Google Analytics is a free analytics tool that is provided by Google. It helps you make informed decisions through the measurement of data, allows you to track ad performance and keywords and provides a large variety of metrics like impressions, clicks, revenue, traffic source, location, etc.

So, how exactly does Google analytics work?

1. When an end user accesses a page on your site, a request is made to your webserver to display the page.
2. When the page is displayed, the Google Analytics (GA) tracking code is executed. The GA tracking code is a small piece of code that is placed on all pages of the website or the header/footer.
3. The tracking code calls the track page view method and Google first party cookies are read or written.
4. The web page sends the cookie page containing data to the secure GA reporting server
5. The data is captured and processed. It can be viewed through the GA reports.

Accessing and signing to Google Analytics

• If you do not have a Google Analytics account, sign up for an account at http://www.google.com/analytics/

• You will need an email address, password, location, birthday to sign-up for a Google Analytics account

• If you have created an account, sign in using your username and password

Adding a site to Google Analytics

• Once you sign in with your username/password, select the account administration by selecting the Admin on the right top corner

• Click on the button “New Account” in the Account Administration screen

• Fill the fields with the correct information

Installing Google Analytics Tracking code

Finding your tracking code

• Click account administration icon
• Click the correct account in the table and desired web property (initially, you will have one account)
• Click Tracking Code tab.

• Copy and paste the code at the end of your tag.

        

This will help you get started with Google Analytics on your website. More about first party cookies, javascripts and working with reporting data in future posts.