Unfortunately, use of GA within a DotNetNuke portal is not straightforward, because you have to insert a script to your HTML code. Not only the home page, all the pages you want to analyze.

As we do not deal with static HTML pages in DNN, this turns out to be a problem.



The instructions of GA says that you should insert this script immediately before the "" tag. But it seems OK to insert it anywhere between "" and "". Maybe some old browsers may have problems running the script that way, but you miss lots of visitors anyway because "ad blocking" applications also block this script.

You have several solutions to overcome this:

• Insert the script to the skin file
• Insert the script within hidden Text / HTML containers
• Use a specialized module

Inserting the Script to the Skin File

This is the simplest and quickest solution. But it's tricky and has limitations of course. You can apply this only if:

• You have the permission to modify portal skins
• The skin is used only by one portal

Even if you have the permission and you have one portal with the skin, you must be careful with the "variations" of the same skin.

Most skins come with multiple variations. For example the "skin variation" of the home page may be different from inner pages. These variations are of course regarded as different skins. And in each of these different skins, you should insert the GA script.


Inserting the Script within Hidden Text / HTML Containers

This option is rather simple but tricky.  These are the steps :

• On your home page, add a new "Text / HTML" module. But add it to a "pane" where it will bother you less. If exists "Bottom Pane" is a good choice.
  
• On the container's menu click "Edit Text" and switch to "Source" view
• Insert the script and click "Update"
• From the "Settings", uncheck "Display Container", and check "Display Module On All Pages?"

Now you have a container that includes your GA script that is invisible to visitors, resides in all pages and works good in most browsers. Use it with your own risk. This is the method we use in our site, and it's OK.


Using a Specialized Module

There are quite a lot third party modules enabling to use GA with DNN. By searching for "google analytics",  on Snowcovered, you can find nearly a dozen modules designed for this task.

By the way, Snowcovered, is a neat and trustworthy site that you can purchase third party DNN modules and skins. We bought many items from them (including this skin) and we're quite happy with them.

Their prices start from 2 USD to 50 USD. Some of them just enables you to use GA in your portal, whereas others pull data from your GA account and display it on the pages.

Pros

• Excellent look-and-feel
• Simple to use, also scalable up to professional level
• Free
• Integration with "Google Ads"

Cons

• "Ad filters" block the script, so the figures are far from accurate, you can use GA for relative performance measuring
• Not real-time, so you should be content with one daily update