Back to Community
Home / Community / Plugin → Exactmetrics – google analytics dashboard for wordpress (website stats plugin)

How to Configure ExactMetrics for WordPress Multisite: Tracking Individual Sites vs. The Entire Network

20 threads Sep 9, 2025 Plugin → Exactmetrics – google analytics dashboard for wordpress (website stats plugin)

Content

Configuring Google Analytics for a WordPress Multisite installation can be confusing, especially when deciding between tracking the entire network or individual subsites. A common point of confusion for users of the 'ExactMetrics – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress (Website Stats Plugin)' is understanding how the plugin handles data collection and reporting in a multisite environment. This guide will explain the different configuration methods and how to achieve the setup you need.

The Core of the Confusion: Tracking Scope

The central issue stems from how Google Analytics itself is structured. You can choose to track all subsites under a single Google Analytics property or create separate properties for each subsite. The 'ExactMetrics – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress (Website Stats Plugin)' supports both methods, but they require different setup processes within your Google Analytics account and the plugin's settings.

Common Multisite Configuration Scenarios and Solutions

Scenario 1: Tracking the Entire Network as One Entity

Goal: You want to see aggregated analytics data for every site in your network combined.

Solution:

  1. Network activate the ExactMetrics plugin from your WordPress Network Admin dashboard.
  2. Complete the authentication and setup process using a single Google Analytics property (e.g., UA-XXXXXXX-1 or G-XXXXXXX) for the entire network.
  3. This will deploy the same tracking code across all subsites, sending all data to that single property. Your reports will show combined traffic for the entire network.

Scenario 2: Tracking Individual Subsites Separately

Goal: You want each subsite (e.g., example.com/site1, example.com/site2) to have its own isolated analytics data. Site admins should only see reports for their own site.

Solution: There are two primary methods to achieve this:

Method A: Using Separate Google Analytics Properties (Recommended)

  1. Create a unique Google Analytics property (e.g., UA-XXXXXXX-2, UA-XXXXXXX-3) for each subsite you wish to track independently within your Google Analytics account.
  2. Network activate the ExactMetrics plugin.
  3. Navigate to the Dashboard of each individual subsite (not the Network Admin).
  4. Go to ExactMetrics settings and authenticate it with the specific Google Analytics property created for that subsite.
  5. This method ensures data is completely isolated and is the most straightforward way to grant subsite admins access to their own data.

Method B: Using Filters on a Single Property (Advanced)

  1. Use a single Google Analytics property for the network.
  2. Within Google Analytics, create a separate view for each subsite.
  3. For each view, create a filter that includes only traffic to that subsite's path (e.g., Include Page Path -> Begins with -> /site1).
  4. Critical Warning: The 'ExactMetrics – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress (Website Stats Plugin)' team and others strongly advise that filters are destructive. You must always maintain one unfiltered view as a backup, as filtered data cannot be recovered.
  5. This method is complex and generally not recommended for users with a large number of sites, as Google Analytics limits the number of properties and views you can create.

Important Considerations and Limitations

  • Front-End Reporting: Based on community discussions, displaying analytics reports on the front-end of a site for individual users or subsites is not a native feature of the plugin and would require custom development.
  • User Roles: By default, when tracking is separated by property, a subsite administrator will only see the dashboard reports for the property linked to their specific site. They cannot access data from other subsites.
  • Data Discrepancies: It is normal to see differences between stats provided by your host (like SiteGround) and Google Analytics. Host stats often count all server hits (including bots), while Google Analytics filters out non-human traffic and only records hits where the tracking code was loaded.

By understanding these different tracking models, you can properly configure the ExactMetrics plugin to match your multisite reporting goals. Always remember to configure your desired tracking structure in Google Analytics first before connecting it through the plugin.

Related Support Threads Support