How to Set Up Google Analytics Download Tracking

Can Google Analytics Track Downloads?

Out of the box, Google Analytics does not support file downloads tracking automatically. That’s because files can’t request a tracking pixel, which is a short code snippet needed to track users’ behavior. As a result, nothing is recorded in Google Analytics, and downloads aren’t tracked. But with MonsterInsights, you can easily enable Google Analytics download tracking in WordPress without having to touch a single line of code.

Step 1: Install and Activate MonsterInsights

First, you need to download and install MonsterInsights on your WordPress website. You can find the setup file in your account area under the Downloads tab. Next, you’ll have to upload the plugin to your WordPress website. To do that, go to your WordPress admin area and navigate to Plugins » Add New » Upload Plugin. After that, choose the MonsterInsights file you just downloaded and click the Install Now button.

Step 2: Sign Up for Google Analytics & Connect to MonsterInsights

Next, you will have to connect Google Analytics to your WordPress website using MonsterInsights. Before you do that, you’ll need to sign up for a Google Analytics account.
After creating an analytics account, you can use MonsterInsights to add the tracking code to your website. The plugin makes it super easy to set up Google Analytics, and you don’t have to touch a single line of code.

Step 3: Add More File Extensions to Track as Downloads

Next, you can select the file extensions you want to track in MonsterInsights.
By default, MonsterInsights lets you track downloads of the following file extensions: doc, pdf, ppt, zip, xls, docx, pptx, and xlsx. But you can add more extensions that you want to track.
To add file extensions in MonsterInsights, go to Insights and then click Settings. Then select Engagement from the top menu and scroll down to File Downloads.

Step 4: View File Downloads in WordPress

Now that your tracking is set up, you can view file download reports in WordPress. To see the report, navigate to Insights » Report » Publishers Report and scroll down to see the Top Download Links. The report will then show you the top download links on your site. You can then use the data to create similar content that gets you the most downloads. It also helps you plug gaps in your content to create or repurpose content.

Reference Blog
How to Set Up Google Analytics Download Tracking