{"id":101837,"date":"2020-04-07T13:43:14","date_gmt":"2020-04-07T18:43:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/?post_type=resource&p=101837"},"modified":"2022-02-02T00:50:29","modified_gmt":"2022-02-02T06:50:29","slug":"google-site-kit-plugin","status":"publish","type":"resource","link":"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/case-studies\/resources\/google-site-kit-plugin\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Use the Google Site Kit WordPress Plugin"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Business owners and marketers alike have been able to take advantage of Google\u2019s data analysis tools for some time. Gaining valuable audience information, traffic counts, keyword insights, and more about your website is easy \u2013 if<\/em> you know how to navigate all the options.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fortunately for WordPress users, connecting all of your Google analytics tools in one place is easy. The Google Site Kit plugin<\/a> makes it easy to bring Analytics<\/a>, Search Console<\/a>, PageSpeed Insights<\/a>, Optimize<\/a>, Tag Manager<\/a> and AdSense<\/a> data right into your WordPress dashboard. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, we\u2019ll introduce you to Google Site Kit and its many advantages for WordPress users. We\u2019ll also show you how to set the plugin up, and connect it to your Google account. There\u2019s a lot to cover, so let\u2019s get started!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

What is Google Site Kit?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Google Site Kit<\/a> is an official plugin for WordPress users: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Created by Google, this solution is streamlined to work seamlessly with the platform\u2019s most insightful tools. This can help you create a one-stop-shop in your dashboard, for immediate access to the data that matters most. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Connecting Google Tools and Services to WordPress<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Google\u2019s suite of webmaster tools<\/a> covers everything from online advertising to website speed and optimization. While they all fall under the Google umbrella, connecting each of them to your site can take time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s take a look at how the Site Kit plugin helps you combine all of these tools, and what kind of information you can gather from each service.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Google Analytics<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s start with Google Analytics<\/a>, and what you\u2019ll be able to access once you\u2019re connected through Site Kit:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks to machine learning technology, Analytics enables you<\/a> to model user behaviors and set SMART goals to drive more conversions. You\u2019ll also be able to produce advanced reports and data visualizations of your key metrics. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you connect to Site Kit, you can even view overall site data as well as analytics at the page and post level. This information is organized neatly right in your WordPress dashboard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Google Search Console<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Search Console<\/a> is a product designed to help you monitor, improve, and fix your search engine data. This means you can track how your site is performing, and gain insights about how to optimize your content for better results: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

By connecting Console as a service in Site Kit, you can easily see which terms are bringing the most visitors to your website. Additionally, you can submit sitemaps<\/a> and other information that can help increase your rankings in search results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Google AdSense<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Connecting AdSense<\/a> to your website through Site Kit means you won\u2019t have to click back and forth between multiple Google dashboards and your website to manage your account. You\u2019ll be able to monitor your ad earnings and more in one place: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you\u2019re connected, all the AdSense tools you\u2019re used to will still be available as usual. In fact, when you connect through Site Kit, your AdSense code snippet can be added to all of your site\u2019s pages automatically, saving you a lot of time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Google PageSpeed Insights<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

PageSpeed Insights<\/a> offers important statistics about how fast your site loads on both desktop computers and mobile devices. With Site Kit, you\u2019ll get a snapshot of how well your site is doing, without leaving your WordPress dashboard: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

From your dashboard, you can easily click on PageSpeed Insights<\/em> in order to pop out to a more detailed overview of your site. This page will give you an overall score, along with insights into how and where you can make changes to improve your site\u2019s speed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Google Optimize<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

With the Google Optimize<\/a> tool, you can set up A\/B tests<\/a> and multivariate testing to see what content and Calls to Action work best for your site\u2019s users: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll be able to choose or create different variants and conditions for testing different aspects of your site. Since Optimize will also be connected to your Analytics account via Site Kit, you\u2019ll be able to see how all your page variations are performing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Google Tag Manager<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

For most of the tools you can use with Site Kit, one of the major benefits is the ability to connect the tool without having to manually add anything to your site\u2019s header or footer. Tag Manager<\/a> is no different. Tags are snippets of code that you can place on your site, in order to enhance your data gathering capabilities: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can see from our snapshot that using Tag Manager can greatly expand the kind and amount of data you can collect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those are just a few of the many different kinds of tags you can quickly set up. They include metrics that are not native to Analytics. However, now that you\u2019re using Site Kit, you\u2019ll be able to feed this new data into your dashboard without the need for custom code. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Set Up Google Site Kit in WordPress<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To get started with Google Site Kit, you\u2019ll need to make sure you\u2019re using a compatible version of WordPress. You can install the Site Kit plugin on versions 4.7 and higher. So if needed, make sure you upgrade WordPress before proceeding<\/a>. Additionally, your website does need to be live in order for you to receive data through the plugin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 1: Install Google Site Kit and Activate It<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You can find Site Kit in the WordPress Plugin Directory by going to Plugins > Add New<\/em> in your dashboard: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After installing and activating<\/a> the plugin, you\u2019ll be prompted to begin connecting Google tools and services to your site. We\u2019ll cover that task in detail next. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Note: If you are a WP Engine customer, Google Site Kit must be set up on your primary domain, not the temporary WP Engine subdomain (yoursite.wpengine.com<\/em>), for Google to verify your site.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 2: Connect More Google Tools and Services<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

For each of the services you want to access in your Site Kit dashboard, you\u2019ll need to go through the same steps. We recommend having your Google Analytics, Search Console, AdSense, PageSpeed Insights, Optimize, and Tag Manager accounts all set up ahead of time. That will make the process go much faster. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With that being said, you can<\/em> create the accounts as you go if needed. You\u2019ll be prompted to choose an existing account or create one for each of the services you connect. For example, you can set up Analytics by navigating to Site Kit > Settings<\/em> in your website\u2019s dashboard:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here, you\u2019ll be able to see what services have not yet been configured. You can also see that Optimize and Tag Manager are both reliant on Analytics. This is why setting up Analytics first is a smart idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Click on Set up Analytics<\/em> to continue through the necessary steps. You\u2019ll be prompted to choose the Google account you want to use. If you already have Analytics set up on that account, you\u2019ll just need to agree to several requests. These enable your site and Analytics to exchange the information necessary to make the plugin useful: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After you choose the appropriate account, select Confirm Analytics<\/em> to begin allowing Google to access your website. You\u2019ll receive a message indicating that your connection was successful. However, note that it often takes around 24 hours to begin to see Analytics data in your WordPress dashboard. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 3: Start Using Google Site Kit<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll need to repeat the process outlined above for each of the services you want to connect. One of the best things about this plugin is that you\u2019ll have guidance throughout the entire process. If you run into a problem, you\u2019ll likely be prompted on how to solve it, and be able to move on easily. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you have all the tools connected that you want to use, you can use the Site Kit menu in WordPress to navigate to each service. Then, you can start using the data they provide!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Use Google Site Kit<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As we mentioned earlier, this plugin enables you to link up your Google accounts without advanced coding skills. Then, you can start leveraging reports and data for some of those tools immediately. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dashboard<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Site Kit offers a dashboard that serves as a \u2018home base\u2019 for all of your data. You can find it by going to Site Kit > Dashboard<\/em>: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The dashboard will give you an overview or snapshot of each tool you\u2019ve connected to. If you\u2019ve just set up Site Kit, you\u2019ll see notes like indicating that data is still being collected. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Google Analytics<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This part of Site Kit brings data from your Analytics setup right into your dashboard. You\u2019ll get an overview of your site\u2019s traffic, as well as individual page and post metrics: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll be able to view those stats by viewing a post or page when you\u2019re logged in to your admin panel. By clicking on Site Kit<\/em> at the top of the screen, you\u2019ll get a snapshot of the stats for just that post or page. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Search Console<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Under Site Kit > Search Console<\/em>, you can view a breakdown of your search data, in addition to the stats for your most popular pages: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, from Site Kit > Dashboard<\/em> you can see search data for specific pages:
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To view your full Search Console stats, however, you will have to jump over to your account page in Google. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

AdSense<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

With AdSense connected to Site Kit, you\u2019ll be able to view a number of important metrics right in your WordPress dashboard. These include: <\/p>\n\n\n\n