Set up Google Analytics and use it optimally: Here's how

There's no question: Google Analytics is the most comprehensive analysis tool currently available on the market - and it's free. If you have an online shop or a website, you can hardly avoid integrating this powerful tool these days.

With Google Analytics you can create detailed reports about the traffic and user behavior on your website. You'll get insightful data about who your returning customers are, what content prospects are looking at, and how long they stay with you. You can read more about web tracking here.

The process of setting up Google Analytics is basically straightforward as you simply have to follow the on-screen instructions. However, in order to use its full potential, you need to know exactly what to do to get the most out of the software for your purposes. In the following, we explain what you need to pay attention to when setting up Google Analytics.

1. Create a Google Analytics account

To do this, go to google analytics and click "Create Account" to set up an account. If you already have a Google account such as gmail, you can use that as your Google Analytics account. Just follow the on-screen instructions. If you already have an account for Google Analytics, please log in under "Sign in".

2. Link your website or app to your Analytics account

Now set up a so-called property. This is the website or app whose data you want to analyze. To do this, you must enter the correct URL. Make sure that you enter the correct address here. Note: After the domain ending (e.g. .de), nothing may follow, not even dashes or other additions.

3. Implement Tracking ID

Once all fields have been filled in, please click on the "Get Tracking ID" button. You will then receive a special code that you need to add to your website. For full reporting, this code needs to be added to every subpage of your website.

Most providers such as WordPress or Shopify already offer an integration of Google Analytics. WordPress has a Google Analytics plugin and Shopify has also integrated a special field for Google Analytics where you can enter your code.

Please note that it takes up to 24 hours for Google Analytics to display the first data. After you have installed the tracking code on the relevant pages, we recommend downloading the Analytics app from the Google Play app store. This means you can access your analytics reports anytime, anywhere.

Activation of the tracking of the search function

If your website or online shop has a search function, you can use Google Analytics to evaluate the search queries of your users. This allows you to collect important data on what content or products are most in demand. In addition, any weak points in the area of conversion can also be defined in this way.

To activate this function, you must go to "Data view settings" under "Administration" in the "Data view" section. There is a button at the bottom labeled "Site Search Tracking". This must be activated and then the "Search parameters" field filled out.

To find out what to enter here, you need to start a search on your website. The URL displayed in the result list contains a letter after the "?" - usually this is a "q" or an "s". This is your parameter!

Enable ecommerce tracking

Especially for e-commerce platforms, Google Analytics is an insightful tool to collect meaningful data on products and transactions, average order value, conversion rate, time of purchase and other information. You can use this data to understand whether your customers have made organic search queries or have come across your product through measures you initiated in the area of search engine marketing and social media or through external links.

To enable this feature, you need to go back to the "Administration" tab and select "Ecommerce Settings" in the "Data View" section. Here, switch the "Activate e-commerce" switch to "On".

Use Google Analytics according to GDPR

Since the General Data Protection Regulation came into force in May 2018, there have been stricter requirements that you must urgently observe when setting up Google Analytics in order to ensure data protection compliance. In order to use Google Analytics legally, the following is essential:

1. Contract for order data processing

This contract can be found in the administration area of your account settings. Upon completion, Google is committed to protecting any processed user data and any further contributions.

2. Activate IP anonymization

You must set the analytics code in such a way that Google shortens the IP address of the user and thus processes their data pseudonymously. This separates the last 8 bits or two digits of the IP address of your users.

You can either set this in the software with which you implement Google on your website, or alternatively add the IP mask method "_anonymizeIp()" to the analytics code.

3. Update the data protection declaration

You should provide a meaningful data protection declaration on your website and explicitly refer to the use of Google Analytics. Your data protection declaration should be accessible with just one click from the start page as well as from every sub-page and should be linked with a clear name such as "Privacy Policy" or "Privacy Policy".

Your privacy policy should include the following:

• Scope of data collection (possibly with list of collected data)
• Purpose and legal basis of data collection
• Duration of storage of the collected data (You can define how long you want to store user-related data before it is deleted in your account settings under "Data retention".)
• Information on storage by an external service provider (Google) abroad (USA) and information on the contractual relationship between you and the service provider
• Provide information on the possibility of objection (optout).
4. Set optut cookies + link to browser plug-in

You must give your users the opportunity to object to data collection. The best way to do this is to refer to the browser add-on for deactivating Google Analytics. Users can download this and thus prevent their data from being recorded.

5. No personal identifiers may be recorded. These include:
• Surname
• E-mail address
• phone number
• Address
• birth date
• Payment information (e.g. credit card information)

Conclusion: Effective tool with necessary requirements

As soon as you have set up Google Analytics and collected initial user data, you can analyze the behavior of your users. You can use the newly gained knowledge to optimize your site, your products or your service.

Use Google Analytics reporting to identify which marketing efforts are successful and which social media actions generated the most traffic. This gives you a better insight into how your sales are composed on your website.

As long as you adhere to the data protection compliance conditions outlined in this article, Google Analytics is a free tool that can pave the way for more customers and more sales.