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Jeff Chandler

Syed Balkhi Acquires Google Analytics by Yoast, Renames to MonsterInsights

Google Analytics Monster Insights Featured ImageUsers who are updating Google Analytics for WordPress by Yoast are discovering a new menu item with a green monster icon in their WordPress backend. That’s because Syed Balkhi, founder of WPBeginner.com, has acquired it for an undisclosed amount and has renamed it to MonsterInsights.

Joost de Valk, founder of Yoast.com, says the company is focusing on its core offerings surrounding SEO and that the plugin no longer fits into its roadmap.

One of the ‘problems’ of a quickly growing business is that you have to choose what to focus on. We’ve made that choice: we’ll focus on building best in class SEO products, from plugins to reviews, eBooks and training programs.

Apart from the changes to its name and the new menu icon, the plugin remains the same and should function normally for existing users. According to Balkhi, additional features are on the way.

Over the next 8 months, we will be adding some amazing new features that I know you will love. Since it’s a plugin that we will be using across our suite of products and websites, you can expect it to be the best.

Since Google Analytics for WordPress was the first major plugin created by de Valk, handing it over to a new owner is bittersweet.

While I’m very happy about the decision to give this plugin a new home, I’m also feeling nostalgic. It’s been ‘with me’ for a very long time, but I trust Syed and team will take it to even greater heights.

The acquisition seems like a perfect complement to Balkhi’s other products like OptinMonster and WPForms where analytical data helps make crucial decisions. Let us know what you think of the acquisition in the comments.

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24 responses to “Syed Balkhi Acquires Google Analytics by Yoast, Renames to MonsterInsights”

  1. According to the internet, Syed is knowing for keeping quality standards in his projects. Besides if he does something wrong I know where he lives. Nah, just kidding.
    I kinda trust him but can’t controvert at the same time. And that is normal and expected in every change of this kind. This is the internet. And businesses on the internet are more flexible but also more fluid by trend.

    My opinion is that this plugin just got an innovation path.
    If that doesn’t happen, there is always the fork way.

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    • Anything specific you would look for at such a fork, expect for removal of ads?

      (I contemplated forking it in the past due to it being in a “not very maintained state”, but forking is a word that is easy to say, while getting actual user traction is hard, and with no users it is just pointless)

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    • We’re listening to user feedback. The menu was never supposed to be at the top, but it happened due to a legacy code issue that we overlooked.

      It’s fixed in the new version.

      The green icon is no longer there. We quickly created a mono SVG that looks more inline with other WP icons. This is something we should have done from the start, and I admit our mistake there.

      Also fixed in the new version.

      Menu Label is now called Insights instead of MonsterInsights.

      The ads in the free version were always there. Yoast was promoting 4 of his products, and we replaced it with 4 of ours.

      You can always upgrade to the Pro version and you won’t see any ads there.

      If you have feature ideas that you’d like to see in the plugin, then please add them here:

      https://github.com/awesomemotive/google-analytics-for-wordpress/issues

      Or you can email us using the contact form on our site.

      We’re having a scope meeting beginning of May where we’ll finalize the roadmap for the next 8 month.

      We look forward to improving this product and giving our users better insights, so they can make data-driven decisions to grow their businesses.

      Thanks for patience and support.

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  7. I problem I had was with the lack of announcement in advance. I’m not upset at Syed about this but more at the Yoast team. I paid them money for their plugins and I received their email announcement after the WordPress Repo had been updated with the newest version from MonsterInsights.

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        • In the end it will probably be for the best. However, there was no announcement prior to the WordPress plugin repo being updated which is the issue I have with the Yoast team, and I think the issue a lot of the paying customers have with them as well.

          I’m not upset that they sold the plugin to Syed and his team… I’m upset that I wasn’t made aware of this prior to upgrading the plugin through the WordPress repo.

          I’m excited to see where the plugin goes as it could definitely use some new love however I think Yoast dropped the ball on the transition.

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  11. Hi Jeff,

    Thanks for the news.

    First of all, Congratulations Syed!

    Being an authority in WordPress tutorials, I hope Syed will make this plugin even better. I have seen few people are complaining but in long run this plugin will improve.

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