Basic Google Analytics Setup Checklist: A PDF Document
Published July 16, 2015 | Categories: Google Analytics
Google Analytics is a powerful tool for tracking your digital marketing performance. So powerful and versatile, in fact, that knowing the main important things to focus on during a basic setup can be challenging. And doing a search for “basic GA setup” yields pages of basic setup “checklists” that are more guides than lists. Well, fret no more! Shared below is a basic checklist (yes, an actual list you can “check”) that you can use during a basic setup or audit to ensure that you have all the important bases covered in your Google Analytics account.
Again, let me stress that this is a basic setup list. There are many other features, like event tracking and custom variables, that you should consider employing as part of your digital strategy. But as far as the bare-bones goes, that list is provided below.
Since such copious amounts of information on Google Analytics setups exist, I will not reinvent the wheel by explaining and defining each line item below. Google and other professionals in the field have done a good job of that already. What I will provide, however, are links to this information so that you don’t have to search for it.
So, please enjoy and share this basic Google Analytics setup checklist with your colleagues and internal team for usage. I know I’ve found it helpful and I hope you will too!
Basic Google Analytics Setup Checklist.pdf
1, 2, & 3: View name, time zone, and default page. More on why completing the default field is important.
4. Enabling and configuring site search
5a. Exclude internal traffic filter
5b. Display subdomains filter (Image below)-- This filter allows you to see the full URL string in your content reports.
7. This setup will vary depending on your website and CMS. However, be aware of possible duplicate transaction tracking and use this method to prevent it.
8. Configure custom alerts and examples. We love custom alerts! It can really save your behind if something goes haywire.
9. What channel groupings are and how to configure channel groupings if you'd like to customize
10. We always create a copy of the main View for testing and other miscellaneous fiddling so that we don't mess up the main reporting View. I encourage you to do the same!
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