Step Ten: Links and Integrations

Links and Integrations

Recreate your UA product links and integrations with a GA4 implementation. Combine analytics and advertising data for advanced AI-enabled bidding and better remarketing targets. Gain synergies and insights by aggregating data with GSC and within BigQuery. 

Key Tasks

• Link GAds to GA4 using the property product links, Or
• Import UA GAds links to GA4 using the GAds Links Migration Tool.
• Use GA4 audiences for GAds campaigns.
• Use GA4 audiences for GAds dynamic remarketing.
• Use GA4 conversion data in GAds bidding.
• Integrate Google Search Console to enable Organic Search reporting.
• Integrate Big Query to warehouse GA4 data.
• Integrate eCommerce platforms.

GA in Data Studio

Overview

Linking and sharing data between GA4 and other platforms enables audiences and conversion data to drive remarketing and bidding accuracy, connects search query data with analytics, and enables warehousing of data for further exploration or visualization. For those who have linked UA and GAds, existing links can be imported into GA4. Finally, ecommerce platforms can now be integrated to maintain much of an existing GA configuration.

Linking Google Ads and Analytics

Connecting Google Analytics (GA) and Google Ads (GAds) enables a two-way data flow that informs analytics, advertising, and ultimately, sales. Campaign and dimensions from Google Ads are visible in GA4 acquisition reports, providing analytics context for GAds performance. Google Ads uses conversion and audience data for more precise and informed bidding and remarketing tactics. Leveraging the power of both products ensures you gain insights and results from the intersections of two advanced data-driven marketing platforms. 

Google Ads Links in GA4

Linking Options

Before using Google Ads data in GA reports, or GA data to share audiences and conversions, you must first link a GA property to Google Ads. During the process, Ads Personalization is on by default. If you want GA audiences and remarketing parameters to be shared to GAds accounts, leave this setting on. For properties created after August 2018, Google Signals must also be activated to enable remarketing.

Finally, you will also have the option to configure auto-tagging. Google Ads auto-tagging helps import GA conversions into GAds without manually tagging final URLs. Auto-tagging eliminates errors and provides more detailed GA reporting (e.g., additional dimensions for ad groups, ad network, keywords, queries). Click the GA support resource below for more information.

Auto-Tagging Resource

Linking Requirements

To allow linking, your GA permission must have editor role for any property you link, and you’ll need administrative access to the Google Ads account. Linking to a GAds manager account makes all imported GA data available to all client accounts.

If you are migrating from UA to GA4, there are two options for linking Google Ads:

• Link your new GA4 property with Google Ads using the property’s Product Links feature.
• Import your UA links with Google Ads using the Links Migration Tool. 

Import existing UA links with Google Ads using the Migration Tool

If your current UA property is already linked to Google Ads, you can quickly migrate those links to your new GA4 property.

1. In GA, click Admin, then Select the relevant GA4 property.
2. Click Setup Assistant.
3. Under Linking, go to Import existing Google Ads links from your connected UA property, and click Get started.
4. In the table, select one or more Google Ads links to import.
5. Note that the option to Enable Personalized Advertising is defaulted to on for all selected GAds accounts.
6. Click Import selected Ads links.
7. Review the confirmation, and click OK.

Limits 

Google Analytics 4 properties link to specific individual Google Ads accounts and to Google Ads manager accounts. GA supports up to 400 links per property. If you need more than this, you most likely need to consider creating a Google Ads manager account and linking at the manager account level. If you manage many clients through a Google Ads manager account, linking to the main manager account counts as 1 link, regardless of how many client accounts roll up under it.  Any data imported from GA is available to all client accounts when linked at the manager level.

Using Google Ads and Analytics Linked Data 

Using GA Audiences in GAds

Remember, GA shared audiences are configurable only in GA, not in GAds. GA automatically creates two audiences to begin remarketing: purchasers (purchased an app, made an in-app purchase, or made a website purchase), All users (have installed your app or initiated sessions on your website). Consider audience segments that are most relevant for GAds, then create them in the GA4 audience builder.  For example:

• Users who have viewed specific items on your website
• Users who have added items to cart on app or website

Once you've linked Google Ads and Analytics, and enabled adds personalization, any audiences created in GA4 are automatically available to the GAds account.  These audiences are now available to use in Google Search and Google Display Networks.

Set Up the Audience Source

Once your GA4 property is linked to your selected GAds account(s), you can use GA4 audiences directly from the GAds UI. Navigate to GAds and set up the audience source.

Data Source Card for GA4

1. In GAds, click the Tools and Settings icon.
2. From the left menu, click Audience sources.
3. From the list of source cards, click Link to GA and Firebase.
4. Click Link next to each property or project you want to use in Google Ads.
5. From the Confirmation prompt, select Import, and click Link.

Configure a Campaign

Now you are able to use your GA audience segments in GAds campaigns and ad groups. To add a GA audience to a campaign, configure the campaign from the GAds UI.

1. In GAds, click Audiences.
2. In the Audiences segment module, click Edit Audience segments.
3. Click Select an ad group, and then select a campaign and ad group from the list.
4. Select the audience segments you wish the campaign to reach.
5. Click the checkbox next to the segment to add.
6. Click Save.

Using GA for GAds Dynamic Remarketing

Dynamic remarketing can display ads to app users based on specific products and services with which they interact. For example, app users who view specific items, or add items to cart can receive ads tailored to their actions within your property. 

Dynamic Remarketing for Apps

Google recommends different events and parameters be used for dynamic ads, and lists recommended item parameters for Retail, Travel, Real Estate, etc. on the main dynamic remarketing events support page. 

Set Up Google Ads Dynamic Remarketing

1. Enable Google Ads remarketing (Activate Google Signals, enable Personalized Ads).
2. Implement recommended events and item parameters for your business type.
3. Link GAds and GA accounts (share conversion and audience data).
4. Configure your app event attribution.

Using GA Conversions in GAds

Import Conversions

After linking your GA property and GAds account and enabling auto-tagging:

1. In Google Ads, click Tools and Settings.
2. Go to Measurement > Conversions.
3. In the top left, click + New conversion action.
4. Click Import, select GA4 properties, then click Continue.
5. Select the conversion events to import, then click Import and continue.
6. Click Done.

Set GA4 Conversions to Primary

Before using GA4 conversions for bidding, ensure the GA4 conversions are set to “primary”; if UA conversions were previously imported, GAds sets the new GA4 conversions as secondary.

1. In Google ads, click Tools and Settings.
2. Go to measurement > Conversions.
3. Find the relevant goal for your conversion action.
4. Click Edit goal.
5. Click the drop-down for the conversion action and select Primary action.
6. Click Save changes.

Google Search Console

Integrate Google Search Console (GSC) to enable Organic Search Queries and Organic Search Traffic; note metrics available are limited to GSC dimensions + the GA4 dimensions of Landing Page, Device, and Country.

Google Search Console

Integrating Google Search Console (GSC) with your GA4 property allows you to assess your organic search presence in context of user behavior on your site. For example, the Google Organic Search Traffic report displays GSC and GA metrics associated with landing pages. The Google Organic Search Queries report provides a quick drill-down into your property’s GSC dimensions.

Link GSC and GA4

1. In Admin, select the desired property for linking.
2. Under Product Links, click Search Console Links.
3. In the link table, click Link.
4. Click Choose accounts, then select the account you wish to link.
5. Click Confirm.
6. Click Next.
7. Select the web data stream for your site.
8. Click Next, review and submit.

Limits

GSC maintains data for 16 months, limiting associated GA reports to the same time period. GSC data is available in GA 48 hours after collection. GSC reports display data from the web data stream linked only, and only one data stream can be connected. GSC metrics are compatible with GSC dimensions and these GA dimensions:

• Landing page
• Device
• Country