I am looking for a recommendation on what is the best workpress plugin to use so I can setup and access Google Analytics & Google Webmaster tools on my wordpress blog.

Note this blog is not hosted on wordpress.org

Thanks

Anybody?

You want access the analytics on your blog? Or do you just want access to them for your reference?

I have analytics on my WP blog. Bill on BAP figured it out.

To set up google analytics to you need to install some javascript code into the header of the webpage. I am looking for the best way to do this since I want to minimize the number of plugin's my WP blog is running.

Note that my blog isn't hosted on WP.org since I know that version it comes built in.

Bottom line is that I've been blogging for a bit now but I have no idea how many people are reading my real estate blog each day.

I haven't set up google analytics for my wp blog. I installed a plugin called hitcounter. It tells how many viewers there have been for each post, and if they were a live person or a bot. I also have Wordpress Hit Counter, which is a hit counter at the bottom of the page for total viewers.

have your web design company insert the google analytics java script for you.

Many WordPress Theme under the theme setup allow you to paste code you get when you sign for Google Analytics. It is a Java code that is generated when you add a domain with your Google Analytics account.

You can insert the Analytics code in footer.php, this way you avoid adding an extra plugin. Just add it before the </body> tag in footer.php.

If you have access to your hosting account, you can see stats from there. Usually it's Webalizer or AwStats. If you want to install Google Analytics code into your wordpress site, you don't need a plugin.

Just do this:

Go to DASHBOARD
Under the APPEARANCE TAB click EDITOR
on the right side there is a column list of files.
click the HEADER.PHP file.
Find the </head> in the file (CONTROL + F will help you FIND)
PASTE the GA (Google Analytics) code ABOVE the </head>
Click UPDATE FILE
and you're done!

Google analytics seems to be the way that most persons are leaning toward using with regard to tracking site traffic - I can definitely see why.

Besides Google analytics I also have found Jetpack to be of great value.

You don't need to implement anything. Just install the module google analytics for wordpress, type in the google analytics id and you're good to go.

Google actually changed where they want the code. It used to go in the footer, but now they want it in the header. So just go to you header.php and insert the code their, all before the </head> tag. Follow the instructions on the GA set up page and it will guide you.

That way, you avoid the plugin altogether, which is a good idea these days.

You should not be having to mess with much code. Just install the google analytics plug in....go to the google analytics site and get your code....copy and paste it into the sidebar of your blog (as long as this side bar is on everypage it will record all the info you could imagine).