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Using Google Analytics in Shopify

This week, we expand on how to set up Google Analytics for Shopify (with step-by-step instructions) so you can better understand your store data.

If you are interested in scaling your Shopify business, you will need to make adjustments based on data analytics and not assumptions.

Implementing Google Analytics will give you the information you need to make store optimizations that increase your search visibility, conversions, and revenue.

Why Do You Need Google Analytics If You Already Have Shopify Analytics?

You may be thinking your Shopify Analytics platform offers all of the information you need to make an educated business decision.

But while this provides a general summary of how your store is performing, it does not give you all the information you need to make the best-informed business decisions.

Your Shopify Analytics dashboard can show you total sales, average order value, and conversion rate. It also has pre-built reports that require very little setup on your part.

This analytics source is convenient, but it does have some pretty impactful drawbacks.

For example, if you are looking to compare different traffic sources or what types of devices are commonly used when making a purchase, you will not be able to see this breakdown unless you use Google Analytics.

You can also use Google Analytics to identify how users engage with your site. If you discover your site is primarily visited through a mobile device, your team can begin to optimize your store’s UX experience for those end users.

To help make this as simple as possible, we will break down the step-by-step process of implementing the Google Analytics code on your Shopify site.

1. Create A Google Account For Your Business

You may already have a Gmail associated with your Shopify site, no worries, you can use this to access Google Analytics. If you do not have a pre-existing account, you will need to set up a free account to access Google Analytics.

It is not recommended to use your personal Gmail for your online store. Keeping them separate will help you manage access to your business information.

2. Create An Analytics Account

Google has two different types of Analytics platforms, Universal Analytics and Google Analytics 4.

Universal Analytics is commonly referred to as the “old” Analytics.

Google Analytics 4 is the latest version, and it gives stores more detailed data analytics and cross-device measurement capabilities. Currently, Shopify does not support Google Analytics 4.

Until a change has been made, you will need to create a Universal Analytics account.

You can follow this guide to help you create your Universal Google Analytics account.

3. Enable Google Analytics

Your Shopify site might already be enabled. Before you try to enable your code, double-check that it is not already enabled.

Log in to your Shopify account and click on Online Store > Preferences. Here, you will be able to see if your Google Analytics box is checked or not.

If you see a number code that begins with UA, your Google Analytics account is activated.

The second way to see whether your analytics code is implemented is by going to your Shopify admin and navigating to Themes > Actions > Edit Code.

Once there, in the Layout section, click {/} theme liquid. Within this page, you will need to look for tags that include: ga.js, gtag, js, or analytics.js.

If you find one of these tags, it means your Analytics code has been enabled on your website.

Now that you’ve got everything set up and have a general understanding of the key metrics in GA, here’s a great guide on everything you need to know about Google Analytics for Shopify to help you get the most out of it.

This resource will help you truly understand the data in your account and use it to make more informed decisions to help you scale.