Analytics Functionality Analysis Guide

Making Sure Google Analytics is Set Up Right

Getting Google Analytics up and running correctly is a must for SEOs and digital marketers who need accurate data to track performance. Here’s how you can keep an eye on conversion tracking and use real-time reports to make sure everything’s working.

Keeping Tabs on Conversion Tracking

To check if Google Analytics is doing its job, one way is to monitor conversion tracking. Head over to the “Summary” section on the “Conversions” page to see how your conversion actions are doing. ()

Conversion Status	What It Means
No recent conversions	The conversion tag isn’t firing right.
Recording conversions	The tag’s working and data’s coming in.
Tag inactive	The tag hasn’t fired in the last week.

Regularly checking these statuses helps you make sure your conversion tracking is on point. For more details, check out our guide on how to check if google analytics is working.

Using Real-Time Reports for Quick Checks

Another way to see if Google Analytics is working is by using real-time reports. While it can take a day or two for your website traffic to show up in the reports, real-time reports let you check things right away. (MonsterInsights)

To get to real-time reports:

Go to the “Real-Time” section in the Google Analytics dashboard.
Look at the active user count and other real-time metrics to make sure data’s being captured.

Real-Time Metric	What It Means
Active Users	How many people are on your site right now.
Pageviews	Pages being viewed at the moment.
Traffic Sources	Where your traffic’s coming from.

If you see data in the real-time reports, your Google Analytics tracking code is working. If not, make sure the measurement code is correctly installed on your site using Google tag (gtag.js) or Google Tag Manager. The code should go right after the opening <head> HTML tag on each page. ()

You can also check the tracking status in the Google Analytics Admin panel by going to the property you want to check and looking at the active user count. Sending test traffic to your site can help confirm that tracking is working. (WebFX)

For more help with setting things up, check out our detailed guide on how to set up google analytics 4.

Making Sure Google Analytics is Set Up Right

Getting Google Analytics installed correctly is like making sure your car’s engine is running smoothly. If it’s not, you’re not going anywhere. Let’s break down how to make sure your Google Analytics is set up properly on your website.

Spotting Duplicate Tags

Duplicate tags are like having two speedometers in your car—confusing and inaccurate. To check for these pesky duplicates, use the Google Tag Assistant. This tool is your go-to for spotting multiple tags on your site.

How to Use Google Tag Assistant:

Install the .
Open your website and turn on the extension.
Run a scan to see if there are any duplicate tags.

Peeking at the Source Code

If you’re a bit tech-savvy, you can check the source code of your website to ensure the tracking code is there. Think of it as popping the hood to check the engine.

How to Check the Source Code:

Open your website in a browser.
Right-click on the page and select “View Page Source” or hit Ctrl + U.
Use Ctrl + F to search for your Google Analytics tracking code (it usually starts with UA- for Universal Analytics or G- for Google Analytics 4).

Make sure the tracking code is present and looks right. For more on setting up Google Analytics, check out our guide on how to set up Google Analytics 4.

Using Google Analytics Debugger

The Google Analytics Debugger is another handy Chrome extension that helps you see if your Google Analytics tag is working. It gives you detailed info right in the browser console.

How to Use Google Analytics Debugger:

Install the Google Analytics Debugger Chrome Extension.
Turn on the extension and refresh your website.
Open the browser console (Ctrl + Shift + J for Windows or Cmd + Option + J for Mac).
Check the console log for any errors or confirmation messages that your tracking code is working.

By following these steps, you can make sure your Google Analytics is running like a well-oiled machine. Proper installation is key for accurate data collection, which is essential for analyzing metrics and boosting performance. For more tips on Google Analytics, check out what is a session in Google Analytics and what does referral mean in Google Analytics.

Making Sure Your Google Analytics is Spot On

Getting your Google Analytics tracking right is key to having reliable data and making smart decisions. Here’s how to keep your tracking accurate, like excluding certain user roles and checking out core metrics.

Keep Admins and Developers Out of Your Data

To get clean data, you need to exclude roles like admins and developers from your Google Analytics. Their activity can mess up your stats. Here’s how to do it:

Go to Admin Settings: Head to the Admin section in your Google Analytics account.
Find Filters: Look under the “View” column and click on “Filters.”
Add a Filter: Hit “Add Filter” and choose “Custom” as the filter type.
Exclude Roles: Use the “Exclude” option and specify the roles or IP addresses you want to leave out.

Need more details? Check out our guide on excluding IP addresses in Google Analytics 4.

Check Your Core Metrics

Keeping an eye on core metrics is a must for making sure your Google Analytics tracking is on point. Here are the main ones to watch:

Users and Sessions: These tell you how many unique visitors (users) and their interactions (sessions) you have. Watching these over time helps you see traffic trends.
Metric What It Means
Users Unique visitors to your site
Sessions Interactions within a set time
Want more info? See what are users in Google Analytics and what are sessions in Google Analytics.
Bounce Rate: This shows the percentage of visitors who leave after viewing just one page. A high bounce rate might mean your site’s hard to navigate or the content isn’t relevant.
Metric What It Means
Bounce Rate Percentage of single-page visits
Learn more at what is bounce rate in Google Analytics.
Average Session Duration: This tells you how long visitors stay on your site during each session. Longer times usually mean your content is engaging.
Metric What It Means
Avg. Session Duration Average time spent per session
Pages Per Session: This shows the average number of pages viewed during a session. Higher numbers generally mean better engagement.
Metric What It Means
Pages Per Session Average pages viewed per session
Top Landing Pages: Knowing which pages people visit first helps you optimize these entry points for better performance.
Metric What It Means
Top Landing Pages Pages with the most initial visits

Metric	What It Means
Users	Unique visitors to your site
Sessions	Interactions within a set time

Metric	What It Means
Bounce Rate	Percentage of single-page visits

Metric	What It Means
Avg. Session Duration	Average time spent per session

Metric	What It Means
Pages Per Session	Average pages viewed per session

Metric	What It Means
Top Landing Pages	Pages with the most initial visits

For a full guide on these metrics, check out what data does Google Analytics collect.

By keeping certain user roles out and focusing on key metrics, you can make sure your Google Analytics tracking is accurate and useful. This not only keeps your data clean but also gives you actionable insights to make your website better.

Troubleshooting Techniques

Using Google Tag Assistant

Google Tag Assistant is a must-have for SEOs and digital marketers who want to make sure their Google Analytics is set up right. This handy Chrome extension checks your tracking scripts and gives you tips on fixing any issues. With Google Tag Assistant, you can avoid duplicate tags and other common mistakes (MonsterInsights).

Here’s how it works: the tool scans your webpage tags and spits out a report that shows any errors or warnings. This report breaks down the tags it found, the problems it spotted, and how to fix them. It’s a lifesaver for keeping your analytics data accurate.

Feature	What It Does
Tag Detection	Finds all tags on a page
Error Reporting	Points out issues with tracking scripts
Improvement Suggestions	Gives advice on fixing errors

If you’re diving into Google Tag Manager, the Google Tag Assistant (Legacy) is also worth checking out. It’s great for verifying GTM setups and troubleshooting Google Tag Manager, Google Ads, Analytics, and DoubleClick (Analytics Mania).

Using Developer Tools for Debugging

Another way to make sure Google Analytics is working right is by using browser developer tools. One popular tool is the Google Analytics Debugger, a free Chrome extension that gives you a deep look into your tracking setup (WebFX).

The Google Analytics Debugger shows detailed logs of the analytics.js library, including any warnings and error messages. This info can be super helpful for figuring out what’s wrong with your tracking code.

How to use Google Analytics Debugger:

Install the Google Analytics Debugger extension from the Chrome Web Store.
Turn on the extension on the webpage you want to check.
Open Chrome Developer Tools (F12 or right-click -> Inspect).
Go to the “Console” tab to see the debug info.

Functionality	What It Does
Log Tracking Details	Shows detailed logs of analytics.js
Error Detection	Points out warnings and errors in tracking
Real-Time Debugging	Lets you troubleshoot tracking code live

With these tools, SEOs and digital marketers can make sure their Google Analytics setup is spot-on. For more tips on setting up Google Analytics, check out our guide on how to set up Google Analytics 4. Also, take a look at our articles on what does event count mean in Google Analytics and what is secondary dimension in Google Analytics for more insights into Google Analytics features.