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Master Your Website Analytics with MonsterInsights: A Comprehensive Review and Tutorial for WordPress Users
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Review of MonsterInsights: The Top Plugin for Integrating Google Analytics with WordPress in 2025
June 10, 2025 No Comments
Do you find it difficult to comprehend the actions of your website visitors? Are you interested in identifying the content that attracts the most traffic and leads to conversions?
Having assisted numerous website owners in understanding their analytics data, I am familiar with the daunting nature of Google Analytics. The sheer volume of numbers and intricate reports can often lead to confusion and uncertainty, leaving you with more questions than clarity.
MonsterInsights simplifies Google Analytics and presents it in a user-friendly way within your WordPress dashboard, providing actionable insights.
I have been utilizing MonsterInsights for a long time on various websites, and it has become a crucial tool for gaining insights into what is truly effective.
In this detailed analysis, I will explain the reasons why this plugin is a valuable investment and how it can assist you in making more informed choices regarding your website.
What Does This Guide Cover?
Our approach to testing analytics plugins for WordPress at WP101 is thorough and comprehensive. We do not simply review features, but rather, we actively install and test each analytics plugin on various websites to verify that they deliver on their promises.
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What is MonsterInsights?
MonsterInsights is a widely used plugin for WordPress that integrates with Google Analytics, with over 3 million websites utilizing its features. Its main purpose is to help users interpret and utilize the data provided by Google Analytics effectively.
MonsterInsights simplifies the process by bringing the key metrics from Google Analytics to your WordPress dashboard. This allows you to easily view visual reports that provide a clear overview of your website's performance.
The team that created the plugin is also responsible for popular WordPress tools like WPForms and OptinMonster. This ensures that the plugin is developed by experts who have a deep understanding of WordPress and the needs of website owners.
My favorite aspect of MonsterInsights is its ability to turn analytics into practical actions. Instead of simply presenting data, it provides insights into how those numbers impact your business and suggests the necessary steps to take.
What Makes MonsterInsights Unique
Allow me to explain the distinguishing features of MonsterInsights compared to other analytics plugins and why they are important for your website.
1. Dashboard Reports That Are Easy to Understand
Upon setting up MonsterInsights, the dashboard reports stand out for their simplicity and clarity. Instead of overwhelming tables and charts, the visualizations provide a clear narrative of your website's performance.
The primary dashboard displays:
I have discovered that these reports are great for brief daily updates or weekly assessments of performance. The information is presented in a clear and easy-to-understand manner, even for those who are not familiar with analytics.
2. Improved eCommerce Tracking
MonsterInsights' eCommerce tracking feature is highly beneficial for online store owners who use WooCommerce.
It automatically enables advanced eCommerce tracking in Google Analytics, providing you with valuable information such as:
Achieving this level of understanding in eCommerce usually involves creating custom code or enlisting the help of a developer to ensure it is implemented correctly.
3. Seamless Tracking on All Devices
MonsterInsights makes it easy to track user interactions on your website across multiple devices and sessions by automatically enabling enhanced link attribution and cross-domain tracking. This allows you to have a comprehensive understanding of how users engage with your site regardless of the device they are using.
In today's world where people use multiple devices, it is crucial to consider that users may first find your content on their mobile device but make a purchase or take action on their desktop later on.
4. Monitoring form submissions and analyzing conversion data.
I find the form tracking feature very useful. When using well-known form plugins such as WPForms or Contact Form 7, MonsterInsights will track form submissions as conversion events without any manual input.
This will aid in your comprehension:
5. Reports from the author and publisher.
The author tracking feature is excellent for content creators and publishers. It allows you to track which team members' content gets the most engagement and learn what kind of content your audience enjoys the most.
The reports from the publisher indicate:
Guide on How to Set Up MonsterInsights
Setting up MonsterInsights is simple, but I will guide you through each step to make sure everything is configured properly.
Step 1: Set up and enable the plugin.
To begin, add MonsterInsights to your WordPress dashboard by installing it.
Step 2: Linking to Google Analytics
Once activated, a setup wizard will appear to help you connect to Google Analytics.
It only takes around 5 minutes to complete the entire setup, and the wizard will take care of all the technical aspects automatically.
Step 3: Set up the settings for tracking.
After you have established a connection, take a look at your tracking
Step 4: Confirm Your Tracking
Once you have set up the tracking, make sure it is working properly by:
Important aspects of MonsterInsights
Although we have already discussed how easy it is to use and set up MonsterInsights, let's explore its most impressive features in more detail.
1. Implementing a system to
Forms are essential components of a WordPress website, as they help in various tasks like gathering feedback, generating leads, or building an email subscriber list. This is why monitoring the effectiveness of forms is crucial.
MonsterInsights provides strong form tracking capabilities without requiring additional setup. It is compatible with various popular form plugins such as WPForms, Formidable Forms, Gravity Forms, and more. To access detailed analytics, simply go to Insights, then Reports, and finally Forms in your WordPress dashboard. The report contains important data such as form IDs, impressions, conversion rates, and other relevant metrics.
This information allows you to identify which formats are performing effectively and which ones require enhancements, enabling you to enhance design, layout, and content for improved outcomes.
2. Analysis of online commerce data
MonsterInsights is particularly effective for tracking eCommerce activities. It works well with popular platforms such as WooCommerce, Easy Digital Downloads, MemberPress, and LifterLMS, allowing for easy analysis of sales performance regardless of whether you are selling physical products, digital downloads, or online courses.
The plugin categorizes information related to online shopping into three sections called Overview, Funnels, and Coupons. Users have the ability to:
The system also monitors actions of adding items to the shopping cart and removing them, helping to provide insights into user behavior and how often carts are abandoned.
3. Simplifying the Process of Creating Custom
A notable feature of MonsterInsights is its easy setup of custom dimensions. Unlike Google Analytics 4, which requires a more technical setup, MonsterInsights streamlines the process by providing a dropdown menu, eliminating the need for coding or intricate configurations.
You have the ability to monitor detailed information such as:
This information assists in customizing your approach to content creation and boosting interaction with your audience.
4. Monitoring how far users scroll
Scroll depth tracking is a valuable tool for measuring reader engagement with your content. With MonsterInsights, you can see how much users scroll on your posts and pages, broken down by content type and average scroll percentage. Additionally, you can view the overall average scroll rate for your website.
This serves the purpose of:
Other notable features include the ability to track the number of downloads for files such as PDFs and ebooks. Users can select which types of files to monitor, allowing them to gain insights into user preferences and enhance their lead generation strategies.
๐ฅ Tracking Media and Videos: Monitor interaction with videos stored on YouTube, Vimeo, or in your WordPress media library. Analyze data such as total viewing time and where viewers stop watching, which can help enhance video content and gain insights into viewer behavior.
Monitor the frequency of user clicks on your affiliate links to determine which promotions are most successful and improve your affiliate marketing plan.
๐ Instant Analytics: Keep an eye on what's happening on your website in real-time. See who is currently visiting, track how well your campaigns are doing live, and figure out the optimal times to share content for the highest engagement.
Discover and track the external links that your website visitors are clicking on with Outbound Link Tracking. This tool is beneficial for identifying important partnerships or potential content opportunities, making it especially useful for affiliate marketers.
Enhanced Link Attribution allows you to see which specific links users are clicking on when there are multiple links leading to the same destination. This helps to identify which text or location is most successful in encouraging user interaction.
๐ Website Speed: Evaluate the speed of your website and keep track of how well it is performing. MonsterInsights offers suggestions on how to address any issues that may be affecting your site
๐ Special cases: Keep track of Google Analytics by identifying irregularities and important shifts in data on various websites. Receive notifications of these changes through emails, site notes, and dashboard alerts.
Cost and Subscription Options: Should You Invest in MonsterInsights?
MonsterInsights offers a complimentary version of its plugin, which is ideal for beginners. This version allows you to link your website to Google Analytics 4 without the requirement of coding knowledge, and you can personalize reports within your WordPress dashboard.
Allow me to explain the features included in each plan and assist you in deciding which option is most suitable for your requirements.
Basic Version (MonsterInsights Lite)
The basic version comes at no cost and includes:
The free version of MonsterInsights is great for small websites or beginners in analytics. But you won't have access to the advanced features that make MonsterInsights so powerful.
Exclusive Plans
Enhanced Plan (priced at $99.60 annually):
This plan is priced at $99.60 per year and is intended for one website. It allows for unlimited pageviews and users, and comes with essential analytics features like real-time statistics, publisher performance, site speed monitoring, and keyword tracking. It also provides standard tracking options such as scroll depth and media interaction. Additionally, it includes growth tools like the headline analyzer and customizable popular posts widgets with more than 20 templates.
Pro Plan costs $199.60 per year.
Priced at $199.60 annually, this level of service allows for management of up to five websites. It offers all the features of the Plus Plan, as well as advanced capabilities such as tracking eCommerce activity, generating reports on form submissions, and analyzing coupon usage. Integration with platforms like WooCommerce and Easy Digital Downloads is smooth, and extra tools like the User Journey feature are included.
Annual Agency Plan for $399.60:
For a yearly fee of $399.60, this package allows users to manage up to 25 websites. In addition to the features offered in the Plus and Pro plans, it includes specialized tools for client management. These tools include alerts for important analytics changes, automatically generated notes for tracking important events on websites, and improved management features such as Client License Management, precise access control, and compatibility with WordPress Multisite setups.
Many website owners find that the Plus plan is the most valuable option. This plan includes important features like improved eCommerce tracking, integration with Search Console, and tracking of forms.
If you are a dedicated content creator or publisher in need of thorough insights on how your content is performing, then the Pro plan would be a suitable choice for you.
The Agency plan is created for individuals who work in web design and manage multiple websites for their clients
Comparing MonsterInsights with other analytics tools can give you a better idea of its position in the market.
Comparison between MonsterInsights and Google Analytics. Benefits of using MonsterInsights.
Benefits of using Google Analytics:
Comparison between MonsterInsights and Jetpack Stats
Benefits of using MonsterInsights:
Benefits of Jetpack Statistics:
Comparison between MonsterInsights and Google Site Kit
Advantages of MonsterInsights:
Benefits of Google Site Kit:
My personal experience with MonsterInsights in improving websites I oversee shows the real-world impact and value it brings. Let me provide some specific examples to illustrate this.
Analyzing successful content
According to data from MonsterInsights, posts that provide instructional guidance are more popular and engaging compared to articles expressing personal opinions. After adjusting my content strategy to focus on tutorials, I saw a significant 45% increase in organic traffic within a six-month period.
Improving the Performance of Online Stores
After analyzing the data from enhanced eCommerce tracking, it was found that mobile users had a lower rate of completing purchases. As a result, efforts were made to streamline the mobile checkout process, which resulted in a 28% increase in conversions from mobile devices.
Analyzing Traffic Sources
After reviewing the reports on traffic sources, it was found that social media traffic had a higher bounce rate than organic search, despite having a higher volume. As a result, changes were made to the social media content strategy to target more qualified visitors.
The instances demonstrate how MonsterInsights offers more than just data – it offers insights that can be acted upon to make tangible improvements.
Possible disadvantages and restrictions
In order to provide a fair assessment, I will discuss some potential downsides of using MonsterInsights:
1. Cost Factor
The advanced features are only available with a paid subscription, which could be difficult for small websites or beginners. However, the free version still offers basic functions.
2. Sampling Data
Just like with any other Google Analytics setup, MonsterInsights data may be sampled when there is a large amount of traffic. This is a limitation of Google Analytics itself, and not something unique to MonsterInsights.
3. Learning Process
Although simpler than Google Analytics, there is still a learning curve in figuring out how to analyze and make use of the data given.
4. Relying on a Plugin
You depend on the maintenance and updates of the plugin. If you decide to change to a different plugin, you will have to set up your analytics again.
Support and Documentation for Customers
MonsterInsights offers various ways for customers to get assistance:
๐Documentation: A detailed collection of information and resources including instructional guides and tutorials.
๐ง Email support is provided to premium users, with varying response times depending on the level of their plan.
Community: A dynamic Facebook group where members assist each other.
๐ฅ Video Tutorials: A wide range of instructional videos available that provide guidance on how to set up and use various
Based on what I've seen, the support team is well-informed and quick to respond, especially when it comes to technical problems and setting up configurations
Who would benefit from using MonsterInsights?
After trying out and using MonsterInsights myself, here's who I would suggest it for:
Ideal for:
Not recommended for:
If you determine that MonsterInsights is a good fit for your website, here are the steps to begin using it:
Interested in learning about how analytics can help you expand your website? Take a look at our detailed guide on properly configuring Google Analytics.
Begin using MonsterInsights today!
Overall Conclusion: Should You Invest in MonsterInsights?
Having used MonsterInsights on various websites for a long time, I can attest that it is a valuable investment for the majority of WordPress website owners.
In summary, MonsterInsights simplifies Google Analytics and offers the essential insights to help enhance your website. If you are committed to analyzing your website's performance and using data to guide your decisions, MonsterInsights is a great option to consider.
This plugin is great for making analytics easy to understand and use. Although some premium features come at a cost, the time and valuable information saved by using it usually make the investment worthwhile.
MonsterInsights is the ideal choice for WordPress website owners who wish to comprehend their analytics without needing to have expertise in data analysis.
If you're interested, check out our comprehensive WordPress Toolkit as well as our recommendations for the top Google Analytics plugins for WordPress.
I trust that you found this review to be useful. If you are interested in improving your website's SEO, we offer a comprehensive course that provides a detailed guide on how to optimize your site using a single tool.
In this course, you will discover how to set up the necessary configurations in WordPress, generate sitemaps, enhance your posts and pages, and learn many other useful skills. Are you excited to get started?
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