If you want to grow your site or business, the ability to review analytics and stats is pretty important. With the right tools, you can learn how many people visit your site, what pages are most popular, where traffic comes from, and other metrics that can help you optimize site performance and create more targeted content for your audience.
WordPress connects with multiple plugins and tools that generate statistics about your website. However, services like Google Analytics are complicated and provide extra data that you don’t always need.
Jetpack Stats, on the other hand, generates simple data, graphs, and charts about visitors and traffic, making it the go-to plugin to help you understand the basics.
Does WordPress have a built-in analytics dashboard?
Two out of every five sites on the internet use WordPress, making it the most popular website creation platform. But the tool doesn’t come with any in-built analytics and stats, meaning you can’t automatically view data about visitors and traffic.
One way to analyze information about your WordPress website is to use Google Analytics, which is free. But this service is complicated for small business owners and other people who have just created their first site. That’s because the tool has advanced features like custom dimensions and event tracking. These provide little value to those who just want to understand essential aspects of how their site is performing.
Installing and downloading Google Analytics for WordPress is also complicated. Most people use a third-party plugin or manually add JavaScript code to their site. Jetpack solves these problems by seamlessly connecting Google Analytics with WordPress (more on that later.)
What is the easiest and fastest way to view WordPress analytics and stats?
Using Jetpack Stats is a simple and quick way to view information about your WordPress website. Unlike Google Analytics, you won’t need to use something outside the WordPress ecosystem for this service. You download and install this tool just like any other plugin. All you need is a free account on WordPress.com and the latest version of WordPress. It’s that simple!
Automattic, the company behind WordPress.com, created Jetpack Stats. This feature lets you track the number of people who visit your website and what posts and pages generate the most traffic. You can also view other valuable insights about your site without trying to decipher complicated charts and graphs.
Another great thing about Jetpack Stats is its flexibility. As well as viewing simple analytics and stats about your site, with a paid upgrade to Jetpack Security or Jetpack Complete, you can connect Google Analytics to WordPress for more advanced metrics. So, when you’re ready to take things a step further, there’s nothing else you need to install.
Once you download and install the Jetpack plugin, you can start analyzing information about your WordPress site on your desktop computer or mobile device.
Why do you need to learn how to view WordPress site analytics?
There are various reasons you need to use an analytics service like Jetpack Stats. As a site owner, you can learn what content is most popular with visitors. Then you can use this information to plan future content or make informed decisions about your endeavor. If you’re a hobbyist, it’s always fun to know how many people are reading your website and where those individuals come from. If you run a business, understanding real-world stats can guide you towards growth and profitability.
Here are some of the things you will discover about your website when you use a service like Jetpack Stats:
- How many visitors view a particular page or post over time
- How long someone watches a video on your website
- How many likes and comments your website receives
- The search terms people use to find your WordPress site
- How many digital files individuals download from your pages
- What countries and regions visitors come from
- How many times readers click on external links in your content
- Which websites, blogs, and search engines link to your posts
Jetpack Stats lets you better understand your website visitors. You can also make statistics reports available to other WordPress users.
How to add site analytics to your WordPress dashboard
The easiest way to add analytics and statistics to your WordPress dashboard is with the Jetpack plugin, which gives you access to Jetpack Stats. You can download and install it with a few clicks. Before you do, make sure that:
- You have a WordPress host that meets WordPress hosting requirements. Examples are Bluehost, Liquid Web, and Pressable, but there are many different ones you can choose from.
- You’ve downloaded the latest version of WordPress.
- You’ve signed up for a WordPress.com account.
- Your WordPress site is publicly accessible. That means visitors don’t need to enter a password to use your website.
A step-by-step guide to adding site analytics for WordPress
Follow these steps to learn how to view WordPress site analytics with the Jetpack plugin:
1. Install the Jetpack plugin
Install the Jetpack plugin from the WordPress admin dashboard (WP Admin). This is where you create and manage content on your website and choose different themes, so you should already be familiar with it.
Once you’ve logged in to WP Admin, follow these simple steps:
- Click on Plugins, then click Add New.
- Search for “Jetpack” in the search bar. The latest version of Jetpack will pop up.
- Click on Install Now.
Depending on your internet connection, the Jetpack plugin will take a few seconds to install.
2. Activate Jetpack
After downloading Jetpack, follow these steps:
- Click on Activate.
- Wait for Jetpack to activate.
- Click on Set up Jetpack.
3. Connect your website to WordPress.com
Jetpack will now prompt you to connect your website to WordPress.com. You need to carry out this step to use Jetpack’s incredible features.
By connecting your site with WordPress.com through Jetpack, you’ll benefit from enhanced website security and performance. That’s because Jetpack syncs your site with the WordPress.com cloud.
- Click on Approve to connect your website with WordPress.com.
- Wait for Jetpack to finish setting up.
You can always check your website has connected to WordPress.com by heading to Jetpack → Dashboard → Connections.
4. Choose a Jetpack plan
Jetpack has different plans depending on your specific needs. Jetpack Stats is included by default for free, and you can access its benefits as soon as you have the plugin installed. However, if you want to use Jetpack to connect to Google Analytics, you’ll need a paid plan. Paid plans also come with additional security, performance, and growth tools that you may want to take advantage of. If you’re interested in one of these, follow the instructions below. Otherwise, skip to Step 6.
- Go to https://wordpress.com/jetpack/connect/store.
- Choose a Jetpack plan that suits your needs.
- Enter the URL of your website.
- Click Continue.
Now, you’ll need to enter the WP-Admin credentials for your WordPress website. Jetpack doesn’t store this information and only uses it to install its plugin on your site securely.
Remember to add the WP-Admin credentials for the user account you want to connect to Jetpack, not the details of any other accounts you might have.
Complete the checkout process by entering your payment information.
5. Enable recommended features
After choosing and paying for a plan, Jetpack will prompt you to enable recommended features that will benefit you. You can select the ones you like or manage them later.
6. Complete the installation process
At this point, you should have successfully installed Jetpack.
- Click Return to WP Admin to head to your website’s dashboard.
- Turn on Jetpack Stats by going to Jetpack, clicking on Settings, and then clicking on the Traffic tab. Scroll down this page and then click on Activate Site Stats.
7. View stats in your dashboard
Navigate to your WordPress Dashboard, then go to Jetpack → Dashboard.
Here, you’ll see an in-depth view of how much traffic your website receives.
For even more stats, click on the View detailed stats button on the traffic screen.
Here, you’ll see information about referrers, clicks, subscriptions, top posts and pages, and search engine terms.
Click on the View more stats on WordPress.com button on the traffic screen.
This will take you to more information like unique views and views by country.
Now you know how to view WordPress site analytics!
Check out this troubleshooting guide if you have trouble installing or connecting the Jetpack plugin or using Jetpack with WordPress.
Final word about how to view WordPress site analytics
WordPress doesn’t come with built-in statistics, so you’ll need to find your own preferred tool to generate insights about page views, visitors, and traffic sources. Follow the steps above to learn how to view WordPress site analytics with the Jetpack plugin — the easiest and fastest way to analyze information about your site.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best analytics plugin for WordPress?
Jetpack Stats is the easiest and quickest analytics plugin to use for WordPress. You install it in a few simple steps and can start viewing incredible insights about your website right away. Google Analytics is another popular service, but it’s challenging to navigate for beginners. Learning how to view WordPress site analytics is easy with Jetpack Stats.
Is Jetpack Stats free to use?
Jetpack Stats comes in a free version that provides essential website statistics. However, Jetpack has additional premium tools that can help you improve performance, secure your site, and grow your stats.
Do I need Google Analytics to use Jetpack Stats?
No, Google Analytics is a separate service from Jetpack Stats. However, you can use the Jetpack plugin (with a paid plan) to quickly connect Google Analytics to your WordPress dashboard if you need more advanced data.
Can I access Jetpack Stats on my mobile device?
Yes! The Jetpack mobile app lets you view analytics about your WordPress website on your smartphone or mobile device. You can also create, design, and manage your site and receive notifications about visitors, subscribers, and comments. You can download this app from Google Play and the App Store.
How do I turn Jetpack Stats on?
After downloading and installing the Jetpack plugin, you can turn Jetpack Stats on by going to Jetpack, clicking on Settings, and then clicking on the Traffic tab. Scroll down this page and then click on Activate Site Stats. For more information, check out our Jetpack Stats documentation.
How can I view WooCommerce analytics?
Jetpack Stats does include information specifically for WooCommerce stores, like order data and trends. If you want more advanced, ecommerce-specific data, you can use the built-in analytics tools included with WooCommerce.
To access these, go to Analytics in your WordPress dashboard. There, you’ll find reports that cover things like revenue, orders, coupons, taxes, and more.
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