How to Link Your Google Ads and Analytics Accounts
Are you maximizing the synergy between your advertising and analytics efforts? Linking Google Analytics to Google Ads is a critical step for marketers who wish to enhance their campaign tracking and gain deeper insights into customer behavior.
This connection allows you to access comprehensive reports on your advertising campaigns directly within Google Analytics, including details on keywords, ad timing, and target URLs.
Moreover, GA4 enhances this integration by sending valuable user interaction data back to Google Ads, enabling more precise performance tracking and improved e-commerce goal conversions.
By leveraging the enriched data from GA4, you can refine your remarketing strategies and utilize Multi-Channel Funnel reports, gaining a holistic view of your customer journeys.
This guide will walk you through the straightforward process of linking these powerful Google tools, helping you optimize your marketing investments and achieve better-targeted outcomes.
Note: This article was originally published in March 2018 and completely updated in December 2024 to ensure accuracy and comprehensiveness regarding Google Analytics and Google Ads.
Why Should One Consider Linking Google Ads with Google Analytics 4
Connecting Google Ads with Google Analytics 4 (GA4) enhances advertising strategies by providing deeper insights into user behavior and campaign performance. This integration enables a holistic understanding of the customer journey, from the first interaction to the conversion stage.
Marketers can identify which ads drive the most valuable traffic, optimize campaigns based on rich analytics, and utilize GA4's advanced machine learning to uncover trends and predict future actions.
Ultimately, this connection enables more informed decisions, better targeting, and improved ROI on advertising spend.
Streamlining Data Analysis and Accessibility
Integrating Google Ads with Google Analytics 4 (GA4) offers a unified view of visitor behaviors, particularly those coming from Google Ads.
This integration simplifies the process of data sharing between the two platforms, making it significantly easier for marketing teams, especially those not well-versed with Google Ads, to analyze data comprehensively in one centralized location.
Enhanced Campaign Tracking and Analysis
The connection between Google Ads and GA4 allows for direct tracking of Google Ads campaigns within the GA4 interface, specifically under the Acquisition report.
This facilitates easier access to campaign data and enables filtering and viewing metrics by ad group name, allowing for deeper dives into user acquisition metrics through the Explorations feature, offering a granular analysis of campaign performance.
Conversion Optimization and Smart Bidding
One key benefit of linking these accounts is the ability to export GA4 conversions into Google Ads.
This feature is crucial for aligning marketing strategies across platforms and optimizing ad campaigns based on shared objectives. Also, this enriched data set augments Google Ads' Smart Bidding, enhancing bid optimization through AI-driven insights and leading to more efficient ad spend.
Targeted Remarketing through Audience Integration
The integration enhances audience targeting capabilities by creating specific audiences in GA4, which can then be seamlessly imported into Google Ads for precise remarketing campaigns.
This refined audience segmentation tool in GA4 improves on previous versions and offers more sophisticated targeting options.
Insights into Conversion Paths and User Behavior
Linking Google Ads with GA4 enriches the Conversion Paths report, offering clearer visibility into the customer journey and Google Ads’ impact on conversions. This insight is invaluable for understanding user behavior before and during conversion tracking and after conversions, informing strategies to boost conversion rates, and identifying potential upselling opportunities.
To find Google Ads data within GA4, you can use the flexibility of exploration reports, which allow for extended analysis by linking Google Ads to GA4.
Comprehensive Data Analysis for Informed Decision-Making
Utilizing both Google Ads and GA4 in tandem provides a robust framework for digital marketing analysis. This approach ensures a holistic data review, avoiding the limitations of isolated analysis.
By drawing insights from a complete dataset, marketers can make more informed decisions, optimizing campaign performance and maximizing ROI.
Start with Checking Access Rights
Before linking a Google Ads account to Google Analytics 4 and Ads, make sure you’ve got the necessary access rights: “Admin” rights for Google Ads and “Edit” rights for the Google Analytics property.
1. Log in to your Analytics account and click “Admin” in the left panel.
2. Go to “Account details” and make sure there is a tick next to “Google products and services.”
3. Next, click on the “Account access management” section.
4. Add the email address used with Google Ads. After that, set the “Edit” access rights.
5. Turn on the auto-tagging in your Google Ads account. It is necessary to send detailed data about views, clicks, costs, placements, and ad positions from Google Ads to Google Analytics. To do that, follow these steps:
6. Log in to your Ads account, find the “Settings” section, and navigate to “Account Settings”. In the “Account settings” tab, click on “Auto-tagging.”
7. Put a tick next to “Tag the URL that people click through from my ad” and save the changes.
Now, proceed to link GA4 and Google Ads account. Below, we describe how to do that in the interfaces of both services. Just choose the method most comfortable for you.
Link via the Google Ads Interface
Make sure you have Editor permissions in Google Analytics 4 and Admin access in Google Ads. By linking your Google Ads Manager account, you’ll gain access to GA4 data across all associated ad accounts.
You need admin access to both individual Google Ads accounts and Google Ads Manager accounts to create multiple links between properties.
Below are the steps to connect Google Ads to Google Analytics 4:
1. First, log in to your Google Ads account to connect Google Ads to Google Analytics 4.
2. Next, click on “Tools and settings” and then click “Linked accounts” under “Setup.”
3. Now, find the “Google Analytics 4” card and click on “Details.”
4. You’ll see the list of the GA4 properties that you have access to.
5. Choose the Google Analytics 4 property you want to link and check its status. If you can’t find the needed property, make sure you have the appropriate access rights.
6. Click on “Link” in the “Actions” column next to the property. The data will become available in the “Acquisition” reports within 24 hours after the linking.
7. If you need to link multiple Google Ads accounts to your Analytics accounts, it’s better to create a Google Ads Manager account (MCC). After creating the MCC account, you just need to link the account in the same way as described in the guide above.
Link via the Google Analytics 4 Interface
- Log in to your Google Analytics 4 account.
- Go to the Admin panel, click on the “Product Links,” and then click “Google Ads links.” Click the blue Link button in the right corner of the interface.
- In the Link setup interface, click on “Choose Google Ads accounts” to select your Google Ads account. Then click Confirm and “Next” to proceed.To link GA4 properties to both individual Google Ads accounts and Google Ads Manager accounts, ensure you have the necessary permissions for a successful connection between the platforms.
- Configure settings for Personalized Advertising and Auto-Tagging; both are enabled by default.
- Review your settings and submit to complete the linking process.
Upon successful linking, you’ll see “Link Created” in green. Note that data may take up to 24 hours to appear.
How Can I Track Google Ads Performance Within GA4?
To delve into your Google Ads data within Google Analytics 4 (GA4), follow this step-by-step guide to navigate through the various reports and insights available:
1. Accessing Google Ads Campaigns Through Acquisition Overview
Navigate to Acquisition: Start by selecting the "Acquisition" option from the main menu.
Go to Overview: Within Acquisition, click on "Overview" to open the overview report.
Find the Google Ads Card: Scroll down slightly until you find the "View Google Ads campaigns" card. This card provides a choice between viewing the report by "Session" or "Engaged sessions” only.
Explore the Report: Clicking on the card will bring up a detailed report featuring Google Ads metrics such as Clicks, Cost, Cost per click (CPC), and Return on Ad Spend (ROAS), among others. Remember to scroll horizontally to view all available metrics.
2. Utilizing Google Ads Dimensions in Reports
User Acquisition Report: From the Acquisition menu, select "User acquisition report." Here, you can choose different Google Ads dimensions to analyze, but note that ad-related metrics are not available in this report.
Traffic Acquisition Report: Similarly, by selecting "Traffic acquisition report" under Acquisition, you can opt for the Session campaign dimension. This report includes data from all campaigns tagged with UTMs, not exclusively Google Ads metrics.
3. Creating Custom Explorations for Google Ads
Engage with Explorations: For a more tailored analysis, head to "Explorations," where you can create custom reports focusing on Google Ads data. This feature allows you to include specific metrics that matter to you and apply segments for deeper context.
Choosing the Right Method for Analysis
Deciding on the best approach depends on your specific needs.
- For a Comprehensive Overview: The first method, accessing Google Ads campaigns through the Acquisition Overview, is generally sufficient for a broad analysis of your Google Ads performance in GA4.
- For Custom Analysis: If you want to add more context or avoid navigating through the Acquisition Overview each time, creating custom Explorations can offer a more streamlined and detailed analysis.
By adhering to these steps, you can efficiently analyze your Google Ads data within GA4, utilizing the platform's powerful reporting and analytics features to acquire insights and optimize your campaign.
Best Practices for Linking Google Ads to GA4
To ensure accurate data flow between Google Ads and GA4, it’s essential to follow best practices when linking the two accounts.
Here are some key steps to follow:
- Link the Correct Accounts: Make sure you’re linking the correct Google Ads account to the correct GA4 property. Double-check the account settings and permissions to avoid any mix-ups.
- Verify Tracking Code Installation: Ensure that the tracking codes are installed correctly on your website. This is crucial for accurate data collection. You can use tools like Google Tag Assistant to verify that the codes are firing correctly.
- Regular Data Checks: Regularly check for any data discrepancies between Google Ads and GA4. This can help you identify and troubleshoot issues early. Look for inconsistencies in metrics such as clicks, sessions, and conversions.
- Consistent Conversion Goals and Attribution Models: Use the same conversion goals and attribution models in both GA4 and Google Ads. This ensures that the data is comparable and consistent across both platforms. For example, if you’re using a last-click attribution model in Google Ads, make sure to use the same model in GA4.
- Align Time Frames and Data Sources: When analyzing data, use the same time frame and data sources in both accounts. This helps in maintaining consistency and accuracy in your reports.
By following these best practices, you can ensure accurate data flow between ad groups, Google Ads, and GA4, enabling you to make informed decisions based on reliable data.
Regular monitoring and consistent settings across both platforms are key to optimizing your advertising strategies and improving your ROI.
How Do GA4 and Google Ads Metrics Differ, and Why?
When analyzing data between Google Analytics 4 (GA4) and Google Ads, it's common to encounter discrepancies. Grasping the causes of these variances can aid in reducing their effect and facilitating better-informed decision-making.
Here are some common causes for discrepancies and ways to address them:
Attribution Models and Lookback Windows
Google Ads typically uses the last-non-direct-click attribution model, while GA4 employs a data-driven model, crediting all relevant touchpoints. This often results in more conversions being reported in Google Ads and analytics above.
Google is developing a 'Conversion differences' report in GA4 to highlight discrepancies based on attribution models, aiding in reconciling data between the two platforms.
Different Metrics
Google Ads counts every click, including multiple clicks by the same user, whereas GA4 focuses on sessions, counting multiple clicks as one session if they occur within a short timeframe. This can lead to higher click counts in Google Ads compared to session counts in GA4.
UTM Tagging Issues
Discrepancies can arise if Auto-Tagging is not enabled or if manual UTM tagging is incorrect, leading to data not being attributed correctly to Google Ads campaigns.
Data Sampling
For large datasets or long timeframes, GA4 may use sampling, which can result in incomplete data. To avoid this, consider reducing the analysis period or exporting data to BigQuery for comprehensive analysis.
Tracking Discrepancies
Differences in tracking implementation between GA4 and Google Ads can cause discrepancies. Issues with cross-domain tracking can further complicate data accuracy, often showing more sessions in Google Ads than GA4.
Time Zone Mismatches
If GA4 and Google Ads are set to different time zones, data synchronization issues can occur. Aligning time zones in both platforms can help mitigate this issue.
Impact of Ad-Blockers
Ad-blockers can prevent data collection by both platforms, though the impact may vary depending on whether visitors consistently use them.
Strategies for Addressing Discrepancies
- Data Export and Analysis: Exporting data to a cloud platform like Google Cloud's BigQuery and joining tables can provide a unified view for deeper insights.
- Dashboard Creation: Develop easy-to-understand dashboards for other departments, showcasing the impact of marketing activities and making data more accessible.
Understanding these discrepancies is key to managing and interpreting your data effectively. While some issues can be addressed, others may be inherent to the differences between the platforms.By acknowledging these factors and employing strategies to mitigate their impact, you can achieve a more accurate and holistic view of your marketing performance.
Wrapping Up
Ta-da! Now, the “Campaigns” reports in Google Ads and the “Acquisition” reports in Google Analytics will become more detailed. If you run advertising campaigns with services other than Google Ads and want to see the cost data for these campaigns in your other ads and other Google Analytics reports, there are two options.
You could import the data manually using the Data Import feature, or use OWOX BI Pipeline to automate the import. In this way, you’ll get the data from Google Ads and non-Google advertising services together in a single Google Analytics report.
With 150+ pre-built data pipelines, automatic updates, and analytics-ready transformations, OWOX BI empowers you to connect, blend, and analyze data from multiple platforms without writing a single line of code.
Maximize your marketing ROI with accurate insights, efficient reporting, and seamless integration into tools like Google BigQuery, Google Analytics 4, and Looker Studio. Experience unparalleled data accuracy, automated updates, and world-class support for all your data needs.
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