How to Link Google Ads to Google Analytics (A Step-by-Step Guide)
To link Google Ads to Google Analytics, go to Admin > Product links > Google Ads links in GA4, click Link, choose your Google Ads account, and submit the link. You need the Editor or Administrator role on the GA4 property and administrative access to the Google Ads account.
If you run ads and use Google Analytics to track website traffic and user behavior, linking the two platforms lets you connect ad clicks to on-site behavior in one place.
I walk you through each step below, along with the benefits of linking the two platforms.
Table of Content
- Why Should You Link Google Ads to Google Analytics?
- How to Link Google Ads to Google Analytics
- Conclusion
- Frequently Asked Questions
Why Should You Link Google Ads to Google Analytics?
Linking Google Ads to Google Analytics lets you see which ads bring visitors and what those visitors do on your website.
We use Google Analytics to track user behavior on the website. This platform tracks the pages visitors land upon, the pages they further explore, the forms they fill out, or the files they download.
That’s the job of Google Ads. This is Google’s advertising network that helps you design and display ads to your target audience. You use this platform to create ads that potential visitors will click to visit your website.
If you see closely, connecting Google Ads and Google Analytics allows you to influence users to come to your website (google Ads) and monitor their behavior on the website (Google Analytics). This covers the entire user journey from initial discovery to final conversion.
Other related benefits include:
- Google Ads performance data appears in your Google Analytics reports within 48 hours of linking.
- You can create Google Ads conversions based on your GA4 key events, so ad performance connects to completed actions.
- Use native Google Analytics metrics (Pageviews, Bounce Rate, Sessions) in Google Ads.
- Use the Google Analytics remarketing tools to better build the audience in Google Ads.
Linking Google Analytics and Google Ads shows the full customer cycle, from the ad click to the key event on your site. Here is an example.
With the accounts linked, your GA4 key events can become Google Ads conversions that you use for bidding. Your GA4 audiences can also be added to a Google Ads campaign for remarketing, once Google signals or user-provided data collection is turned on.
How to Link Google Ads to Google Analytics
You link Google Ads to Google Analytics from the Admin area of your GA4 property.
But I describe the process, and it is important to understand a few restrictions you need to keep in view:
- You need the Editor or Administrator role on the GA4 property you want to link to Google Ads.
- You need administrative access to the Google Ads account. Also, you should know that only active Google Ads accounts can be linked to Google Analytics accounts.
Tip: it would greatly help the process if you log into both accounts using the same email address. This is not a requirement but something that could remove potential errors during the process.
Let’s start the process.
- Go to Admin in GA4: Log in to your Google Analytics account and select the property you want to link. Then, click on Admin in the left-hand menu.
- Select Google Ads Linking: Under the Property settings, click on Google Ads Links.
- Choose Your Google Ads Account: Click the Link button and select the Google Ads account you want to connect.
Next, you need to choose a Google Ads account that you want to link.
Choose the account and click on Confirm.
After choosing the Google Ads account and confirming it, click on Next.
Then, configure the settings . The Enable Personalized Advertising option is on by default. To enable auto-tagging, expand the Enable Auto-Tagging option, or leave your auto-tagging settings as they are. Then click on the Next button.
- Review and Submit: Check your link settings.
Then, submit the link.
You will see that the Google Ads link has been created successfully.
Conclusion
We hope you now have a clear idea of how to link Google Ads to Google Analytics. The process is very simple and allows you to greatly enhance your reporting and analysis capabilities. To link the platforms, you need the Editor or Administrator role on the GA4 property and administrative access to the Google Ads account.
Let us know how you connected the two accounts and then used the information for better analysis.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Should I connect Google Analytics and Google Ads?
If you need a more extensive look into how visitors come to your website and interact with your pages, you should connect the two platforms for detailed coverage and analysis.
Are there any restrictions I need to be aware of?
When connecting Google Ads and Google Analytics, you need to be aware of the following restrictions:
1) A Google Analytics property can only have 400 groups.
2) You need to have an active Google Ads account. Inactive or canceled accounts cannot be linked to Google Analytics.
That’s all! You can also check out All About Google Analytics Events vs. Goals and How to Track Facebook Ads in Google Analytics 4.
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