Google Search Console

Goal: To set up Google Search Console for the first time, and to connect it with the Yoast SEO WordPress plugin.

Ideal Outcome: Your Google Search Console property has been verified, and you are able to check if there were any cra wl issues for your site recently, straight in your WordPress Admin.

Pre-requisites or requirements: You need to have Google Tag Manager installed on your website and the Yoast SEO Plugin running on your WordPress website to follow this SOP or whatever tool you are using to optimise your website.

Why this is important: Google Search Console is a free tool that allows you to monitor your website’s performance in Google Search. It allows you to collect statistics about your rankings, and optimize visibility, and it’s your main channel of communication with Google, allowing you to monitor potential penalties, or identify crawling errors before they affect your rankings.

Where this is done: In Google Search Console and your WordPress admin.

When this is done: Only once per domain. You will need to do it every time you create a subdomain or add a new protocol (for example, If you migrate to https://)

Who does this: The person responsible for Website management, analytics, or SEO.

Signing up for the Google Search console

• Go to https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools
• Log in with your Google Account
• You will be taken to a welcome page and prompted to “ Add a Property”. In the dropdown, select “Website” and type the full URL of your website.
  • Note: Make sure your URL is exactly as it appears in the URL bar including the protocol (http:// or https://) and the subdomain (www. or non-www., or any other subdomain you might be using).
  • Note 2: If your website supports multiple protocols and subdomains you will want to add them all to Search Console since the tool will treat each of them separately.

• There are multiple ways to authenticate your account. If you are already using Google Analytics, or Google Tag Manager these 2 methods will be the fastest and easiest methods to authenticate. If not, the recommended method is the fastest one to use. This SOP assumes you already have Google Tag Manager running on your website.
  • Note: If you don’t have Google Tag Manager yet, you can follow SOP 004: Add Google Tag Manager to a WordPress Site first. Select “Alternate Methods
• Select “Alternate Methods”
  
• Select “Google Tag Manager” and click “Verify"
• That’s it! You should now see a success message, click “Continue” and you will be taken to your Search Console dashboard. 

Google Analytics

Google Analytics Overview

Google Analytics allows you to track your visitors counts, time on site and pages viewed along with a wide range of other traffic statistics. WebEd fully supports Google Analytics and provides easy-to-use tools for integrating Google Analytics

Adding Analytics to your Site Dashboard

Requirement: You will need a Google Account that owns the property (the website)

Full details are below, but this step-by-step guide will outline the process. This is an optional step if only the client requests to display the Google Analytics overview on the Dashboard.

Register for the Google OAuth Client

• Browse the URL https://console.developers.google.com
• Sign in with your Google account
• Click on the Create Project button to create a new project
• In the pop-up window which appears, enter your project name as desired and click on Create button. Let this process run, it may take a few seconds
• After the project is created successfully, the page reloads with some options on the left menu: Home, Marketplace, Billing, APIs & Services, Support, etc.
• Click on the APIs & Services

• Choose the Library tab.

• In the search box on the top search "Analytics API", then click on "Google Analytics API".

• Once you're on the Google Analytics API, click the "Enable" button

• Now on the left menu, click the Credentials tab, then click Create Credentials on top, and choose OAuth Client ID.
  
• Follow the details for the Credential Type form
  
• OAuth Screen form details:
  
• Update selected Scopes, search for the "Google Analytics API" on the filter section and select all the scopes from the results
  
• If you are not on the Google Analytics API screen anymore, on the left menu, click the Credentials tab, then click Create Credentials on top, and choose OAuth Client ID.

• Once you're on the "Create OAuth client ID" page, click the Configure Consent Screen button

• On the OAuth Consent Screen, choose "External", then click the Create button

• You will now be taken to the Edit App Registration page > OAuth Consent Screen
• For the App Information, enter the following:
  • App Name - enter a name, which can be company name + "WebEd"
  • User Support Email - use the email address you created for the API (Gmail)

• Under App Domain, enter the following:
  • Application home page
  • Application Privacy Policy link
  • Application Terms of Service link

• Under Authorized Domains, enter the following:
  • Domain - add the domain of your site
  • Developer Contact Information - enter and add support@interactivepartners.com.au
  • Then click the Save and Continue button

• You will now be taken to the Edit App Registration page > Scopes
  • Click the Add or Remove Scopes button

• A window "Update Selected Scopes" will pop up on the right
• Click through the table rows and look for "Google Analytics API" without a lock icon
• Once you find it, tick the box beside it, then click the Update button at the bottom of the window

• Upon doing this, the window should close, and the Google Analytics API should now be added under "Your non-sensitive scopes"

• Ignore "Your sensitive scopes" and " Your restricted scopes", and scroll to the bottom, click the Save and Continue button
• You will now be taken to the Edit App Registration page > Optional Info
• Ignore all fields here. Scroll to the bottom and click the Save and Continue button

• You will now be taken to the Edit App Registration page > Summary screen
• Check everything, then click the button "Back to Dashboard" at the bottom

• Now, go back to the Credentials page, click Create Credentials, choose OAuth Client ID
• You will now be taken to the Create OAuth client ID page
• Enter the following information:
  • Application type - select Web application
  • Name - enter the name of the site or any preferred

• Under Authorized JavaScript origins, add your website URL in the URIs field
• Under Authorized redirect URIs, enter "https://developers.google.com/oauthplayground"

• Click on the Create button. This will generate your Client ID and Client Secret
• Once you click the Create button, the page reloads and a window with your Client ID and Client Secret information appears

• Copy both Client ID and Client Secret and paste them into Notepad, you will need it in a minute

Add the OAuth details to your website

• Now browse the URL https://developers.google.com/oauthplayground/.
• On the right side of the window, click the Settings icon
• Tick the box for Use your own OAuth credentials
• Enter the copied Client ID and Client Secret in the corresponding fields, then click Close at the bottom

Step 1: Select & authorize APIs

• Search for "Google Analytics API v3" using the scroll. Click all the options under it, then click on the Authorize APIs button after the selection

• Accept all the permissions asked by Google
• If you get any Authorisation Errors, please make sure your Gmail account has been added to Test users

Step 2: Exchange Authorization code for tokens

• Now in Step 2 on the left side panel. Click "Exchange Authorization code for tokens"
• Click on Auto-refresh the token before it expires.
• Copy the Refresh token generated

Add to the Google Analytics Site Setting to your Website Admin Dashboard

• Enter the Client ID, Client Secret and Refresh Token in the Settings
• Click Save Settings.
• Your dashboard will load.

Register for the Google OAuth Client

• Register Google Oauth
  • Go to https://console.developers.google.com,and sign in with the email used to get the tracking code in the above step.
  • Create a new project or select an existing project

• • Go to the Library tab, search Analytics API keyword

• • Go to details and click ENABLE button

• • Go to the Credentials tab, click Create credentials and choose OAuth Client ID

• • Click on Configure Consent Screen button (if needed), provide the Product name and some optional information

• Select the Web Application option

Provide the Name, and enter your website URL into the Authorized JavaScript origins field, in the Authorized redirect, URIs enter "https://developers.google.com/oauthplayground" and click on Create button. This will generate your client ID and Client Secret
Copy and paste the Client ID and Client Secret into notepad, you will need it in a minute.

• Config the website
  • Go to https://developers.google.com/oauthplayground/
  • On the right side of the window click the settings icon and choose the Use your own OAuth credentials, enter the copied Client ID and Secret in the text box prompted. Click the Close link button.

• • In Step 1 search for Google Analytics API v3 using the scroll. Select all the options under it. Click on Authorize APIs after selection. Make sure you have everything configured and OAuth credentials are filled out or else you will get a URI Mismatch error.

• • Accept the permissions asked by Google
• 
  • Step 2 on the left side panel. Click the Exchange Authorization code for tokens button
  • Copy the Refresh token generated

Add the oAuth details to your Website Admin Dashboard

• Enter the Client ID, Client Secret and Refresh Token in the Settings
• Click Save Settings.
• Your dashboard will load.
• You can select the property for different sites in your analytics

Setup Automated Google Analytics Reports

Outlines how to manage scheduled Google Analytics email reporting

What is a Google Analytics Reports

Provides a snapshot of your google analytics emailed to you as required.

How to set up scheduled emails

• Go to https://www.google.com/analytics/ and log in to google analytics
• Choose "Audience" >> Click "Overview"

• On Audience Overview, click the "Share" button
• A popup setup scheduled email will be shown

• Add emails that will be received, choose Frequency, add content for email
• Click "Send" to save
• Go to Scheduled emails to check that exits

How to extend the time of scheduled emails

Email reports are configured for some time. This may need to be extended as time progresses.

• Go to https://www.google.com/analytics/ and log in to google analytics
• Click "Admin"

• On admin page, Select "Scheduled emails"
• Select the email that you want to extend the time
• Click "Extend"
• The expiration date will be changed. Click "Save"
• The scheduled email will be updated.

Adding Analytics Tracking to your site

Get Your Analytics Code from Google

The first step is to get the tracking code for your site. You get this from your analytics account.

If you don't have an analytics account you can create one here - https://www.google.com/analytics.

• Login to https://analytics.google.com
• Go to the admin panel

• Go to the tracking code window

• Copy the tracking code

• Go to the website and access admin management, in the left menu select Settings > Site Settings then search Google Analytic Configuration key

• Click on the Edit icon then in the edit site settings page, paste the Google Analytics tracking code to the Tracking Script field.

Google Tag Manager

What is Google Tag Manager?

Google Tag Manager is a tag management system (TMS) that allows you to quickly and easily update tracking codes and related code fragments collectively known as tags on your website or mobile app. Once the small segment of Tag Manager code has been added to your project, you can safely and easily deploy analytics and measurement tag configurations from a web-based user interface.

Read more about Google Tag Manager

Benefits of using Google Tag Manager

Google Tag Manager allows small businesses to customize the placement of website tags based on specific pages, triggers, variables, and actions.

Read more about the benefits of using Google Tag Manager

Adding Google Tag Manager to WebEd

Update the Google Analytics Configuration

• Go to Admin > Site Settings > click 'Site Settings'

• Under the 'Search Curly Bracket' input field, enter "analytic" as the keyword
• Click on the 'Search' button on the right
• The 'Google Analytic Configuration' should appear on the results grid

• On the grid results, click on the 'Edit' icon on the left.

• Log in to your Google Tag Manager account https://tagmanager.google.com
• Go to Google Tag Manager and click on the GTM ID at the top

• You should be able to see the codes for the installation of Google Tag Manager
• Copy the code for the <head> (the first field)

• Go back to your site and paste this on the 'Tracking Script' field.

• Click the 'Save' button below to save the changes.

Update the Master Template

• Go to Admin > Page Content > Look and Feel > click 'Page Template'
• Look for the Master template that the site is using, click the 'Edit' icon on the left

• Go to Google Tag Manager and copy the code for the <body>

• Go back to your site and paste this code right after opening the <body> tag.

• Click the 'Save' button to save the changes

• You should see a notification saying that "The template has been saved successfully".

Google Tag Manager Guide

How to Set Up Google Analytics on Google Tag Manager

Google Analytics should be set up as a variable

• Under the Workspace menu, go to Variables

• On User Defined Variables, click New

• Rename the Variable to indicate Google Analytics

• Click the block icon

• Scroll through the Selection and choose Google Analytics Settings

• Get the Tracking ID on Google Analytics and add it on the required fields

• Then click Save

How to Create New Tag

• On the Overview Page, click New Tag

• Create a name for the tag

• Click on the Tag Configuration

• Choose Tag Configuration to use

• Click on Trigger

• Choose which trigger best fits objective

• Click Save

How to Add User Permission on Google Tag Manager

• Click the Admin tab on the menu

• Choose whether to add on Account or on Container. Best to add person to Account instead

• Click the Blue Plus button and choose Add User

• Enter email address of the person to add

• Choose permission level

• Click Send Invitation

How to Install Car Sales Script using Google Tag Manager

• Create new tag and choose custom HTML for Tag Type

• Add the Script

• Create a Page View Trigger by choosing Page View from the Selection
• Choose Some Page Views

• On dropdown menu, choose Page URL then set to Starts With.
• Click Save on the Page View Trigger Page
• Click Save on Tag
• Click Submit on workspace and skip all other process to publish the tag.

Best Practices for Google Tag Manager and Google Analytics

What is Google Tag Manager?

Google Tag Manager is a tag management system (TMS) that allows you to quickly and easily update tracking codes and related code fragments collectively known as tags on your website or mobile app. Once the small segment of Tag Manager code has been added to your project, you can safely and easily deploy analytics and measurement tag configurations from a web-based user interface.

Read more about Google Tag Manager

Elements of Google Tag Manager

Tags

Tags are segments of code provided by analytics, marketing and support vendors to help integrate their products into your websites or mobile apps. There is no longer any need to add the tags directly on the website with Google tag manager since it is configured within the platform.

With Google Tag Manager, there is no need to install tags/tracking codes directly on the website.

Supported Platforms

Google Products

• Google Analytics
• Google Ads Remarketing
• Google Ads Conversion Tracking
• Floodlight Counter
• Floodlight Counter Sales
• Google Optimize

Non-Google Products

• AB Tasty Generic Tag
• Adometry
• Adrolll Smart Pixel
• Audience Center 360
• Awin Conversion
• Awin Journey
• Bizrate Buyer Survey Solution
• Bizrate Insights Site Abandonment Survey Solution
• Clicktale Standard Tracking
• comScore Unified Digital Measurements
• Crazy Egg
• Criteo One Tag
• Eulerian Analytics
• Hotjar Tracking Code
• Infinity Call Tracking Tag
• Intent Media
• LeadLab
• LinkedIn Insight
• Lytics JS Tag
• Marin Software
• Pinterest Tag

Added Via Custom HTML

• Facebook pixel

Trigger Types

• Page View Trigger
• Click Trigger
• Element Visibility Trigger
• Form Submission Trigger
• History Change Trigger
• JavaScript Error Trigger
• Scroll Depth Trigger
• Timer Trigger
• YouTube Video Trigger
• Custom Event Trigger
• Trigger Group

Benefits of Using Google Tag Manager vs Directly adding Codes on A Website

Better Page Load Speed

Loading Marketing pixels and tracking codes on websites take time to time off load speed. When doing several marketing campaigns using different marketing platforms, it is highly advisable to implement these tags via Google Tag Manager.

Ease in Managing Multiple Tags and Tracking Pixel

Having too many tags installed on a website not only slows down page speed but causes a lot of confusion on the back end. It is not a simple task to find the right tag to remove tags when there are a lot of codes in there. On the other hand, Google Tag Manager

No Conflicting Tags and Accuracy in Gathering Data

While this occurs rarely, there are instances when 2 different tracking pixel or tracking code causes the other to fail. To maintain accuracy and to prevent tags/pixels to fail, having one Tag Manager contain all tracking code and pixels to

Event Tracking and Creating Goals on Google Analytics

Track events on Google Analytics with ease by setting them up via Google Tag Manager. Since it is easy to manage and wouldn't require a lot of testing to see if events come in, it is easier to do testing in real-time.

Helps Avoid Errors upon Implementation

There are means to track events and even domain cross-linking via Google Analytics but this involves adding codes and lines that may take some time to correctly implement and are directly added to the website. The beauty of Google Tag Manager is that as long as the tags are on pages then there's less likelihood of missing lines.

Takes Lesser Time to Implement

As long as Google Tag Manager is already on a website, all that needs to be done is do configurations and add tags on Google Tag Manager. There's nothing left to do or configure within the website. This takes off a lot of time in planning and adding the tags/pixels on the website as long as the Tag Manager code is installed on the page

Test Tags Before they are Implemented via Preview/Debug Mode

Even beginners could test whether a Tag or an Event is working on the website with the use of the Preview Mode.

How to Use Preview Mode

• Go to Tag Manager Workspace
• Click on Preview - A Confirmation message will appear on the Google Tag Manager workspace

• Go to Your Website and do a hard refresh if Debug mode window doesn't appear
• Perform the action of the particular trigger being tested
• The Tag will appear as fired and a confirmation of this will be seen on the debug mode window.

About Cross Domain Linking/ Creating A Consolidated View for Several Domains on Google Analytics

Cross Domain Linking isn't a popular request and only a few agencies and experts know or have implemented such. However, this type of setup can be helpful for individuals managing several websites with almost the same products and services or managing domains copied from others.

It is impossible to track several domains just by adding Google Analytics tracking code on websites one wishes to track. Please note that this is also the reason why the Google Analytics code doesn't work once the domain name changes. Google uses the domain registered to the account for this. No data will be collected from other websites.

For this reason, Cross Domain Tracking/Linking is done using Google Tag Manager. The setup is done via Google Tag Manager and the Google Analytics Tracking code is added as a Tag on Tag Manager. This eliminates the need of adding a Google Analytics Consolidated View Tracking code on the website. Google Analytics code is already on Google Tag Manager so there is no need to add Google Analytics tracking code.

Best Practices for Implementing Google Tag Manager

Organize Tags using Google Tag Manager

Get all marketing, analytics and vendor tags on Google Tag Manager. Almost all tags are supported by Google Tag Manager given that it also allows the use of custom HTML where one can add the script.

Limit only Two Tag Managers per website

If possible, it is best practice to keep only one Google Tag Manager. However, some instances would require the use of Google Tag Manager such as having a consolidated view of several Domain's Google Analytics accounts. However, there are instances that digital agencies would request for their tags to be implemented on the website. The best approach to this is to give the agency access to the company's Google Tag Manager instead.

Test all Tags using Preview/Debug Mode

To make sure tags are firing correctly, use the Preview mode to show Debug window on the website. Simply do the action that requires a trigger and see if any Tags were triggered.