While Substack offers basic analytics, integrating Google Analytics can provide deeper insights into how readers interact with your newsletter online. Substack does not offer direct integration with GA, but there are workarounds. Here is how to integrate GA with your newsletter, step by step.
Let's dive in!
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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)
- Set Up Google Analytics
- Create a Content Hub on Your Website
- Embed Google Analytics in Your Website
- Final Thoughts
All right, enough about us. Now let's get into answering your question!
Set Up Google Analytics
If you haven't already set up a Google Analytics account for a website or blog where you can host additional content or landing pages, that's the first step. Here’s a quick overview:
- Visit Google Analytics: Go to the Google Analytics website and sign in with your Google account. If you don’t have one, you’ll need to create it.
- Create a New Property: Follow the on-screen instructions to set up a new GA4 property. Ensure you choose "Web" as the platform.
- Note Your Measurement ID: After setting up your property, you’ll be given a Measurement ID (formatted as "G-XXXXXXXXXX"). Keep this handy for your website setup.
Create a Content Hub on Your Website
While a direct integration of GA isn't possible, the workaround involves creating a content hub or dedicated landing pages on your website that you can link to from your Substack newsletter. This hub can host extended content, related resources, or summaries that encourage readers to click through from the email.
- Design Landing Pages: Create landing pages on your website for content related to your Substack publications. Ensure these pages are engaging and provide value that complements your newsletter.
- Add Call-to-Action in Substack: Within your Substack posts, include calls-to-action (CTAs) encouraging readers to visit the landing pages on your website for more information or related content.
Embed Google Analytics in Your Website
Make sure your website or blog, where the content hub is hosted, has Google Analytics tracking set up. This involves embedding the GA tracking code into your site:
- Find the GA Tracking Code: In your Google Analytics account, locate the full tracking code snippet provided for your GA4 property.
- Embed on Your Website: Paste this tracking code into the HTML of your website, ideally within the
<head>tag of every page, or follow your website platform's instructions for adding site-wide tracking code.
Final Thoughts
Adding Google Analytics 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 and off you go. This takes about one minute- and there is a free version as well!
Enjoy!