How to Connect Google Analytics to Google Ads for Enhanced Insights

You are missing out on a treasure trove of insights that could elevate your digital marketing strategy if you’re running Google Ads campaigns but haven’t yet connected your Google Analytics account. Integrating the two platforms gives you a fuller picture of how users interact with your site after clicking an ad – helping you optimise ad spend, fine-tune targeting, and drive better ROI.

This guide explains the advantages of linking Google Analytics with Google Ads. It walks you through the step-by-step process of connecting the two platforms. It also outlines the types of insights you can gain once the integration is complete. If you’d prefer expert help setting up or interpreting this data, partnering with a Google Analytics agency in Melbourne can be a smart move to ensure your business gets the most out of your analytics strategy.

Why Link Google Analytics to Google Ads?

Google Ads provides excellent performance metrics, including impressions, clicks, and conversions. However, it doesn’t offer much insight into what happens after the click. That’s where Google Analytics comes in. By linking your Google Analytics account, you gain access to:

• User behaviour data post-click, such as bounce rate, average session duration, and pages per session
• Goal completions and eCommerce transactions that originate from ads
• Multi-channel funnels, showing how paid ads fit into the broader customer journey
• Remarketing capabilities, allowing you to build audiences based on site behaviour
• Enhanced attribution models, giving you better clarity on which ads drive results

These deeper insights allow you to adjust bidding strategies, refine ad messaging, and personalise landing pages for stronger results.

Pre-Integration Checklist

Before jumping into the setup, make sure you have:

1. Admin access to both your Google Analytics and Google Ads accounts.
2. The same email address used to manage both platforms.
3. The latest version of Google Analytics (GA4) installed on your website.

Once you’re all set, it’s time to link the two.

Here’s How to Connect Google Analytics to Google Ads

Step 1 – Log into Google Analytics

Head to analytics.google.com and sign in with the account that has admin access.

Step 2 – Navigate to Admin Settings

In the bottom-left corner, click the gear icon to open the Admin section. Under the “Property” column (make sure you’ve selected the correct property), scroll down to Product Links, then click on Google Ads Links.

Step 3 – Choose Your Google Ads Account

Click the “Link” button. If you’re signed into an account that manages multiple Ads accounts, you’ll see them listed here. Select the account(s) you want to link and click “Next.”

Step 4 – Configure Link Settings

• Enable personalized advertising (recommended): This ensures your linked audiences as well as conversions can be shared with Google Ads for retargeting.
• Enable auto-tagging: This automatically adds tracking parameters to your ad URLs so Analytics can track visits and conversions accurately. It’s essential to leave this on unless you have a specific reason to use manual tagging.

Click “Next” to continue.

Step 5 – Review and Submit

Double-check your settings and click “Submit.” That’s it – your Google Ads account is now linked to Google Analytics!

Bonus Step – Import Goals and Conversions into Google Ads

To get the most value from your integration, you can import your Google Analytics conversions into Google Ads. Here’s how:

1. Go to your Google Ads account.
2. Click on “Tools & Settings” (wrench icon), then “Conversions”.
3. Click “New Conversion Action” > “Import” > “Google Analytics 4 properties (web)”.
4. Select the goals or events you want to import and click “Import and continue.”

This enables Google Ads to optimise your campaigns based on actual outcomes – not just clicks.

Here are Some Key Insights You’ll Gain After Linking

Once the platforms are connected, you’ll have access to a new level of performance data – here are some of the insights you can start tracking:

• Post-Click Engagement Metrics: Understand whether users from ads are actually engaging with your site. Are they bouncing right away? Spending time exploring multiple pages? These insights can help you adjust landing pages or ad messaging for better alignment.
• Conversion Attribution: View how different channels (organic search, social media, email) assist in conversions, alongside paid ads. This helps you avoid over-attributing conversions to the last click and gives a more holistic view of your marketing efforts.
• Behaviour Flow: See how users move through your site after clicking on an ad. You might find unexpected drop-off points or identify high-performing paths that could be used as templates for future campaigns.
• Audience Segments: Build remarketing audiences based on time on site, pages viewed, geographic location, and more. This level of segmentation allows for highly targeted, cost-effective campaigns.
• ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) Tracking: If you’re an eCommerce business, connecting Google Analytics with Google Ads makes it easy to calculate ROAS by matching revenue data to ad spend – crucial for scaling profitably.

Watch Out for These Common Pitfalls

While the setup is generally straightforward, a few common issues can derail your tracking:

• Not using the same login across platforms.
• Forgetting to enable auto-tagging, which leads to incomplete or inaccurate data.
• Failing to import conversions into Google Ads, which limits optimisation potential.
• Incorrect GA4 setup – make sure your events and goals are properly configured.

When in doubt about the accuracy of your analytics, a comprehensive audit can be the smartest move to turn uncertainty into insight. A specialised Google Analytics agency can quickly spot and fix issues that might be costing you valuable insights.

Ready to get started?

A smart move you can make to improve effectiveness of your digital campaigns is to connect Google Analytics to Google Ads. With just a few clicks, you unlock powerful insights into user behaviour, conversion patterns, and campaign performance… all of which allow for better decision-making and stronger returns. Whether you’re new to paid ads or a seasoned marketer, taking the time to properly link and utilise these tools is well worth the effort.