Google Analytics

Getting Started: Terms

The biggest learning curve when setting up Google Analytics for the first time may be the terminology. Here are some important terms to know:

• Property - Usually a single website with a unique domain. If a website can be accessed by two domains, each domain is considered a separate property, and each property gets its own unique tracking code.
• Data Stream - A configured way of organizing data for reports. You can have multiple data streams for a property.
• Global Site Tag (gtag.js) - A javascript code snippet added to every page of your website. When someone visits a page of your site, this code snippet fires off data to send to Analytics. Your gtag.js includes your data stream’s unique measurement ID.
• Filter - Specifies what data you do or don’t want to collect for a particular property.
  User - A term widely used for online customers and generally anyone interacting with your website.
• Acquisition - The act of building awareness or acquiring user interest. Acquisition data relates to users entering your site.
• Engagement - How users engage with your business. Engagement data relates to users exploring and interacting with your site.
• Conversion - When a user becomes a customer and transacts with your business. Conversion data relates to final purchases being made on your site. (Depending on your goals, you might consider a user contacting you with a booking inquiry to be a conversion. Consider “conversion” to be the end goal of your site.)
• Retention - Information about first-time users as compared to users to return to your website after the first visit.
• Session - A measurement of a single user’s visits to your site. The single session “clock” starts when they visit your site, and ends 30 minutes after their last interaction on your site.

Getting Started: Setup for Google Analytics 4

In October 2020, Google released a new version of Analytics called Google Analytics 4, or GA4. If you set up Google Analytics on your PhotoShelter site before October 2020, it’s likely you’re using Universal Analytics (which has a code starting with "UA-"). Universal Analytics is Google’s name for Analytics before GA4, which will stop being supported by Google in July of 2023. You’re free to go on using Universal Analytics, but if you’d like to take advantage of future improvements to Google Analytics, you’ll want to upgrade to GA4. Here we’ll walk you through how to do that.

Our Google Analytics integration is compatible with GA4 and Universal Analytics codes. You will need to make sure you have set up a Google Analytics 4 ID or migrated from Universal Analytics to GA 4. 

Google Analytics Setup Resources

• How to Create a Google Analytics 4 Property
• How to Migrate from Universal Analytics to Google Analytics 4

How to add your Google Analytics ID to your PhotoShelter Account

Step 1: Complete Google Analytics Property Setup from one of the linked setup articles above.

Step 2: Obtain your GA Measurement ID

• Sign into Google Analytics
• Click Admin gear icon on the bottom left side
• Choose the Account and Property you created and want to connect
• Click Data Streams and click the website URL you set up
• Copy the Measurement ID number starting with "G-"

Step 3: Add GA ID to PhotoShelter Settings

• Open a new tab in your browser and log-in to your PhotoShelter account
• Click Admin and Site Settings
• Paste the G-########## code you copied in Step 2 the Google Analytics ID field
• Click Save Settings. You may need to give Google a few hours to recognize the connection and start collecting and displaying data in Google Analytics.

You’re all set! You now have your PhotoShelter website integrated with GA4.

A Note About Adding the Global Site Tag to your Footer

Prior to our support of Google Analytics 4 in the Google Analytics ID field, you may have added your g-tag or Global Site tag to the  Footer code of your website. You can continue to do so as that method will still work, but it is recommended that the Measurement tag is used in the Google Analytics field instead with the instructions above.

In case you are unsure of whether you have the tag or not, the tag format may look like the snippet below (using your unique measurement ID in lieu of G-XXXXXXXX

):

<!-- Global site tag (gtag.js) - Google Analytics -->
<script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=UA-155933813-1"></script>
<script>
  window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];
  function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);}
  gtag('js', new Date());

  gtag('config', 'UA-155933813-1');
  gtag('config', ‘G-XXXXXXXX’);
</script>

For more information on how to use Google Analytics tools, check out Google’s Help Center.