How to set up Google Analytics

To start using Google Analytics, visit the official website, click «Sign in» and follow instructions.

Account setup

First, place the Google Analytics tracking code on the service to let it start collecting information about your website visitors. You should place the tracking code on pages you want to receive information from.

This code can be used to suit your needs. For example, it can collect data about transactions and purchases. Feel free to learn more about tracking code setup here.

There are two ways of transferring data from Ads to Analytics - automatically and manually.

Auto-tagging of target URLs

Auto-tagging connects the parameter with the click on the ad. It transfers information about the exact key phrase which attracted the customer, which campaign it relates to and how much the click cost. This information can be connected to other data from Analytics, for example, data around targets and conversions. It will help you analyze the actual efficiency of an ad campaign. Auto-tagging uses the parameter called "gclid", this is displayed in the URL of the landing page.

How to enable auto-tagging

1. Sign in to your Google Ads account.
2. Click «Settings» in the left page menu.
3. Click «Account settings» at the top of the page.
4. Select the «Auto-tagging» section and check the box next to «Tag the URL that people click through from my ad».
5. Click «Save».

If you use UTM parameters, turn on the replacement of auto-tagging values to avoid data discrepancy:

1. Click «Admin» and go to the relevant property.
2. In the «Property» column, click «Property Settings».
3. Under «Advanced Settings», select «Allow manual tagging (UTM values) to override auto-tagging (GCLID values)».
4. Click «Save».

Manual URL tagging

You can transfer data to Analytics from any campaign without Google auto-tagging using manual tagging. The most convenient way to do this is to use URL builder. This tool allows you to assign a unique ID to every campaign.

To use the URL builder, type your website URL into the first field and the fill in the following fields:

• Campaign Source (link to the website);
• Campaign Medium (traffic type);
• Campaign Name;
• Campaign Term (search condition; for paid keywords).

You can find a table that gives a detailed explanation and example of each of the campaign parameters at the bottom of the URL builder page.

 The final link will look like this:

website address?campaign parameters

Copy the URL and use it in the ad.

Tag all paid keywords (not from Ads); banners and other required elements must be tagged as well. There’s no need to tag Unpaid visits (for example, from traffic-source websites): unpaid keyword statistics will be collected automatically by Analytics and displayed as «Organic search» in reports.

Goals setup

Goals in Google Analytics are needed to track users actions on your website and to understand exactly how you achieve conversions. Read more about Goals and how to set them up here.