Introduction
Are you looking to simplify and enhance your advertising efforts? Linking Google Analytics 4 with Google Ads is crucial for gaining valuable insights and improving campaign performance. This guide focuses on seamlessly linking GA4 and Google Ads, enabling you to track conversions, optimize ad targeting, and make informed, data-driven decisions.
Learn how to link these powerful tools to unlock actionable insights and boost your ROI in simple steps. Let’s get started!
Step-by-Step Guide to Integrate Google Analytics Account with Google Ads Account (with Admin Access)
Step 1: Log in to Google Ads Account with Admin Access
- Access Google Ads with the email address having Admin rights.
Screenshot 1: Google Ads Dashboard
- Go to Admin and choose Access and Security in the Admin menu.
Screenshot 2: Access and Security Section in Admin Settings
Step 2 (Optional): Adding a Domain Name and Activating 2-Step Verification
- Google, by default, restricts email domains in your security settings. Only users from approved domains can be invited to access your Google Ads account, preventing external access.
- For example, in your Google Ads account, the allowed domain is yourwebsite.com, and you want to add a new allowed domain, yournewwebsite.com. In this situation, the new domain should be added to the allowed domains.
- To do that, go to the Admin Access and Security Section and click on the Security tab.
Screenshot 3: Selecting Security Option from the Access and Security Section
- Turn on the 2-step verification that gives stronger security to your account and added protection against password theft.
- Then, scroll to the Allowed Domains section and click on Add New Domain. This is necessary for adding an email address from a specific domain, like @wpoets.com.
Screenshot 4: Adding Domain Name and Turning on the 2-Step Verification Process
Step 3: Adding a New User in Google Ads with Admin access
- Navigate to the User Section under Access and Security, and click on the blue plus sign to initiate the process of adding a new user.
Screenshot 5: Adding a New User in Google Ads Account
- Add the email ID with admin rights in Google Analytics 4 and select the Admin option in the Account Access Level section. After filling in the required information, click on Send Invitation.
Screenshot 6: Entering details for New User in Google Ads Account with Admin Access in GA4
- An invitation will be sent to the new user. The recipient needs to accept this invitation to enable user access to the Google Ads account.
Screenshot 7: Pending Invitation to be Accepted by New User
- To complete the linking process, check the email for the invitation and click the Accept Invitation button.
Screenshot 8: Invitation Email Sent to the New User
- Once the invitation is accepted, the Google Ads Account with the Username having Admin Access in Google Analytics will be activated.
Step 4: Log in to Google Analytics 4 and Navigate to Google Ads Links
- Log in to Google Analytics 4 using the Email ID newly added in Google Ads with admin access.
Screenshot 9: Google Analytics Dashboard
- Click on the Admin Icon and Scroll down to the Products Links Section.
- In the Product Links section, choose Google Ads Links.
Screenshot 10: Selecting the Google Ads Links option from Products Links
Step 5: Linking Google Analytics with Google Ads Account
- In the Google Ads Links Section, click on the blue Link tab.
Screenshot 11: Selecting the Link option for Linking Google Ads Account
Create a link with Google Ads side panel will appear. Select Choose Google Ads account to proceed further with the Google Ads account linking process.
Screenshot 12: Create a Link with the Google Ads Tab
- A side panel will appear, showing a list of Google Ads accounts for which you have Admin rights. Select the Google Ads account in which you had added the new user. Always cross-check the account numbers.
- Then, click on Confirm.
If you don’t see your Google Ads account, double-check that you’re using the correct email ID.
Screenshot 13: Choosing Google Ads Account with New User Email ID
- In the Link Set Up side panel, click Next in the Choose Google Ads Accounts section after verifying that the Google Ads account is correct.
Screenshot 14: Confirming Google Ads account to be Selected
Step 6: Configure the Link Settings for Google Ads Account with Admin Access
- In the Configure Settings section,
- Enable Personalized Advertising: This feature lets you show ads that are customized to fit the interests and preferences of your audience.
- Enable Auto-Tagging: This ensures that your campaigns are your campaigns are automatically tagged, simplifying accurate performance tracking.
Screenshot 15: Configure the Auto-Tag Settings for Google Ads Account
- Review the settings and click on the Submit button to finish linking.
Screenshot 16: Review and Confirm Settings for Google Ads Account
Step 7: Confirm the Connection
- Return to the Google Ads Links section in the Admin panel.
- Ensure the status says “Link Created” to verify the successful connection as shown in Screenshot 17.
Screenshot 17: Your Google Ads Account is Linked to GA4
Step 8: Enable Google Signals for Conversion Tracking
Enabling Google Signals in GA4 enhances your conversion tracking by collecting data on users across devices and platforms. This feature provides more accurate insights into user behavior, allowing you to optimize ad targeting and improve campaign performance.
- Go back to your GA4 dashboard. Navigate to Admin > Data Collection.
Screenshot 18: Selecting the Data Collection option In GA4 Admin Interface
- The Google Signals Dashboard will appear. Click on the Turn on button.
Screenshot 19: Google Signals Data Collection Dashboard
- The Google signals data collection will be Activated.
Screenshot 20: Google Data Signals Activated your Integration
Once you’ve verified the connection and enabled Google Signals, the setup is complete. This setup empowers you to track cross-platform conversions, access enhanced insights, and make data-driven decisions to refine your advertising strategies.
Step 8: Google Ads Data in GA4 Reports
- To view your Google ads Traffic:
- In GA4 (Email ID-A), navigate to Reports → Acquisition → Traffic Acquisition.
- Apply a filter for Google Ads traffic or Paid traffic to assess whether the ad performance data is visible.
Screenshot 21: Traffic Reports in Google Analytics 4 Showing Paid Traffic Details
- To view your Google Ads Campaign reports:
- Navigate to Acquisition → Acquisition Overview.
Screenshot 22: Acquisition Overview Tab
- Scroll down and click on Sessions by Session Google Ads Campaign card and click on View Google Ads campaigns.
Screenshot 23: Sessions by Session Google Ads Campaign Card in Acquisition Overview
Screenshot 24: Sessions by Session Google Ads Campaign Report
- To explore additional Google Ads reports in Google Analytics, select the Session Google Ads campaign dropdown to view your data categorized by:
- Ad group name
- Keyword text
- Search query
- Ad network type
- Google Ads account name
- Another way to View Google Ads Reports:
- Navigate to the Advertising tab, then click on Google Ads.
Screenshot 25: Advertising Section in Google Analytics 4
- Google Ads Reports will appear.
Screenshot 26: Google Ads Campaign Report in Advertising Section
Note: If data does not appear right away, please allow 24 to 48 hours for updates to be reflected.
Conclusion:
Integrating Google Analytics 4 (GA4) with Google Ads is important for tracking and enhancing your marketing strategies.
This setup improves control and security, making it easier to deal with multiple teams or roles. The integration provides valuable insights that can help you optimize your ad campaigns and accurately measure their success.
If you haven’t linked the two yet, now is the perfect time to do so. Using GA4 alongside Google Ads can elevate your campaigns and keep you ahead in your marketing efforts!
