It’s actually extremely simple: if you want only to track the visitors, only adding the Tracking ID is required.
If you would like to see some analytics in your dashboard, a bit more set up will be required,
The Tracking ID
Visit your Settings under Meow Apps > Analytics and enter your Google Analytics code. You can create a Google Analytics account by clicking here.
Dashboard Analytics
Create an App on Google Cloud
Google Cloud might ask you to create a Consent Screen. Do it, and keep it Internal.
- Open the Google Cloud Platform. Create an App. You can call it whatever you like, but since it’s only for your sites, you can choose something like “For Meow Analytics” (you will be able to use this for all your sites).
- In Enabled APIs & Services, add: Google Analytics API, Google Analytics Data API and Analytics Reporting API.
- Open the Credentials page on Google Cloud, for this app.
- Click Create credentials and select OAuth client ID.
- For the Application type, select Web application (this is your WordPress, basically).
- Give a name such as “My Website (for Meow Analytics)”, just so you remember what those credentials are for.
- You will get a Client ID and a Client Secret.
Client ID and Client Secret
- In the Settings of Meow Analytics, add the Client ID and Client Secret.
Authorize your website in Google Cloud
- Back to Google Cloud, set the Authorized JavaScript origins and Authorized redirect URIs accordingly (Meow Analytics will give you those settings).
Link Meow Analytics to your Google Cloud App
- In the Settings of Meow Analytics, click the Link button to connect your website to your app in Google Cloud.
Visit your WordPress Dashboard; you will be able to connect your WordPress to Google Analytics and see its data! You don’t need anything else and don’t worry, it’s free. And it wasn’t so hard, right?
Last but not least
You might want to check this link if you used an analytics plugin before: My Google Permissions. Companies behind those plugins might still be able to access your account. Check these permissions carefuly in order to control who has access to your data.