add an option for positioning the code just before the end of the </body> code? There was discussion on the H5Bp project about positioning and I agree with Paul’s comments.
- Jeff Starr 2012/04/12 5:29 pm • Post Author
  
  I’ve been thinking the same thing, so yes, in the next update I’ll include the option to display the GA code before the closing </body> tag. Good call.
Dan Blumenthal 2012/04/11 2:36 pm

Great. Does this also show the analytics within the dashboard?
- Jeff Starr 2012/04/12 5:34 pm • Post Author
  
  Nope, but Google Analytics Dashboard (404 link removed 2017/02/01) comes highly recommended.
Grace 2012/10/31 4:25 pm

Probably a very basic question, but I’m new to both WP and Google Analytics, so – once I’ve installed the plugin, how do I actually see/access the stats? Do I need to also install the Google Analytics Dashboard (or similar), or can I check it somewhere else online…?
- Jeff Starr 2012/10/31 4:32 pm • Post Author
  
  Correct, you’ll need to log into your Google account to view the statistics, or you can install the Dashboard plugin (or similar).
Grace 2012/10/31 5:15 pm

Great – have figured it out now :) thanks for the quick reply
Caitlin @ Chasing Cait 2012/11/05 11:40 pm

Thanks Jeff, not only for making something simple, but also continuing to answer questions! After installing the plugin, typically how long till results start to show? Is it immediate?
- Jeff Starr 2012/11/06 2:20 pm • Post Author
  
  Should be within 24 hours (or sooner), see this thread: http://bit.ly/TtrsPH
jay 2012/11/13 8:53 pm

I installed the plugin, activated it, entered the GA ID, ticked enable Google Adsense but Google says it can’t detect the tracking code on my website’s home page. When i checked my page source, the tracking code is there, right before . What am i doing wrong?
- Jeff Starr 2012/11/13 10:17 pm • Post Author
  
  Not sure, but if you send login infos I’ll be glad to jump in and take a look. To do so, send via my private contact form at https://perishablepress.com/contact/