When it comes to analysing customer activity on your website, you can import your Google Analytics conversions into Google Ads and use Google Ads conversion tracking to measure the conversions. You can use any combination of these 2 at the same time. Expand the section below for a quick comparison.
Compare Google Analytics conversions and Google Ads conversion trackingGoogle Analytics 4 properties conversion tracking
- Ideal if you're interested in measurement and conversions across your app or website. Learn more about Google Analytics 4 properties.
- Can include conversions from non-Google Ads sources, so it's recommended for tracking all customer traffic on your website.
Google Ads conversion tracking
- Ideal if you're interested only in conversions.
- Measure conversions only from Google Ads sources.
Before you begin
To start importing data, you'll need to link your Google Ads account to a Google Analytics account and turn on auto-tagging in your Google Ads account. You need at least a Marketer role in Google Analytics to import conversions into Google Ads.
How to import conversions into Google Ads
You can import your Google Analytics conversions into Google Ads through the Google Ads or Google Analytics interface.
Import conversions through Google Ads
- From your Google Ads account, click the Goals icon
.
- Click the Conversions drop-down in the section menu, then click Summary.
- Select + New conversion action.
- Select Import and then click Google Analytics (GA4).
- Click Continue.
- On the next page, select the features that you’d like to import, then click Import and continue.
- Click Done.
.Import conversions through Google Analytics
- In your Google Analytics property, go to Advertising and select Conversion management under 'Tools'.
- Select the Google Ads account where you want to import conversions in the Showing conversions for drop-down.
- Click New conversion, then Next.
- Select the events or key events you want to import as conversions into Google Ads.
- Note: Events selected from the 'Events' section will be marked as key events in Google Analytics.
- If prompted, select the 'Conversion' category for your selected events and key events.
- Click Next to review your selected conversions, then Save.
Google Ads will begin importing the data from your Analytics property. Historical data from before the import won't be included.
Bear in mind
It can take up to 24 hours before conversion data is available in Google Ads. When it is available, your imported conversions data will appear alongside your existing conversion data on the Conversions page, and you'll be able to customise columns on the Campaigns tab to include this data. Reports based on your imported conversions data may include modelled conversions as estimates in cases where Google can’t observe all conversions.
After Analytics data has been imported to Google Ads, it is subject to the Google Ads Terms of Service.
How to edit conversion settings
After you've imported your Analytics conversions, you can edit them through the Google Ads and Google Analytics interface.
Edit conversion settings through Google Ads
- From your Google Ads account, click the Goals icon
- Click the Conversions drop-down in the section menu, then click Summary.
- Click the name of the imported conversion that you want to edit.
- In the bottom right-hand corner, click Edit settings.
- Make any changes and click the Save button.
Edit conversion settings through Google Analytics
- In your Google Analytics property, go to Advertising and select Conversion management under 'Tools'.
- Select the Google Ads account where you've imported Google Analytics conversions in the Showing conversions for drop-down.
- Locate the Google Analytics-imported conversion action that you want to edit.
- Click the 3-dot icon
beside the conversion action, then select Settings.
- Make the necessary changes, then click Save.
beside the conversion action, then select Settings.Benefits
Importing your Google Analytics conversions into Google Ads offers a few benefits:
- Access your Google Analytics conversions and data related to your Google Ads clicks.
- View Google Analytics conversion data in Google Ads.
- Give Smart Bidding access to data that helps optimise bids, potentially increasing conversions and lowering costs.
Data discrepancies
You might see discrepancies in the conversion statistics between Google Analytics and Google Ads conversion tracking.
Learn how to fix your conversion discrepancies. If you've double-checked that your setup is correct, here are some possible reasons for why you might see this:
Date of transactionGoogle Ads reports conversions from the date and time of the click that led to the successful action, not from the date of the successful action itself.
For example, let's say that someone saw your ad and clicked it on 19 July, but did not make a purchase on your site until the next day, 20 July. In Google Ads, the conversion would be attributed to 19 July, the day of the click. In Google Analytics, however, the conversion is attributed to 20 July, the day that the conversion actually occurred.
In Google Ads, you can choose to count either all or unique conversions by setting the counting method for each conversion action, including Analytics key events imported into Google Ads. The 'Conversions' column in Google Ads will display conversions that happened within your chosen conversion window, according to your selected counting method.
Example
In your Google Analytics property, you've defined a key event for filling in a lead form. Someone fills in 2 lead forms (in different sessions) after an ad click, and Analytics shows them as 2 key event counts. You import this key event in Google Ads as a conversion and set your counting method to 'Unique', so you only see one conversion.
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If you need more help with Google Analytics in Google Ads, contact us.
