Short answer: Linking your Google ads and Google Analytics account helps you understand the complete buying journey from beginning to end. Understanding how users interact with your ads to how they convert to your website can help you make better marketing decisions and get the best value out of your Google ads campaign.
Before we go into why Google Analytics and Google Ads should be linked first let’s have a look at what exactly they are:
- Google Analytics – is a program designed by Google that allows owners of webpages to track the traffic to their website and monitor certain things. Some code is applied to each webpage, and this talks to Google Analytics. Graphs and diagrams are created, which gives the website owner feedback and insights into the popularity of the website and the activity of the users when they are there.
- Google Ads – is a program also created by Google, hint hint, in the name. It is an advertising platform online that companies and people can pay to use in order to show an advertisement, and various other marketing information like product listings, for example.
Both these two programs are extensively used by marketers to gain the insights they need and to understand what kind of ROI (return in investment) their strategies are likely to yield. They both have individual uses and strengths, which are invaluable in the modern world. But what does it mean to link these two different programs?
Why link Google Analytics and Google Adss?
As they both do different things, if you have not linked them, then you are missing out on various insights that may prove extremely beneficial to your business. But how? In Google Adwords, although you advertise and can see the generated clicks, you cannot see what the user does beyond this point until the point of conversion. You cannot see where a particular click leads to, how it goes on to create a sale, or a click off, for example. You are unable to see the different paths your users take on their journey through the Adwords experience. This means that you cannot see the big picture of how the customer works with your Adwords. Google Analytics has the power to fill in the blanks between click and sale for a depth of knowledge.
If you want to understand the true customer journey, you need to be linking Google Analytics and Google Ads. Without the two platforms working in symmetry with each other, you are not able to see how customers use google ads, and you cannot compare this potential revenue stream against your other sources of revenue. Adwords is a way for your customer to find you, and you need to know how effective it is, in the long run, to work out its value. With the heightened information linking the two can give you, you can make more informed decisions that can improve your business sales strategy.
What are the benefits of linking Analytics and Google Ads?
You get a fully rounded picture of user behaviour
This is essential to develop strategies going forward. Although both the programs have their own insights when they work together, you can see the whole picture. Adwords provides a vehicle for visitors to find your website, etc., and can show key information on Ad Spend and Ad Performance. You will also be able to see the most effective keywords. But it cannot show you how the visitor behaves on the website. You need Google Analytics for this. Then you know where they came from and what they did.
You are provided with extra data
When you link the two, you will have more access to analytics data. You will be able to see what their bounce rates are, for example, as well as page view, etc. So, you will know if the google ads account is driving the correct traffic through to the site. These metrics can help you develop better campaigns and improve your ability to reach your analytics goals. When Adwords and Google Analytics work together, you have a much better idea of how your investment is going.
You are able to easily import valuable metrics
The linking of the two platforms enables you to have better conversion tracking. You can import the data from Google Analytics about transactions and embed this metric into Google Adwords conversion rate tracking. This will help you heighten your ads performance going forward and even allow you to know when you are likely to receive another conversion. Basically, the more Google Ads data you have access to, the better you can optimize it.
It helps with remarketing via Google Adwords
Linking the two sites means that you are able to create remarketing lists via Google Display Network Remarketing if you set this up. The lists are created by you and are specifically targeted to reach users who have already shown an interest in your website. That way, with a directly targeted marketing strategy, you are more likely to have sales.
You can find issues more easily.
This can be seen in the idea that a keyword may not generate any sales, by being able to see the journey, you are more likely to understand the issue. This will have the effect of enhancing the website and Adwords accounts.
Conclusion
More data between the google analytics account and the link to the google ads account means that you are able to make better business decisions. You have a fully rounded image of what’s going on from the click on your ads site to the sale. You will be able to create attribution models to understand your customers better. You will be able to create targeted marketing strategies going forward that will be far more effective as you will have valuable data about who is interested in your website, products, and services. The simple fact of the matter is, by linking the two, you have access to a goldmine of valuable data. There is no reason not to link the two sites. It will make your analytics profiling better, and you will truly get to understand your customer journey. You will be able to fix errors and find duds more quickly and rectify them. In a world where data is the new oil, why would you not want to have more of it?
If you want help with your online advertising strategy, get in touch with Australia’s leading Google Ads Agency AIA. Give us a call today on 1300 304 640.
