Quickstart: Google Analytics for a Google Site

posted Aug 15, 2011, 6:36 PM by Tom Pedersen

By request:  Here's a quick 9-step for registering a new site with Google Analytics.   This tool helps webmasters monitor web site traffic and provides interesting reports on where visitors come from, how they locate the site, number of 'hits' per hour/day, etc.

Somewhat simple process ... but you will need to be the Google Site Owner to pull this off (a permission awarded by your friendly Google Sites Admin).

Here we go ....
  1. Signon (or Signup) to Google Analytics w/ Google (Sites) Account - www.google.com/analytics/
  2. Follow the Getting Started wizard/prompts to Create a New Account for your site
    - Enter the URL for your site (e.g. http://9handed.tpedersen.net)
    - Provide an Account Name (e.g. 9-Handed Cribbage)
    - Set Country and Time zone according to your location
    - Provide Contact information (Name, Country) 
    - Finally Read/Accept Terms of Use agreement
  3. Analytics Tracking Instructions Dialog:  Carefully extract (copy to clipboard or write down EXACTLY) the Tracking ID from the generated script  ... Watch for a string of characters/numbers in highlighted location.  (apologies for garbly gook!)

    <script type="text/javascript">
      var _gaq = _gaq || [];
      _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-12345678-0']);
      _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);

      (function() {
        var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true;
        ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js';
        var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
      })();

  4. Open your Google Site in a separate window or browser tab - Sign-in for editing, if necessary
  5. On Google site edit page, click More Actions button (upper right) and select Manage Site
  6. Manage Site page: click General under Site settings and Check the Statistics box to the right (labelled "Enable Google Analytics for this site").
  7. Paste (or enter) Tracking code extracted in step 3 into box below Statistics Checkbox
    (Labelled "Paste your Analytics Web Property ID here:")
  8. Press Save Changes button on top/bottom of Manage Site page and Close google site editor
  9. Return to Google Analytics page/tab and click the Finish Button

You should now see your shiny new Website Profile listed in the Google Analytics Dashboard.  It will likely take a day or so to notice tracking code and begin logging traffic.  In the meantime, sit back and take a tour of analytics (video)

If you struggle with above steps try this LINK (Steegle HowTo) and/or drop me a line with suggestions/comments or (hopefully) improvements 

I sure hope it helps - Yeeeesh!