Google Analytics shows you the most common entry points for users visiting your website, including direct traffic, social media, and email.
Understanding your website's traffic sources helps you identify which marketing channels are driving the most visitors.
To view your website's URL in Google Analytics, you need to have Google Analytics installed on your website.
URL Tracking Setup
You can track specific URLs in Google Analytics by setting up custom reports or using filters. This will allow you to monitor specific user actions on your site.
To set up URL tracking, create goals or events in Google Analytics to monitor specific user actions on your site. This is a straightforward process that can be completed by most marketers.
Google Tag Manager is another option for tracking specific URLs, giving you complete control over your tracking with a simple, user-friendly interface. Most marketers can learn the basics of Tag Manager without needing any developers.
If you're new to Google Tag Manager, it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with the platform before diving in. There are many reputable guides available, such as Moz's introduction to Google Tag Manager or HubSpot's simple tutorial.
To see full page URLs in Google Analytics 4, you'll need to make a change to each property individually, as page location is not included as a primary dimension in standard reports.
Understanding URL Data
Once you see the data in Google Analytics, it's essential to understand what it means. Page Views shows how many times a page was viewed.
You can find this information in the standard reports of GA4, specifically in the report related to Pages, which might be called Pages and Screens.
The Average Time on Page tells you how long people stay on a page, while the Bounce Rate shows how many visitors leave after viewing one page.
Here's a breakdown of what each metric means:
This information helps you see what works and what doesn’t, allowing you to improve your website.
Understanding Your Data
Understanding your URL data is crucial to making informed decisions about your website.
Page Views show how many times a page was viewed. This metric can help you identify which pages are most popular and worth optimizing.
Bounce Rate indicates how many visitors leave after viewing one page. A high Bounce Rate can signal issues with your content or user experience.
Average Time on Page tells you how long people stay on a page. If visitors are spending a lot of time on a page, it's likely engaging and worth keeping.
Here are some key metrics to keep an eye on:
- Page Views: This shows how many times a page was viewed.
- Bounce Rate: This shows how many visitors leave after viewing one page.
- Average Time on Page: This tells you how long people stay on a page.
Link Click Data
To access your link click data in Google Analytics, you can view it in the 'Events' report.
You can filter your event actions and labels using the primary dimension buttons.
To view your link click events under your 'Goals' report in Analytics, you'll need to first set these events as goals.
This is easier than you'd think – simply navigate to Admin, Goals, New Goal, and then select a Custom 'Event' goal.
You'll need to match the fields exactly to your event tag/s in Google Tag Manager (Category, Action, Label).
Google Tag Manager allows you to have complete control over your tracking.
You can tailor your tracking rules to be as broad or as specific as you like, thanks to its simple, user-friendly interface.
To set up URL tracking, create goals or events in Google Analytics to monitor specific user actions on your site.
You can track clicks to one page on your site or track clicks of all buttons on your site using Google Tag Manager.
It's worth having a basic understanding of Google Tag Manager before trying to track link clicks via it.
Preview Debugger
The Preview Debugger is a powerful tool in Google Tag Manager that allows you to test and preview your tracking setup before making it live.
To enter Preview mode, click the preview button at the top right of your workspace, which will open Tag Assist and prompt you to type in your domain.
You'll need to type in your domain and wait for Tag Assist to connect to your website, which will open in a new tab with a box stating 'Tag Assist Connected'.
In the Preview Debugger, pay attention to the 'Tags' and 'Variables' tabs, which will show you what tags have fired and what tags haven't, as well as information about variables in the selected event.
The 'Tags' panel shows you what tags have fired and what tags have not yet fired, while the 'Variables' tab shows you information about variables in the selected event, such as the type of variable and the type of data returned.
When testing clicks in Preview mode, hit 'CTRL' + click on any links you want to inspect, which will open the clicked link in a new window so you don't move away from the current page.
By using the Preview Debugger, you can check that your setup is working as it should and make any necessary adjustments before making it live.
Analyzing URL Reports
You can see a list of your website's pages in Google Analytics by following these steps: log in to your Google Analytics account, select the website property, click on Behavior, then Site Content, and finally All Pages. This will show you the number of visitors each page gets, how long people spend on each page, and the bounce rate for each page.
To track specific URLs in Google Analytics, you can set up custom reports or use filters. Custom reports allow you to make a report for a specific page and track it over time.
There are two ways to customize a built-in GA4 report and save it as a new report: give your new report a name and click Save, or follow the steps to filter for the page you want to analyze.
You can also create an Exploration for a specific page from a detail report by adding a filter for the URL you want to focus on. This will save the Exploration automatically and you can find it under Explore from the left-hand nav.
To see full page URLs in standard reports of GA4, go to Google Analytics > Reports, find the Pages report, and click the Pencil icon to customize the report. Add the Page Location dimension and remove the Total revenue metric.
In explorations, you can also see full page URLs by going to Explore > Blank, clicking the Plus icon next to Dimensions, and importing the Page Location dimension.
You can search for a specific URL in the Pages and screens report by changing the dimension to Page path and screen class, and typing in the page path for the URL you wish to analyze.
Here's a summary of the steps to find traffic sources for a specific page in GA4:
- Use one of the methods above to zero in on a specific URL
- Add or edit the filter in the Settings section to include the page path
- Apply the traffic source dimension(s) of your choice
Sources
- https://medium.com/@markguahi_6779/how-to-check-website-url-google-analytics-track-success-594d88459b2e
- https://mrs.digital/blog/how-to-track-link-clicks-google-analytics/
- https://www.heyflow.help/en/articles/5506289-google-analytics-4
- https://momenticmarketing.com/blog/track-a-specific-page-in-ga4
- https://www.analyticsmania.com/post/full-page-urls-in-google-analytics-4/
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