Google Analytics is a critical tool that your practice can use to better track and understand patient leads and traffic acquisition.
The diagram below outlines the flow of information, starting with the patient:
A patient's journey starts by clicking on your website, then by clicking on your Engagement online scheduling widget to request an appointment. Google Analytics then collects data from your website and online scheduling widget to provide you, the Practice Admin, with insights that can help you better understand where patient leads are generating from, traffic acquisition, and more.
In this article, we'll follow the setup procedure listed below:
Step 1: Create a Google Analytics Account
Go to analytics.google.com and register for an account
From the left side menu, access the Admin panel and then click + Create and click Account
Add an account name, then click Next
Add a property name, then click Next
Select your business details, then click Next
Choose your business objectives, then click Create
Review the Google Terms & Conditions, then click Accept
Step 2: Setup Site Stream
Once you have created your Analytics account, you will add the details needed to start collecting data. On the next page, choose Web
Add the website URL that you would like to track, give it a name that will help remind you what it is for, then click Create stream
From the next window, access your tag installation instructions. If the site you have entered is hosted by any of the platforms below, follow the instructions to complete installation
If your site platform is not listed, click on the Install manually section to access the stream code. Follow the procedure to copy and paste the Google tag script code onto your site code
Once your Google tag code has been implemented onto the website, be sure to test the website and ensure that the code is functioning correctly
Important note: Be sure to add the Google tag code on all of the site pages that you would like to track. Analytics data will only be collected from pages that contain the code.
Step 3: Add Widget Code to Your Site
Once your Google tag code has been implemented, add your Engagement online scheduling widget code to your practice website.
Your widget code can be copied from the widget details in Engagement:
Click on Online Scheduling, then click Settings from the left side menu in Engagement
Click on Widgets
Locate the widget that you would like to add to your website. Click on the 3-dot menu, then click Details
Copy the generated widget code by clicking Copy Code
Once copied, share the code with your web developer to have it to pasted to your practice website
Important note: Be sure to add the online scheduling widget code on all of the site pages that you would like to show the widget. The online scheduling widget will only be visible on pages that contain the code.
Once the code has been added to your website, your site will now show an online scheduling widget/button:
Note: Your web developer will assist you with how the button will look on your website. Dental Intelligence does not assist with widget design or styling.
Clicking on the button will open the Engagement online scheduling window:
Step 4: Add GA4 Measurement ID to Engagement
Once the widget code has been added to your practice site, start tracking it by adding your GA4 Measurement ID to the widget in Engagement.
Copy your Measurement ID from the Google Analytics portal in your web stream details
Once you have your Measurement ID copied, login to Engagement and click on Online Scheduling. Click Settings
Click Widgets
Locate the widget that you would like to add to your website. Click on the 3-dot menu, then click Edit
Click on the checkbox to enable the Google Analytics tracker, then paste your GA4 Measurement ID
Click Save to apply your changes
Step 5: Identify URLs Generating Referrals
From the Google Analytics dashboard, click on the Reports icon in the left side menu, then click Reports Snapshot
Or, click on Reports, then click Traffic, then choose Overview. Widget data will show in the Event count by Event name block
Event details
Widget open is total traffic, including clicks from site visitors who open the page but may not schedule.
Appointment scheduled are patients that actually scheduled/requested an appointment. These clicks are pulled during the last step of an online scheduling submission form and when we remit all of the information to Engagement (patient info, provider info, etc).
To learn more about Google Analytics, please click on the question mark icon in the upper right corner of Google Analytics or the three-dot menu to take a guided tour.
