How Do You Link Google Ads and Google Analytics Accounts and Set Up Auto Tagging?

TL;DR

Link Google Ads and Google Analytics through Google Ads Linking, save the link with auto tagging enabled, then confirm URL tagging in Google Ads account settings. Auto tagging appends a unique ID that lets Analytics report details about each ad click without manually adding tracking codes or templates. Read on for the exact setup path, verification steps, reporting location and tracking prerequisite.

Transcript

all right what's up everyone welcome to the Surfside PPC YouTube channel today's tour Toro is gonna be pretty quick it's gonna be just how to link your Google Adwords and Google Analytics accounts and how to set up auto tagging so you can track your campaigns automatically without adding anything to your track URLs so you have to add any tracking c... Read More

Key Insights

• Automatic tracking is the objective: Linking the accounts and enabling auto tagging lets Google Analytics track Google Ads campaigns without manually placing tracking codes on every destination URL. The advertiser can send visitors directly to a homepage without adding a tracking template. This reduces the setup work required at the individual URL level.
• Analytics starts the linking process: The link is created from the Google Analytics Admin area, not from the campaign screen shown at the beginning. Under the Property column, Google Ads Linking appears inside Product Linking. New Link Group is the relevant choice when the property does not already have the necessary connection.
• Shared emails simplify account discovery: Using the same email address for Google Ads and Google Analytics allows the advertising account to appear automatically during link creation. If the accounts use different email addresses, the process requires a request. The presenter therefore recommends creating the accounts under the same exact email address.
• The numeric ID confirms selection: During creation of a new link group, Google Analytics presents the available Google Ads account with a phone-number-like identifier. The presenter uses the visible account ID to confirm that the correct Surfside PPC advertising account is selected. This matters when the user can access several client accounts.
• Link configuration controls tagging: Establishing the account relationship is followed by opening Link Configuration. Saving that link enables auto tagging for Google Ads accounts included in the link group. Advanced Settings provides a place to confirm that the option to enable auto tagging on the added accounts is selected before saving.
• Every click receives an identifier: Auto tagging appends a unique ID to the destination associated with an ad click. That identifier allows Analytics to report details for each click. The presenter describes it as carrying the information that led to the click, including the advertisement, keyword and landing page.
• Verification happens inside Google Ads: After saving the Analytics link, the connection can be checked from the Google Ads tools menu. Under Setup, Linked Accounts leads to Google Analytics and displays the connected accounts. The Surfside PPC example shows one linked view, six goals and six lists, while also allowing the connection to be removed.
• Account-level tagging needs confirmation: The presenter treats the Google Ads account setting as an additional verification step. From Settings, the user must leave the automatically displayed Campaign Settings area and open Account Settings. Under Auto Tagging, the option to tag the URL that people click for the ad should be selected and saved.
• Extra URL templates are unnecessary: With the accounts linked and auto tagging active, the advertiser does not need to append separate tracking information to the URL. The example states that traffic can be sent directly to the homepage. Google Ads and Google Analytics can then track the activity through the enabled tagging configuration.
• Campaign reports live under Acquisition: The resulting advertising data is accessed in Google Analytics by opening Acquisition, selecting Google Ads and then choosing Campaigns. The report can include advertising measures such as clicks, cost and CPC alongside site-use measures such as users, sessions, pages per session and bounce rate.
• The example validates report fields: A small campaign used for the Google Keyword Planner produced three clicks at a total cost of one dollar fifty and a fifty-cent cost per click. Its report also showed three users, three sessions, two pages per session and a zero percent bounce rate. The traffic was directed to beachfrontdecor.com.
• Website Analytics remains essential: Linking accounts cannot produce site tracking if Google Analytics has not already been set up on the website. The presenter says the code can be placed on the site or configured through a WordPress plugin. Once that prerequisite is satisfied, contact-form fills and other conversions can appear in the campaign report.

Questions & Answers

Q: How do you link Google Ads and Google Analytics accounts and enable auto tagging?

Open Google Analytics Admin, go to the Property column and select Google Ads Linking under Product Linking. Choose New Link Group, select the relevant Google Ads account and open Link Configuration. Confirm under Advanced Settings that auto tagging is enabled for accounts added to the link, then select Save and Done. Finally, open Google Ads Account Settings, select the option to tag the URL people click for the ad and save it.

Q: What does Google Ads auto tagging do?

Auto tagging appends a unique ID to the destination associated with each Google Ads click. Google Analytics uses that ID to report the details of the click, including the ad, keyword and landing page. This enables automatic campaign tracking without manually adding tracking codes or a tracking template to each URL. The resulting data helps identify what drives results and conversions and what may be wasting budget.

Q: Can accounts with different email addresses be linked?

Yes, the transcript says accounts using different email addresses can still be linked. In that situation, the user must send a request, which makes the process an extra step. When Google Ads and Google Analytics use the same email address, the advertising account is pulled into the linking screen automatically. The presenter recommends using the same exact email for both accounts because it simplifies selection and setup.

Q: How can you verify that Google Ads and Google Analytics are linked?

In Google Ads, open the tools menu and select Linked Accounts under Setup. Choose Google Analytics to display the Analytics accounts connected to the advertising account. In the Surfside PPC example, the listing shows one linked view, six goals and six lists. Seeing the account marked as linked confirms the connection, and the same screen also offers an option to unlink it.

Q: Where is auto tagging enabled in Google Ads?

Start from the Google Ads overview and open Settings. The interface initially displays Campaign Settings, so switch to Account Settings. Find the Auto Tagging section and select the option labeled to tag the URL that people click for the ad. Save the setting so campaign clicks can be tracked through the connection with Google Analytics.

Q: Where can auto-tagged Google Ads campaign data be viewed in Google Analytics?

Open Google Analytics and go to Acquisition, Google Ads and then Campaigns. That report can show clicks, cost, CPC, users, sessions, pages per session and bounce rate. If contact-form fills or other conversions are configured, they can appear there as well. This combined view connects advertising activity with the results recorded through Analytics.

Q: What data appeared in the tutorial's example campaign report?

The example was a small campaign that the presenter ran to use the Google Keyword Planner. It recorded three clicks with a total cost of one dollar fifty and a fifty-cent cost per click. The report also showed three users, three sessions, two pages per session and a zero percent bounce rate. The traffic had been sent to beachfrontdecor.com, although the presenter noted an issue with the displayed user and session data.

Q: What must be installed on the website before auto tagging can track results?

Google Analytics must already be set up on the website. Without that installation, linking the accounts and enabling auto tagging will not allow Analytics to track site activity. The presenter mentions placing the Analytics code on the website or setting it up with a WordPress plugin. This site-level setup is necessary because the linked advertising data needs an active Analytics implementation to record what happens after a click.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Opening the two accounts: The tutorial begins with the Surfside PPC Google Ads overview and Google Analytics admin screens already open. Its goal is to link the accounts and activate auto tagging so campaigns can be tracked automatically. This removes the need to manually add tracking codes to destination URLs. Once configured, Analytics can help show what drives results and conversions, as well as what may be wasting the advertising budget.

• Creating the Analytics link: In Google Analytics, open Admin through the gear icon, move to the Property column and select Google Ads Linking under Product Linking. Choose New Link Group if no link exists. When both accounts use the same email address, Analytics automatically finds the Google Ads account. Different email addresses require sending a request, which adds another step. Select the account identified by its phone-number-like ID to establish the link group.

• Enabling link auto tagging: After linking the account, open Link Configuration and review the auto-tagging option. Saving the link enables auto tagging for the Google Ads accounts added to that link group. Under Advanced Settings, confirm that auto tagging is enabled for those accounts, then select Save and Done. The appended unique ID allows Analytics to report each click's details, including the ad, keyword and landing page associated with that click.

• Verifying both account settings: In Google Ads, open the tools menu, choose Linked Accounts under Setup and select Google Analytics. The page lists connected Analytics accounts, including linked views, goals and lists, and also provides an unlink option. Next, open Settings from the Google Ads overview, switch from Campaign Settings to Account Settings and find Auto Tagging. Select the option to tag the URL people click for the ad, then save the account setting.

• Reviewing tracked campaign data: To inspect results, open Google Analytics and follow Acquisition, Google Ads, then Campaigns. The example report shows clicks, cost, CPC, users, sessions, pages per session, bounce rate and any configured contact-form fills or conversions. One small campaign displayed three clicks, a cost of one dollar fifty, fifty-cent CPC, three users, three sessions, two pages per session and a zero percent bounce rate. Analytics must already be installed on the website for tracking to work.