Google Analytics: plugin or host-provided?

  • abebe

    (@abebe)


    14 years, 1 month ago

    I’d like to track visitors to my website, and Google Analytics appears to be the standard.

    I understand that I can install a Google Analytics plugin for WordPress.

    I also see that my hosting provider (HostGator) offers “Google Analytics Integration.”

    They document:

    Your cPanel offers seamless integration with Google Analytics by adding this javascript code to your pages for you. Your site’s files will not be modified in any way; instead, each time that a page request is made, the javascript code will be dynamically added to the page before it is sent to your visitor.

    What are the tradeoffs between using the WP plugin and the HostGator-provided version? Their version would be simpler to set up, but I wonder whether it might be less portable if I ever decide to move to another hosting provider. No idea whether portability is even a meaningful concern. Might speed or reliability differ between the two approaches?

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)
  • Christine Rondeau

    (@crondeau)

    14 years, 1 month ago

    You don’t need either.

    Just go to google analytics, set up an account, grab the code and then just stick that code in your header.php above the closing </head> tag.

    That’s it.

    Thread Starter abebe

    (@abebe)

    14 years, 1 month ago

    Okay, thanks – that feels like a third option. Are there any tradeoffs I should consider as I choose between the three ways?

    tank98

    (@tank98)

    14 years, 1 month ago

    I’m trying to find the answer to this as well. I also have HostGator.

    Is any option better than another?

    Pioneer Web Design

    (@swansonphotos)

    14 years, 1 month ago

    Open a Google Webmaster Tools account and sign up for Google Analytics and follow instructions carefully at each. No plugins required…I have found that host provided solutions slowed down my sites, and turn off all host provided web stats also as a result. This can vary as each host does things differently.

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)

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