How to Track File Downloads in Google Analytics (The Easy Way)

Have you been wondering how you’ll track downloads made on your website?

MonsterInsights allows you to accurately track all the file downloads made within your website with Google Analytics.

Today I’ll show you how to track all the files downloaded in Google Analytics. In the long run, you’ll be able to understand what type of content your viewers and users find most appealing. You can as well learn how to make an increase in the downloads made more often.

Why should you track File Downloads?

If your site offers downloadable resources to its members and viewers, then you must know if these files are being downloaded.

MonsterInsights is known for its best WordPress Analytics plugin.

If you’ve been in this industry, then you’re aware that Google Analytics doesn’t support any file downloads tracking automatically.

The reason behind this theory is, files downloaded can not request any tracking pixel. It’s a short code snippet that’s needed to track the user’s behavior.

Therefore we find that there is nothing that’s recorded on Google Analytics concerning the file downloads.

At this point, you’re bound to use MonsterInsights. It allows you to easily track all file downloads in Google Analytics without touching any single line of code.

Core benefits for tracking file downloads

1. It enables you to discover which resources are popular on your site.
2. It helps you understand what type of content you should focus most on and eliminate the non-helpful waste of time content.
3. Saves much of your time by learning the audiences’ wants and needs.

How to Track File Downloads on your Website?

For you to track how many downloads are made, you’ll have to set up your Google Analytics in WordPress using MonsterInsights.

After making that change, file downloading on MonsterInsights will be enabled automatically. You’ll be able to track your downloads.

The best thing about MonsterInsights is, once the setup is ready, it takes care of everything else. No more configurations will be required.

In Google Analytics, events tracked are used to measure the user’s interactions with the content. Some being, mobile ad clicks, downloads, and video plays.

Add More File Extensions to Track as Downloads

By default, MonsterInsights enables you to track file extensions like .pdf, .doc, .ppt, .zip, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, and .pptx. You can add more file extensions that you’d wish to track.

Follow this procedure to add more file extensions in MonsterInsights.

1. Go to Insights.
2. Then click on the Setting icon.
3. Then select Engagement from the top Menu.
4. Scroll down to File Downloads.

At this point, you will see the setting made to default file extensions. These files are in track mode.

Then click on the add more extensions. You’ll add more extensions that you’d like MonsterInsights to track on your website by separating them with a comma.

How to View File Downloads in WordPress?

Since your file tracking is ready, you can always view your Popular Downloads reports using these steps.

Step 1

• Go to Insights
• Click on report
• Then Publishers Report.

Step 2

• Scroll down and check your downloads.
• Then go to file downloads report.

The report that you get indicates your topmost downloaded links from your site. With this data, you’re prone to learn what content brings more insights to your website.

Use the information wisely and create content similar to your strongholds.

How to View File Downloads in Google Analytics?

For you to view your file downloads, follow this simple procedure.

1. Log in to your Google Analytics Account.
2. Select the website that you’d like to track your file downloads.
3. Then click on Google Analytics view.

If perhaps you’ve enabled tracking of your downloads as a pageview, then you’re sure to find your report for all the pages together with the other pages and blog posts.

How will you get access to this report?

1. Navigate to Behaviour.
2. Then click Site Content.
3. Then click All pages.

In case you’ve enabled your downloads tracks as events then, you’ll see the data’s downloads in your events’ report.

At your events reports;

1. Navigate to Behaviour.
2. Then click on Events on the left panel.

At this point, you should be able to see four different options.

1. The Overview. It gives you a summary of the most popular events on your site.
2. The Top Events. It’s the most engaging event on your site, i.e., events that keep your viewers on the site.
3. The Pages. It shows you the list of pages downloaded from your site, i.e., the events that occurred on your pages and posts on your site.
4. Events Flow. This report shows which events have been keeping your visitors engaged to your site. It also summarizes the users’ path from one event to another.

For more detailed reports;

1. Click on The Top Events.
2. Then Download tracking in Google Analytics.
3. Then click on Downloads for the fully detailed report.

At this point, you’re able to see that all files downloaded are saved as downloads.

Video Tutorial

I hope that this guide was easy. Now you’re able to track file downloads in your Google Analytics. MonsterInsights is the place to track your file downloads.