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Google Analytics for Beginners: What to Track and How to Use It
So you’ve got a website— awesome! But do you know who’s visiting, how they’re finding you, or what they’re doing once they land on your site? If not, let me introduce you to your new best friend: Google Analytics.
Now, I know “analytics” sounds a little… intimidating. But I promise, it’s not as scary as it sounds. In fact, Google Analytics (GA) is one of the most powerful tools you can use to grow your business— and it’s free. Let’s break down the basics so you can start tracking what matters and use the data to make smart decisions.
What Is Google Analytics (And Why Should You Care?)
In simple terms, Google Analytics tracks who’s visiting your site, where they’re coming from, and what they’re doing while they’re there. It’s like having a secret window into your audience’s behavior. And knowing this stuff? It can help you make better decisions, improve your marketing, and boost sales.
With GA, you can:
See how much traffic your site gets (and where it comes from)
Track how long visitors stay on your site
Identify which pages are the most popular
Find out if people are bouncing (leaving) quickly
Understand what devices they’re using (mobile vs. desktop)
Find out what keywords and key phrases people are typing into Google that your business shows up for
This isn’t just for techies— every business owner should be using GA to stay on top of their website’s performance.
How to Set Up Google Analytics for Your Wix Website (In Less Than 10 Minutes)
First things first— let’s get you set up.
Create a Google Analytics Account
Head to Google Analytics.
Sign in with your Google account and click Start Measuring.
Set Up a Property
A “property” is just Google’s term for your website. Add your website’s name and URL.
Get Your Tracking ID
Google will give you a tracking ID that looks something like this: UA-123456789-1. Copy it.
Add the Tracking ID to Your Wix Site
Log into Wix and head to your Dashboard.
Go to Marketing & SEO > Marketing Integrations.
Click on Google Analytics and paste your tracking ID into the field.
Hit Connect and publish your site to activate tracking.
Verify It’s Working
Visit your site and check the “Real Time” tab in Google Analytics to make sure it tracks your visit.
Boom! You’re live and ready to start collecting data.
What Metrics Should You Track?
Alright, now that you’re set up, let’s talk about what to actually track (because staring at data without context isn’t helpful). Here are the key metrics you need to keep an eye on:
1. Traffic (Users and Pageviews)
Why It Matters: This shows how many people are visiting your site and how many pages they’re viewing. More traffic = more opportunities.
Where to Find It: Home Dashboard > Reports > Acquisition > Overview
2. Bounce Rate
Why It Matters: A high bounce rate means people are leaving your site quickly without clicking around. Not great for business.
Goal: Aim for a bounce rate under 50% (depending on your industry).
3. Traffic Sources (Where Visitors Come From)
Why It Matters: This tells you how people are finding you—Google search, social media, referrals, etc. Knowing this helps you focus on what’s working.
Where to Find It: Reports > Acquisition > Traffic Acquisition
4. Most Popular Pages
Why It Matters: See which pages are getting the most love (and which need a boost). Focus your efforts on the pages already pulling traffic.
Where to Find It: Reports > Engagement > Pages and Screens
5. Mobile vs. Desktop Users
Why It Matters: If most of your traffic is coming from mobile, your site better be mobile-friendly.
Where to Find It: Reports > User > Tech > Overview
How to Use This Data to Grow Your Business
Tracking is great, but the real magic happens when you use this data to improve your site and marketing. Here’s how:
High Bounce Rate? Check your page load speed, improve design, and add clearer calls to action.
Traffic from Instagram but not Google? Time to focus on SEO and blog content.
Most visitors on mobile? Make sure your site is mobile-friendly and loads fast.
A blog post is performing well? Create more content like it or update that post to drive even more traffic.
Pro Tip: Set Goals in Google Analytics
You can track more than just visits— Google lets you set up Goals to measure conversions, like contact form submissions, product purchases, or downloads.
Example Goals:
Someone books a consultation
A visitor downloads your lead magnet
A user spends over 5 minutes on your site
This is huge for tracking ROI on your marketing efforts.
The Bottom Line
Google Analytics isn’t just for big corporations—it’s for anyone with a website. Once you know what to track and how to use the data, you can make smarter decisions, attract more visitors, and ultimately grow your business.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, I’ve got you. I help business owners set up and understand Google Analytics, so they can focus on running your business— not deciphering charts.
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