Setting Up Google Analytics

Google Analytics helps you understand who visits your website, how they find you, and what content they’re interested in. This valuable data can help you make informed decisions about your marketing and content strategy.

Why Use Google Analytics?

With Google Analytics, you can:

• Track visitor numbers: See how many people visit your site daily, weekly, and monthly
• Understand traffic sources: Learn whether visitors find you through search, social media, or direct links
• Analyze visitor behavior: Discover which pages are most popular and how long people stay
• Monitor conversions: Track contact form submissions and other important actions
• Identify trends: Spot patterns in when and how people engage with your site

Prerequisites

Before you begin, you’ll need:

• A Google account (Gmail)
• Access to your KofC Agent Sites admin panel
• About 15-20 minutes to complete the setup

Step 1: Create a Google Analytics Account

If you don’t already have a Google Analytics account:

1. Go to Google Analytics
2. Sign in with your Google account
3. Click Start measuring or Create Account
4. Follow Google’s setup wizard to create your account

Upgrading to GA4

If you have an older Google Analytics account (Universal Analytics), Google has transitioned to Google Analytics 4 (GA4). We recommend setting up a new GA4 property. Visit Google’s GA4 setup guide for detailed instructions.

Step 2: Set Up a Property for Your Website

A “property” in Google Analytics represents your website.

1. In Google Analytics, click Admin (gear icon in the bottom left)
2. Under the Account column, select your account
3. Under the Property column, click Create Property
4. Enter your property details:
   • Property name: Your agent site name (e.g., “John Smith Insurance”)
   • Reporting time zone: Your local time zone
   • Currency: USD
5. Click Next
6. Fill in your business information
7. Click Create
8. Accept the Terms of Service

Step 3: Set Up Data Collection

After creating your property, you’ll set up data collection:

1. You’ll see the Choose a platform screen
2. Select Web
3. Enter your website URL:
   • If using a custom domain: https://www.yourdomain.com
   • If using the default domain: Your site URL provided by KofC Agent Sites
4. Enter a Stream name (e.g., “My Agent Website”)
5. Click Create stream

Step 4: Get Your Tracking Code

Now you’ll get the tracking code to add to your website:

1. After creating the stream, you’ll see the Web stream details page
2. Scroll down to the Tagging instructions section
3. Click View tag instructions
4. Select Install manually
5. You’ll see a block of code that looks like this:

<!-- Google tag (gtag.js) -->
<script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-XXXXXXXXXX"></script>
<script>
  window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];
  function gtag() {
    dataLayer.push(arguments);
  }
  gtag('js', new Date());
  gtag('config', 'G-XXXXXXXXXX');
</script>

6. Select and copy the entire code block (including the <script> tags)

Copy the Complete Code

Make sure you copy the entire code block, including both script tags. The code should start with <!-- Google tag and end with </script>.

Step 5: Add the Code to Your KofC Agent Site

Now you’ll add the tracking code to your website:

1. Log in to your KofC Agent Sites admin panel
2. Navigate to Settings or Site Settings
3. Find the Analytics section
4. Check the box for Enable Analytics
5. A text field labeled Google Analytics Code or Google Analytics Script will appear
6. Paste the complete tracking code you copied from Google Analytics
7. Click outside the text area to activate the Save button (if needed)
8. Click the Save or Publish button

Saving Changes

If the Save button isn’t active after pasting your code, click outside the text area. This activates the button so you can save your changes.

Step 6: Verify It’s Working

After adding the code, verify that Google Analytics is collecting data:

1. Wait about 5 minutes for your site to rebuild with the new code
2. Visit your website in a new browser tab
3. Return to Google Analytics
4. Go to Reports → Realtime
5. You should see your visit appear in the realtime report (it may take a minute)

If you don’t see data within 24 hours, double-check that:

• You copied the complete tracking code
• You enabled analytics in your site settings
• You clicked Save/Publish
• You’re looking at the correct property in Google Analytics

Exclude Internal Traffic

Google Analytics tracks all visitors to your site, including you! To get more accurate data about actual client visits, you can exclude your own traffic.

Option 1: Use Google’s Built-in Filter

1. In Google Analytics, go to Admin
2. Under Property, click Data Streams
3. Click on your web stream
4. Click Configure tag settings
5. Under Settings, click Show more
6. Click Define internal traffic
7. Click Create
8. Enter a rule name (e.g., “My Office”)
9. Select IP address equals and enter your office IP address
10. Click Create

Learn more about excluding internal traffic

Option 2: Use a Browser Extension

Install a Google Analytics opt-out browser extension on any device you use to access your site regularly. Search for “Google Analytics Opt-out” in your browser’s extension store.

How to View Your Statistics

Once Google Analytics is collecting data, you can view your statistics by logging into your Google Analytics account.

Key Reports to Check

Realtime Report

• See who’s on your site right now
• Useful for testing and immediate feedback

Acquisition Report

• Learn how visitors find your site
• See which marketing efforts are working

Engagement Report

• Discover which pages are most popular
• Understand how long visitors stay

User Attributes

• Learn about your audience demographics
• See visitor location and device types

Learn More About Google Analytics

• Google Analytics for Beginners - Free online course
• GA4 Documentation - Official Google support

Troubleshooting

I don’t see any data in Google Analytics

Wait 24-48 hours: It can take up to 48 hours for data to start appearing

Check your setup:

1. Verify you copied the complete tracking code
2. Ensure “Enable Analytics” is checked in your site settings
3. Confirm you clicked Save/Publish
4. Visit your website to generate at least one visit

Look in Realtime reports: Regular reports can take 24 hours to populate, but Realtime shows data immediately

The tracking code won’t save

• Try clicking outside the text field before clicking Save
• Make sure you have the proper admin permissions
• Try clearing your browser cache and logging in again

I’m seeing my own visits

This is normal! See the “Exclude Internal Traffic” section above to filter out your visits.

The code appears on my website

The tracking code should be invisible to visitors. If you see the code displayed on your site:

• Make sure you pasted it in the Google Analytics Script field, not in a page content area
• Contact support for assistance

Privacy Considerations

When using Google Analytics:

• Review Google’s privacy policy and terms of service
• Consider adding a privacy policy to your website that mentions analytics tracking
• Familiarize yourself with data privacy regulations in your area
• You can offer visitors a way to opt out of tracking if desired

Best Practices

Regular Monitoring

• Check your analytics at least monthly
• Look for trends over time
• Compare different time periods

Set Goals

• Define what success looks like (contact form submissions, time on site, etc.)
• Set up Goals in Google Analytics to track these metrics

Use Data to Improve

• Identify your most popular content and create more like it
• Find pages where visitors leave quickly and improve them
• Optimize for the devices and browsers your visitors use most

Learn Continuously

• Google Analytics has many features - learn a few at a time
• Take advantage of Google’s free training courses
• Experiment with different reports to find insights

Need Help?

If you’re having trouble setting up Google Analytics or have questions about using the data, visit our support page for assistance.