So you've setup your blog using Blogger for your great domain name you've configured your template and maybe even starting writing posts. But how do you know if you are reaching your audience? How can you tell if your viewers are sticking around or "bouncing" off as soon as they get the chance? Well, that's what Google Analytics is for.
Every website you have, whether it's through Blogger or not, should be setup for Google Analytics. Sure, some hosts allow you to track your traffic, but having a consistent platform for monitoring your traffic across all your sites is tremendously valuable. Whether you are growing your site's traffic organically or if you are starting up an ad campaign, you need to know how your site is doing and Google Analytics is a great, free way to do that.
So now that you are convinced that you want Google Analytics to monitor your sites traffic, you need to configure it.
Step 1. Go to http://google.com/analytics and click to Access Analytics or Sign Up. On the main "Settings" page, click the link at the bottom of the page for "Add Website Profile".
Step 2. Enter your URL name and then click Finish (but you aren't finished).
Step 3. You will be presented with some html code (specifically a bit of <script> code) that you need to copy out of the text box. Make sure you copy all of it or else the script won't work.
Step 4. Open a new browser window/tab and go to your Blogger page, choose Layout and then Edit HTML.
Step 5. At the very bottom of text area of your template you should see
</body>
</html>
Right before the body tag you'll want to Paste the script into the text area. It should now look something like:
<script ... blah blah blah
</script>
</body>
</html>
Step 6. Save your template and head back to your Google Analytics page. Click Finish and you should now see your site listed. In 24 hours (or less) you should start seeing traffic stats for your site. If not, you've likely not setup the template properly.
If you think you've gotten it all setup right, but aren't seeing any data, give me a shout and let me know your website address. I can check to see if the script is configured properly for you.
There are lots of things you can do with Analytics such as watch what keywords people are using to reach your site and what web pages are referring people to you. I'll post a more complete list of Analytics tips in the future, but until then, have fun with all the new pretty pictures!
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