So this is following on from the previous article about what to do after your SEO Audit. I wanted to run the process through in a step-by-step manner, so it does not seem so overwhelming. If you get one or two of these blog articles a week you should start getting some valid information back about your website in the first month.
Step 8: Set Up Google Analytics (Bite-Sized Breakdown)
8.1 Sign Up for Google Analytics
First, you’ll need a Google account. If you don’t have one, create a free one.
- What to do:
- Go to Google Analytics.
- Click on “Start measuring” and sign in with your Google account.
- Enter your website’s name, industry, and time zone.
- Follow the prompts until you see a screen with a “Tracking ID.”
8.2 Install the Tracking Code
Once you have the Tracking ID, you need to add it to your website. This is how Google Analytics will track visitors on your site.
- For WordPress Users:
- Use a plugin like MonsterInsights or Insert Headers and Footers to easily add the Tracking ID without needing to touch the code.
- For non-WordPress websites:
- Add the Tracking ID to the
<head>section of your site’s HTML (you might need a developer’s help if you’re unfamiliar with coding).
8.3 Verify Data Collection
It might take 24-48 hours for Google Analytics to start showing data.
- What to do: After a day or two, log back into Google Analytics.
- What to look for: Go to the “Real-Time” report and see if visitors are being tracked. This shows how many people are currently on your site.
Step 9: Set Up Google Search Console (Bite-Sized Breakdown)
9.1 Sign Up for Google Search Console
This tool helps you see how your website appears in Google’s search results.
- What to do:
- Go to Google Search Console.
- Click “Start Now” and sign in with your Google account.
- Add your website by selecting “Domain” or “URL prefix” (for beginners, “URL prefix” is easier—just enter the exact URL of your website).
9.2 Verify Your Website
You need to prove that you own the website you added.
- For WordPress Users:
- Use the Yoast SEO plugin to verify your site by pasting the code from Google Search Console into the plugin’s “Webmaster Tools” section.
- For non-WordPress websites:
- Follow the “HTML Tag” method: Google will give you a small code to add to your site. Paste this code in the
<head>section, then click “Verify” in Search Console.
9.3 Submit Your Sitemap
A sitemap tells Google which pages exist on your site and should be indexed.
- What to do:
- Go to Google Search Console.
- On the left-hand side, click “Sitemaps.”
- Enter the URL of your sitemap (usually it’s
yourwebsite.com/sitemap.xml). - Submit it.
How to Use Google Analytics (Bite-Sized Breakdown)
Traffic Overview
- Where to find it: In Google Analytics, go to Reports > Acquisition > Overview.
- What to look for: This shows how many visitors your site gets, where they’re coming from (Google, social media, direct visits), and which pages are most popular.
Bounce Rate
- Where to find it: Reports > Audience > Overview.
- What to look for: The bounce rate shows the percentage of visitors who leave after viewing just one page. A high bounce rate (above 70%) might mean your site isn’t engaging enough or it’s loading too slowly.
Session Duration
- Where to find it: Reports > Audience > Overview.
- What to look for: Session duration shows how long visitors are spending on your site. The longer, the better. If it’s very short (less than 30 seconds), visitors may not be finding what they need.
How to Use Google Search Console (Bite-Sized Breakdown)
Search Queries
- Where to find it: Go to Performance in Search Console.
- What to look for: Here, you’ll see the exact keywords (search terms) people are using to find your website. You can also see how many clicks your site gets from those searches.
Click-Through Rate (CTR)
- Where to find it: Under Performance, you’ll see a CTR percentage.
- What to look for: This is how often people who see your site in Google results actually click on it. A low CTR might mean your titles and descriptions need improvement to make them more appealing.
Fixing Indexing Issues
- Where to find it: Go to Coverage in Search Console.
- What to look for: If there are any errors (like pages not being indexed), Google will show them here. It’ll also give suggestions for how to fix them.
Final Thoughts:
By using Google Analytics and Google Search Console, you’ll get real numbers that show how your SEO changes are working. You can see where visitors are coming from, what they’re doing on your site, and whether the work you’re doing is improving things like traffic, rankings, and user experience.
Setting up and understanding these tools takes a little time, but once you get used to them, they’ll become your best friends for monitoring your website’s success.