This article explains the importance and process of sharing conversion data between Search Ads 360 (SA360) and Google Ads. By enabling this feature, advertisers can connect platforms, allowing Floodlight and other Search Ads 360 conversion signals to drive Google Ads auction-time bidding. This integration ensures reporting consistency across both interfaces and optimizes real-time bid adjustments based on a unified set of performance data.
On this page
- Why share conversion data?
- Search Ads 360 conversions are included in Google Ads conversion columns
- Instructions
Why share conversion data?
Sharing conversion data enables Google Ads Smart Bidding, including auction-time bidding, to use your comprehensive Floodlight and other Search Ads 360 conversion data as a signal for real-time bid optimization. This allows both Search Ads 360 and Google Ads reports to use a consistent set of conversion data.
For example:
- In Search Ads 360, you create a Floodlight activity named "Thank you page".
- You enable conversion-data sharing.
- Google Ads auction time bidding can use the "Thank you page" conversion data as a signal at auction time. In addition, reports in both Search Ads 360 and Google Ads will include "Thank you page" conversions.
Search Ads 360 conversions are included in Google Ads conversion columns
When sharing is enabled in your sub-manager, Search Ads 360 conversions will be included in the "Conversions" and "All conversions" columns for each campaign in Google Ads. This means all supported conversions reported in the Search Ads 360 Conversions column will also be reported in Google Ads conversions columns.
Conversions are key metrics that provide insight into campaign performance by tracking valuable user actions (like purchases or sign-ups).
- The primary “Conversions” column is used by bid strategies for optimization.
- The “All conversions” column offers reporting flexibility for valuable actions without impacting Smart Bidding.
- Search Ads 360 (SA360) conversion data is included in the Google Ads conversions columns.
- The Search Ads 360 "Conversions" column reflects your specific optimization settings and should align with your client account conversions.
- When using Auction-Time Bidding (ATB), the conversion data in the Google Ads and Search Ads 360 columns are expected to match for consistency.
Report conversion setting is required for auction-time bidding
By default, the ”Share conversions” setting is turned off. If this setting is off, the conversion sources of Google Ads campaigns in your Search Ads 360 sub-manager account will not be changed, even though the Search Ads 360 sub-manager account conversions are shared. In addition, campaigns will not be eligible to use Google Ads auction-time bidding, even if the campaigns are included in Search Ads 360 bid strategies.
When the ”Share conversions” setting is turned on, all Google Ads campaigns managed by the sub-manager account will have their Google Ads conversion source updated to match the Search Ads 360 shared conversions. After enabling, we recommend checking ROAS targets in Google Ads bid strategies to make sure they are aligned with the Search Ads 360 conversions.
For the best initial performance after enabling "Share conversions”, we recommend allowing sufficient time for data to build up in your campaigns before adding them to a Search Ads 360 bid strategy.
If “Share conversions” is turned off, campaigns using Search Ads 360 portfolio bidding are impacted differently: Search campaigns will default to intraday bidding, while Performance Max and other smart campaign types may not be optimized correctly by Search Ads 360. We recommend always checking the conversion source of your campaigns if you turn off this setting.
Instructions
How to enable conversion-data sharing and use Google Ads auction-time bidding in Shopping campaigns
- Sign in to your Search Ads 360 account.
- Navigate to a sub-manager account.
- Under “Tools & Settings” select Conversions and then select Settings.
- Select Share conversions to expand the section, and select the checkboxes.
- Select the check box next to “Share all Floodlight and other conversion data related to Google Ads with all Google Ads accounts linked to this Search Ads 360 sub-manager account.”
Note: Conversion-data sharing is required if you want to use functionality like Google Ads auction-time bidding.
- Select Save.
Using conversions with bid strategies
To enable Search Ads 360 bid strategies and Google Ads auction time bidding to use Search Ads 360 conversion data, you are required to set the Floodlight and other conversions as primary actions in the Search Ads 360 platform. Learn more About primary and secondary conversion actions.
Data automatically appears in Google Ads
After you enable conversion-data sharing, conversions recorded by Search Ads 360 begin to appear in the “Client account conversions” column (and all related columns such as “Cost/client account conv.” and "Client account conversions (by conv. time)") of every Google Ads account that is linked to the Search Ads 360 sub-manager account. Only conversions that occur after you enable conversion-data sharing are shared with Google Ads. Conversions that occurred before you enabled data sharing are not shared.
How to disable conversion-data sharing and turn off Google Ads auction-time bidding
- Sign in to your Search Ads 360 account.
- Navigate to a sub-manager account.
- Under “Tools & Settings” select Conversions and then select Settings.
- Select Share conversions to expand the section, and clear the first checkbox.
- Select Turn off to confirm that you want to stop sharing conversions with the Google Ads accounts linked to the sub-manager account and stop using auction-time bidding.
- Select Save.
Additional recommended step: Disable Google Ads auction-time bidding in each Search Ads 360 bid strategy or budget bid strategy.
- On the left navigation panel, select the Bidding & planning drop-down.
- Select Bid Strategies.
- Select the checkbox next to the name of a Target CPA or Target ROAS bid strategy that is using Google Ads auction-time bidding.
- Select Edit, then select Edit bid strategy settings.
- Clear the Use Google Ads auction-time bidding checkbox.
- Select Save.
For non-budget bid strategies, you can also follow these steps:
- On the left navigation panel, select the Bidding & planning drop-down.
- Select Bid Strategies.
- Select the name of a non-budget bid strategy that is using Google Ads auction-time bidding.
- Select Edit bid strategy.
- Clear the Use Google Ads auction-time bidding checkbox.
- Select Save.