What WordPress services do you offer?

I offer comprehensive WordPress services including custom development, WooCommerce store building, plugin development, theme customisation, speed optimisation, security hardening, maintenance, and migration services.

How much does WordPress development cost in South Africa?

WordPress development costs depend on the scope and complexity of your project. Every website is unique, so I provide custom quotes based on your specific requirements. Contact me for a free consultation and detailed quote.

Do you build custom WordPress plugins?

Yes, I specialise in custom WordPress and WooCommerce plugin development. I build bespoke plugins for payment gateways, shipping methods, inventory management, API integrations, and business-specific functionality.

Can you integrate South African payment gateways?

Absolutely. I have extensive experience integrating South African payment gateways including PayFast, Yoco, Peach Payments, and SnapScan with WooCommerce stores.

Can you help with an existing WooCommerce store?

Yes, I work with existing WooCommerce stores for optimisation, custom development, troubleshooting, migrations, and ongoing maintenance.

Do you offer ongoing WordPress support?

Yes, I offer WordPress maintenance and priority support packages that include regular updates, backups, security monitoring, and guaranteed response times for issue resolution.

What areas do you service?

While based in Cape Town, I work with clients throughout South Africa and internationally. All communication and work can be handled remotely.

How long does it take to build a WooCommerce store?

A basic WooCommerce store typically takes 1-2 weeks, while complex stores with custom functionality, integrations, and advanced features can take 2-4 weeks depending on requirements.

Two Effective Methods to Configure Custom Email Alerts in Google Analytics

By Editorial Team |October 7, 2025

Many website administrators regularly review Google Analytics to assess the performance of their WordPress sites. Given the complexity of the analytics interface, it is common for site owners to overlook critical changes, such as sudden traffic declines, broken conversion funnels, or other unexpected shifts that require immediate attention.

For this reason, experienced developers often recommend implementing custom email alerts within Google Analytics to help website managers save time and remain informed.

These automated notifications alert you when significant changes occur in your traffic or conversion metrics, eliminating the need for constant dashboard monitoring and reducing the risk of missing important insights.

This guide outlines two straightforward approaches to establishing custom email alerts in Google Analytics, enabling you to maintain oversight of your site's performance with minimal daily effort.

Understanding Custom Email Alerts in Google Analytics and Their Importance

Custom email alerts, known officially as Custom Insights in Google Analytics 4, are automated notifications that inform you about significant variations in your website's data. They eliminate the necessity for continuous manual checking of analytics dashboards.

GA4 identifies these notable variations as anomalies.

Using Custom Insights, you can establish alerts for key anomalies, including:

A reduction in overall or organic traffic
An increase in direct traffic
A sudden decline in sales or advertising revenue
A substantial surge in traffic or conversions

For instance, you might discover one morning that your website traffic has unexpectedly decreased. Alternatively, a social media post could have gained viral attention overnight, attracting thousands of new visitors.

Receiving immediate notification of such events is highly beneficial. This is precisely where custom email alerts in Google Analytics prove valuable.

These alerts enable prompt action, whether to resolve a problem or capitalize on a new opportunity.

Methods for Configuring Custom Email Alerts in Google Analytics

Now that you understand the advantages of custom email alerts in Google Analytics, let's examine two methods for setting them up.

Here is a brief overview to assist in your selection:

Method 1 (Using a Plugin): This represents the simplest and most user-friendly option. If you operate a WordPress site and prefer an uncomplicated setup with reports accessible directly within your WordPress dashboard, this method is suitable. It requires a premium plugin subscription.
Method 2 (Manual GA4 Configuration): This approach is free and compatible with any website platform. It offers greater flexibility, such as hourly alerts, but involves more direct interaction within the Google Analytics interface.

You may use these navigation links to proceed to your preferred method:

Method 1. Configure Custom Email Alerts Using a Google Analytics Plugin (Simplified)
Method 2. Configure Custom Email Alerts in Google Analytics (Manual)
Frequently Asked Questions: Custom Email Alerts in Google Analytics 4
Additional Resources: Further Analytics and Tracking Guides

Let's begin the configuration process.

Method 1. Configure Custom Email Alerts Using a Google Analytics Plugin

Navigating Google Analytics can be challenging. If you seek a straightforward method to create custom email alerts, this approach is recommended. Please note that this method is exclusively available for WordPress users.

We will utilize a popular Google Analytics plugin that integrates Google Analytics 4 (GA4) directly into your WordPress dashboard, simplifying report interpretation.

Additionally, it includes an Exceptions addon that automatically detects unusual spikes or declines in your data. This addon ensures you remain informed without additional effort.

Many WordPress experts rely on this plugin to track various website elements, including form submissions, button clicks, and referral link conversions.

Step 1. Install and Activate the Analytics Plugin

First, create an account with the plugin provider. Visit their website, select the appropriate plan, and complete the checkout procedure.

Following this, install and activate the plugin within your WordPress dashboard. Detailed installation instructions are available in standard WordPress plugin installation guides.

Step 2. Connect the Plugin to Your Google Analytics Account

After installing the plugin, the subsequent step involves connecting it to your website and Google Analytics.

To accomplish this, navigate to the plugin's menu within your WordPress admin area. Then, select the option to launch the setup wizard.

Next, choose the category that best describes your website, such as a blog, business site, or online store.

After selecting a category, save your choice and proceed.

In the following steps, follow the prompts to sign into your Google Analytics account and select the website you wish to track.

Once the 'Complete Connection' button appears, click it to finalize the setup.

For a comprehensive walkthrough, consult standard guides on integrating Google Analytics with WordPress.

Step 3. Configure the Exceptions Addon

In this step, we will add the Exceptions addon to monitor 16 types of unusual activity, including sudden traffic drops, conversion spikes, unexpected bounce rate changes, and more.

Whenever exceptional activity occurs, a detailed record will appear in your Exceptions report. This allows for early issue identification and proactive measures before problems escalate.

To set up the Exceptions addon, navigate to the plugin's Add-ons section.

Locate the 'Exceptions' option and select the download and activate button. Then, toggle the switch to enable the addon.