Do you use videos on your site to engage your visitors or relay important information, and you’re looking for a way to track those video plays in Google Analytics?
If you’ve looked into tracking video plays with Google Analytics before, you might have been pretty intimidated by super complicated instructions. If you’re not using Google Tag Manager and you’re not an Analytics pro, you might have just decided that tracking isn’t worth it.
Well, for WordPress users, there’s a much easier way to set up Google Analytics video tracking. In this article, we’ll show you how to quickly and easily track video views and clicks in WordPress with absolutely NO complicated coding.
Track Embedded Videos in WordPress with Google Analytics
When you’re using WordPress, you’re probably embedding your videos using three different methods:
- YouTube
- Vimeo
- WordPress media library upload (HTML5)
When you’re using YouTube or Vimeo, you can see your total video plays on those platforms. But how many of those are happening on your website? How much of your videos are visitors watching? How many of your visitors are even seeing your videos?
Good news! We can help you easily set up video tracking with just a couple clicks.
Just follow these simple steps to start tracking embedded YouTube, Vimeo, or WordPress videos in Google Analytics:
- Install and Activate MonsterInsights
- Install the Media Addon
- Turn on video tracking
- Check your video stats
Already have MonsterInsights installed at the Plus license level or above? Skip to Step 2.
Step 1: Install and Activate MonsterInsights
First, you’ll need to install MonsterInsights on your WordPress website. MonsterInsights allows you to set up video tracking in WordPress with just a few clicks – no need to modify your Google Analytics code.
To get video analytics, grab MonsterInsights at the Plus level or above, then download the plugin from your Account page.
Next, upload the plugin on your WordPress website by going to Plugins » Add New » Upload Plugin and then click the Install Now button.
Now, activate MonsterInsights by clicking the Activate Plugin button.
After installing and activating the plugin, you’ll need to connect it with Google Analytics. The MonsterInsights setup wizard makes it super simple to add Google Analytics tracking code to your website.
For more details on how to get set up, read our step-by-step guide on how to set up Google Analytics on your WordPress website properly.
Step 2: Install the Media Addon
To install the addon, visit the Insights » Addons page in your WordPress dashboard. Then, click Install under the Media addon.
Step 3: Turn on Video Tracking
Now, it’s time to turn on video tracking for the type of videos you have on your site. To do that, navigate to Insights » Settings » Publisher. Scroll down to the Media Tracking box.
Now, click the button next to the type(s) of videos you want to track.
Step 4: Check Your Video Stats
Now, you’ll have your video stats right inside your WordPress dashboard! First, navigate to Insights » Reports » Media:
This will bring you to your Media report, where you can see total video plays per video, average watch time, average percentage watched, and completion rate.
Your video data will also be sent to Google Analytics as events.
We hope you enjoyed our video tracking guide! Want to track more events on your website? Here are a few articles you’ll want to check out:
How to Track Link Clicks in Google Analytics (Step by Step)
How to Set Up Google Analytics Event Tracking in WordPress
A Complete Guide to Conversion Tracking for WordPress
Or if you’re interested in video SEO, make sure to read How To Boost WordPress Video SEO: Expert Tools and Tips.
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