Add Google Analytics to Next JS

Integrating Google Analytics into a Next.js application enables you to monitor user behavior, which is key to improving user experience with your app. Given Next.js's server-side rendering capabilities, the approach is slightly different from client-side-only frameworks. Here is how to add GA step-by-step.

Let's dive in!

Before we dig in I want to show you something. I promise it's worth it...

Google Analytics is great, but also complex and a bit clunky. If you just want a straightforward dashboard with the insights you need, GA is not a great place to start. Additionally, Google doesn't care about privacy and GA requires an annoying cookie banner.

That's why I built Simple Analytics, a privacy-friendly and simple analytics tool - no personal data, no cookies, just the insights you need in a straightforward dashboard.

Here is how it looks vs GA. Feel free to check our live analytics to get an idea for your project. (It is free btw)

All right, enough about us. Now let's get into answering your question!

Can you spot the difference between the dashboards?

Integrating Google Analytics

Set up Google Analytics

Log into your GA profile (or create one, if you haven't already)
Create a GA property for your app.
Inspect the property and note down your Measurement ID. You will need it later.

Create a GA Module

Create a JavaScript module for GA. This module will handle the initialization and tracking of page views and events. Create a file like lib/ga/index.js:

export const GA_TRACKING_ID = 'YOUR_MEASUREMENT_ID';

export const pageview = (url) => {
  window.gtag('config', GA_TRACKING_ID, {
    page_path: url,
  });
};

export const event = ({ action, category, label, value }) => {
  window.gtag('event', action, {
    event_category: category,
    event_label: label,
    value: value,
  });
};

Make sure to replace YOUR_MEASUREMENT_ID with your actual Measurement ID.

Add the GA Script to Your Application

In your _document.js file (create one in your pages directory if it doesn't exist), include the Google Analytics script:

import Document, { Html, Head, Main, NextScript } from 'next/document'
import { GA_TRACKING_ID } from '../lib/ga'

export default class MyDocument extends Document {
  render() {
    return (
      <Html>
        <Head>
          {/* Global Site Tag (gtag.js) - Google Analytics */}
          <script
            async
            src={`https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=${GA_TRACKING_ID}`}
          />
          <script
            dangerouslySetInnerHTML={{
              __html: `
                window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];
                function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);}
                gtag('js', new Date());
                gtag('config', '${GA_TRACKING_ID}', {
                  page_path: window.location.pathname,
                });
              `,
            }}
          />
        </Head>
        <body>
          <Main />
          <NextScript />
        </body>
      </Html>
    )
  }
}

Again, make sure to replace 'GA_TRACKING_ID' with the correct value from your own ID.

Track Page Views

In _app.js, use the pageview function to track page views:

import { useEffect } from 'react'
import { useRouter } from 'next/router'
import * as ga from '../lib/ga'

export default function MyApp({ Component, pageProps }) {
  const router = useRouter()

  useEffect(() => {
    const handleRouteChange = (url) => {
      ga.pageview(url)
    }

    router.events.on('routeChangeComplete', handleRouteChange)

    return () => {
      router.events.off('routeChangeComplete', handleRouteChange)
    }
  }, [router.events])

  return <Component {...pageProps} />
}

Implement Event Tracking

Wherever you need to track custom events in your application, import the event function from your GA module and use it:

import * as ga from '../lib/ga'

ga.event({
  action: 'submit_form',
  category: 'Contact',
  label: 'Contact Form',
  value: 'User submitted a contact form'
})

Test and Deploy

Test your integration thoroughly, ensuring that page views and events are being tracked as expected. Deploy your application and monitor the Google Analytics dashboard.

(Optional) Create New Properties

To track multiple apps, create more GA properties and use the corresponding Measurement IDs. This prevents GA from conflating the data.

Final Thoughts

Adding Google Analytics to your app can give you great insights. However, ask yourself: is Google Analytics the right tool for you?

GA is an overpowered solution for straightforward analytics. If you're looking for a simple and intuitive dashboard with the insights you need, there are better alternatives. Yes, I’m talking about my own product (Simple Analytics), but there are others out there as well.

I hated using Google Analytics for my projects. It's clunky, there are hundreds of dashboards and it doesn't look appealing. Also Google doesn't care about privacy or ethics. That's why I decided to build my own and more intuitive web analytics tool.

If this resonates with you, feel free to give Simple Analytics a spin. You just need to add the script to your app and off you go. This takes about one minute- and there is a free version as well!

Enjoy!

Google Analytics Glossary