Google Ads and Google Analytics icons connected by dotted line.
Aug 12, 2020 | Paid Search

How to Link Google Ads to Google Analytics

To gain a better understanding of the Paid traffic we produce from your Google Ads Campaigns, we always recommend that our clients link their Google Ads account to their Google Analytics account. Doing so allows us to enhance our view and further analyze the inbound traffic from your Google ads.

Let’s walk through the advantages of linking your Google Ads account to your Google Analytics account as well as how to link your Google Ads account to your Google Analytics account.    

Linking your Google Ads account to your Google Analytics accounts provides you with an additional level of analysis by allowing you to import data from Google Analytics to your Google Ads account, as well as see Google Ads performance data within Google Analytics.

While Google Ads provides its own level of data within the Google Ads dashboard, linking the accounts allows you to see additional metrics like Bounce Rate of Paid Users, Pages/Session, the number of Sessions, and even more. Also, we can see additional conversion data, for example, like assisted conversions where a user may have visited the site through a paid ad, left the site then returned as organic traffic.  

This additional level of data helps us show additional ROI, as well as expand our campaigns into more types of remarketing ads.

Once your Google Ads account is linked to Google Analytics, you will be able to:

  1. View your ad performance alongside site metrics within the Google Ads reports in Google Analytics.
  2. Import Goals and Ecommerce Data from Analytics into Google Ads.
  3. Import Google Analytics data like Bounce Rate, Avg. Session Duration, etc. into Google Ads.
  4. Use Analytics Remarketing and Dynamic Remarketing within your Google Ads remarketing.
  5. See multi-channel funnels reports in Google Analytics.

How to Link Your Google Ads Account to Google Analytics

To link your Google Ads account to your Google Analytics account, follow the instructions below:

  1. Log in to your Google Analytics account.
  2. Once in the proper view, click on Acquisition.
  3. Next, click on Google Ads.
  4. Then click on Campaigns.
  5. Click the blue Link your accounts button.
Link Google Ads and Analytics Accounts.

6. Select the Google Ads account that you would like to link.

Configure Google Ads Link Group.

7. If you have multiple Analytics views, you will need to turn on the views that you would like to link.

8. Select Link accounts.

Turn on Google Analytics View.

9. Then select the blue Done button.

Alternative Way to Link Google Ads to Google Analytics

  1. Click the Admin settings gear in the bottom left corner.
  2. Select Google Ads Linking.
  3. Follow steps 6 through 9 above.

To Sum It All Up

Linking your Google Ads account to your Google Analytics account is a necessary step when launching a new Google Ads campaign. Enhancing the Google Ads and Analytics data with additional metrics will only help us refine your Paid Media strategy and increase the productivity of your Google Ads campaigns.

If you have a question that wasn’t answered above or would like to discuss your Google Ads account with our Paid Media team, feel free to reach out by filling out a Free Consultation form!

Ricky Weiss
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