Google Analytics is a powerful tool which enables you to monitor how many people are looking at your website.
It is significantly more powerful than the “Hits” and “HIts Mk 2” facilities that we’ve been using on MyCouncillor since the system began.
Google Analyitics not only allows you to see how many people are looking at your site, but also at which pages, how they came to your sites (e.g. following a link, or from a google search), and how long they spend looking at each page!
And its free!
We have enabled Google Analyitics to work on your MyCouncillor site – here’s how to set it up:
1 – Go to Google Analytics
Access the system here: http://www.google.com/analytics
You will need a Google Account, which is free. Many people will already have a google account from other services owned by Google (gmail, picasa, youtube etc)
2 – Set up your MyCouncillor site on Google
Create a new account. Enter the full address of your MyCouncillor site in the “Website URL” box – e.g. timpickstone.mycouncillor.org.uk
3 – Get your Analytics code number
After another screen where Google ask for your name and country, you’ll see this screen. On MyCouncillor you don’t need to copy the whole script, we’ve done this for you – you just need the Analtics number – shown below (starting with a UA).
4 – Now go to your MyCouncillor site dashboard (log into your site).
4 – Now go to your MyCouncillor site dashboard (log into your website)
Click on “tools” in the left hand column.
Then click on “Google Analytics”
5 – Enter your Analyitics number into the box – and SAVE.
You’re done – give Google up to 24 hours to get going, and then watch to see how people are viewing your site.
Please note this is considerably more accurate than the Hits system we have traditionally used because it strips out certain automated views of your site, that aren’t real people – so don’t be disappointed if it looks like a few less people than before – but you can guarantee that these are real people looking at what you write.