How to connect AdWords to Google Analytics: Setting up conversions

Connecting Google AdWords to Google Analytics is a critical step in data collection and should be a part of new website Analytics setup checklist.  

There are three main advantages of connecting these platforms: 

1. Enables auto tagging for campaigns that are run in AdWords .

2. Allows for main AdWords metrics to be viewed in GA and some of the GA metrics to be visible in AdWords (behaviour metrics such as bounce rate, time on site) and conversions.

3. Sharing conversion data between platforms to optimize campaigns for.

 How to connect Google AdWords and Google Analytics for conversions?

1. This is perhaps the easiest step. You need to have an account that has admin level access in Google Analytics and AdWords .

2. In Google Analytics admin settings, go to the property level and connect Adwords .

3. While it appears that the platforms are now connected, it's important to import conversions from Google Analytics to AdWords. After step two, head to AdWords > Conversions > Google Analytics. Here, you'll be able to see the goals that you've created in Google Analytics.

4. Bonus tip: AdWords shows all the goals under a view. If you multiple views under several properties that have similar goals, it can be difficult to distinguish [e.g. Brochure Downloads]. To sort these quickly, head over to Google Analytics and rename your views to [property name / Master data ]. once you check these conversions in AdWords, you'll be able to distinguish the goals between. Properties.

5. Once you select goals, you'll need to define the goal increment counter. Here's where these goals , even though imported from google Analytics, start differentiating slightly from AdWords.

Main differences in goal conversion setup: 

• For event based goals, Google Analytics counts one event per session. E.g. if you download 5 brochures that are .PDF and have event s setup for brochure downloads, Analytics will count 1 goal for this session. This is default and cannot be changed. While importing this goal in AdWords, you can choose to count a conversion everytime it occurs after a click or just once . If you chose every time, Adwords would count it as 5 conversions from a single click.

• Default attribution model: Google Analytics default attribution model is last click while AdWords allows attribution modeling options from the MCF section of GA . I.e. counting conversions based on first click, last click, last non direct click, time decay. Linear, data driven. This is a relatively new feature from last year that helps builds better attribution for AdWords campaigns beyond the last click / compared to other attribution models that are fixed (by time or position). Depending on the industry and campaign types, the assist rate could indicate that these campaigns are driving more assists than last click conversions.

Hope this post helps.