Google Analytics for Shopify Implementation Checklist

This is just the checklist.  For the full explanation behind things, see the related podcast episode.

Google Analytics

1. In Google Analytics Admin, create a new view called 'Shopify' or whatever you prefer.
2. Create an annotation to remind all that changes were made to settings and new views created on this day.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfPx4Sus_CY 
3. Within the View of the Admin
1. Under View Settings:
1. Exclude URL Query Parameters.  Add query parameters used in your store that should be removed from GA.  Here are potential parameters:  variant,_sid,_pos,_ke,preview_key,sort_by,discount,checkout_url,skip_shopify_pay,return_url,key,step,fbclid,aff,token,view
2. Check Exclude all hits from known bots and spiders
3. Turn Site search Tracking on
4. Add 'q' to the 'Query parameter checkbox
5. Check Strip query parameters out of URL
2. Import this Goal to view.
3. Under Content Grouping, add 5 content groups using the Extraction method:
1. Name - Products; Extraction - ^.*\/products\/([a-z0-9-]*)\??.*?$
2. Name - Collections; Extraction - ^\/collections\/([a-z0-9-]*)\/?\??.*?$
3. Name - Pages; Extraction - ^\/pages\/([a-z0-9-]*)\/?\??.*?$
4. Name - Blogs; Extraction - ^\/blogs\/([a-z0-9-]*)\/?\??.*?$
5. Name - Account; Extraction - ^\/account\/([a-z0-9-]*)\/?\??.*?$
4. Under Filters:
1. Add a record to exclude traffic from your IP
2. Add filters for any of your domains in this property that you do not want to be included in this Shopify view
5. Under E-commerce settings:
1. Enable Ecommerce
2. Enable Enhanced Ecommerce Reporting
6. Add three entries for Checkout Labeling
1. Contact Information
2. Shipping Method
3. Payment
4. Within the Property of the Admin
1. Property Settings
1. Enable Demographics and Interest Reports
2. Enable Use enhanced link attribution
3. Enable User Metric in Reporting
2. Add the following under Tracking Info > Referral Exclusion List
1. Your .myshopify.com domain
2. Your customer-facing domain
3. Any other domains that you are using that are related to this site.
4. paypal.com
5. checkout.shopify.com
6. pay.shopify.com
7. Any other domains of payment providers you may use like installment payments
5. Connect to Search Console.  Go to Acquistion > Search Console and follow the steps there.  

Shopify

1. In Shopify Admin > Online Store > Preferences:
1. Enter your GA account number
2. Add the following to Additional Google Analytics JavaScript
   
3. Check Use Enhanced Ecommerce

Google Analytics Solutions Gallery

1. Add these dashboards to your Shopify view:
1. Shopify Scorecard
2. SEO Dashboard
3. Realtime Dashboard
4. Missing Pages
5. Devices, Screens, OS and Browsers
2. Add this custom report to your Shopify view:
1. Shopify Purchaser Demographics

Chrome

1. Add GA Chrome extension

Quality Assurance

To check that data is flowing properly check these reports in GA:

1. Audience > Demographics > Overview
2. Acquisition > Search Console > Queries
3. Behavior > Site Search > Overview
4. Conversions > Goals > Funnel Visualization
5. Conversions > Ecommerce > Checkout Behavior