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To set up Matomo Analytics in WordPress, first choose where Matomo should run: inside WordPress, or as a separate Matomo Cloud or On-Premise service. Install only the plugin that matches that choice. For a separate Matomo instance, connect it with its URL and authentication token, then enable tracking and verify visits. Matomo warns that using both WordPress plugins for tracking at once can produce inaccurate data.
Choose the right Matomo setup
Matomo offers two WordPress plugins for different deployments. Matomo’s installation instructions and plugin-selection guidance distinguish a local analytics installation from a connector to a separate Matomo service.
| Choice | Where analytics runs | Use it when | Setup emphasis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matomo for WordPress (also called Matomo Analytics) | Inside the WordPress installation; Matomo says this setup keeps data within WordPress. | You want WordPress to host the analytics installation. | Install and activate the plugin, and check its server requirements. |
| Connect Matomo | Separately, on Matomo Cloud or an independently running Matomo installation. | You already have, or want, a separate Matomo account or installation. | Enter the Matomo URL and authentication token, then enable tracking. |
Do not activate both plugins to track the same site. Matomo says the tracking conflicts and can cause inaccurate data.
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Matomo’s installation page lists PHP 7.2 or greater and WordPress 4.8 or greater, and recommends MySQL 5.5 or greater and 128 MB or more of memory. These are figures stated by that page, not a guarantee of current compatibility. Check the plugin’s live requirements before installing. If you are unsure your server has enough capacity, the page suggests limiting use to sites with up to 50K page views per month or considering Matomo Cloud or On-Premise; that is a suggested usage limit, not a measured benchmark or universal hard cap.
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Install Matomo for WordPress
- Sign in to your WordPress dashboard.
- Open Plugins → Add New Plugin and search for Matomo Analytics Ethical Stats.
- Select the Matomo Analytics plugin, install it, and activate it.
- Follow the plugin’s setup and confirm its tracking method is enabled. Matomo says this deployment runs analytics inside WordPress.
Connect WordPress to a separate Matomo instance
Use Connect Matomo if your analytics destination is Matomo Cloud or a separate On-Premise installation. Matomo’s WordPress tutorial lists a Matomo account and WordPress administrator access as prerequisites. For WordPress.com, it says a Business, Commerce, or Enterprise plan is needed; otherwise, use a self-hosted WordPress site.
- In WordPress admin, open Plugins → Add Plugin, search for Connect Matomo, then install and activate it.
- Go to Settings → Connect Matomo. Select the mode that matches your Matomo instance. The tutorial shows Self hosted (HTTP API, default).
- Enter the Matomo URL and authentication token. Keep Auto config selected, save, and look for the successful connection message. If it does not appear, check the URL and token.
- Open Enable Tracking, select Default tracking, and save.
- Visit your site and check Matomo for incoming visits. A successful connection alone does not confirm that tracking is enabled.
Configure consent and test the behavior
Installing Matomo does not by itself establish that a site meets privacy requirements. Applicable consent rules depend on the site’s circumstances and jurisdiction. Matomo’s Complianz integration guide describes technical options including consent-based tracking where prior consent is required, an opt-out approach for organizations relying on a strict CNIL consent exemption and meeting its conditions, and adaptive tracking for some regions or situations. The guide is configuration guidance, not a legal determination for an individual site.
For the consent-based Complianz setup described by Matomo, disable Matomo’s existing tracking injection, configure Complianz with Matomo, provide the Matomo instance URL and site ID, and remove or disable any existing tracking code so it is not duplicated. Matomo says not to deactivate the Matomo plugin when disabling its tracking for this CMP integration.
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Test each relevant consent state in Matomo’s Visits in Real-time report:
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- Decline consent: check that tracking does not start where prior consent is required.
- Grant consent: check that visits begin to appear.
- Revoke consent: when using cookie-based tracking, verify that cookies are deleted.
Use manual tracking code only as a fallback
Matomo recommends using a plugin by default. If you cannot or do not want to use one, Matomo’s manual WordPress instructions say to copy the tracking code and place it just above the closing </head> tag in header.php, then save the file. Matomo’s general setup guide cautions against editing the wrong theme file and advises CMS users to use a plugin or a header-script area rather than an arbitrary template.
The code needs to run across the pages you want to measure. Check that it uses the correct Site ID for the website property; adding code to only one page is a common mistake. If you use Matomo Tag Manager, publish the container so its changes take effect.
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Verify tracking and troubleshoot missing visits
After setup, use Matomo’s reporting interface to confirm that visits arrive. Data may not appear instantly, so do not treat a short delay as proof that setup failed.
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- Connection not confirmed: for Connect Matomo, check that the plugin reports a successful connection and that the Matomo URL and token are correct.
- No visits appear: confirm the selected tracking method is enabled, the Site ID matches the intended site, and the integration runs site-wide rather than only on the homepage.
- Using Tag Manager: check that the container has been published.
- A test visit is missing: allow for a delay, then consider whether consent settings, an ad blocker, or browser privacy features prevented the tracking request.
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