Google Ads conversion tracking and Google Analytics Tracking are two different tools to track and measure the performance of online advertising and marketing efforts. Google Ads conversion tracking is a feature that helps you better understand the effective marketing strategies you’re using on your website or landing page. By tracking the actions taken by visitors, you can see which pages are converting the best and can make necessary changes to improve your results. This enables you to determine which ads are performing the best and which keywords are attracting the most traffic. And while both tools are essential for any online marketing strategy, they measure conversions differently. In this blog post, we will explore four reasons why conversions in Google AdWords are different than goals in Google Analytics.
What are Google ad conversions?
Conversions in Google ads are different than goals in Google Analytics for a few reasons. One reason is that conversions in AdWords can be attributed to specific keywords, ad groups, and campaigns, while goals in Analytics cannot. Additionally, the tracking code for conversions in AdWords is placed on your ‘thank you’ or on the ‘confirmation page’, while the tracking code for goals in Analytics can be placed on any page of your site. Finally, you have more control over when conversions are tracked in AdWords (e.g., set up conversion tracking to track sales made within 24 hours of clicking an ad) than you do with goals in Analytics (e.g., cannot set up goal tracking to track sales made within 24 hours of clicking an ad).
What are the Goals of Google Analytics?
The first thing to understand is that a goal in Google Analytics is not the same as a conversion in Google AdWords. A goal in Analytics refers to a specific action that you want your users to take on your website, such as signing up for a newsletter or making a purchase. A conversion in AdWords, on the other hand, occurs when someone clicks on one of your adverts and then takes an action that you have defined as valuable, such as making a purchase or inquiry.
Difference between Google ad conversions & Goals in google analytics?
Conversions in Google Ads and Goals in Google Analytics are different because they measure different things. Google AdWords conversions are actions that people take on your website after clicking on one of your AdWords ads, such as making a purchase or filling out a form. Goals in Google Analytics, on the other hand, track specific activities or destinations on your website that you define as valuable, such as reaching a specific page or spending a certain amount of time on the site.
Google AdWords Conversions and GA Goals are different
If you’re running a Google AdWords campaign, you might be wondering why your conversions don’t match up with your Goals in Google Analytics. There are a few reasons for this:
1. Google Ads conversions are not Google Analytics goals
Conversions in Google AdWords are tracked differently than Goals in Google Analytics. AdWords conversion tracking is based on cookies, while GA uses first-party cookies. This means that if a user clears their cookies, or if they visit your site from a different browser, the conversion won’t be tracked.
2. Google Analytics can’t track all conversions
There are some types of conversions that GA can’t track, such as phone calls or form submissions. If you’re relying on AdWords for these types of conversions, you might see a discrepancy between the two platforms.
3. Attributed conversion window
The attributed conversion window is the time frame within which conversion is attributed to a particular channel. By default, this is set to 30 days for AdWords and 90 days for GA. This means that if someone converts more than 30 days after clicking on an ad, it will be attributed to organic traffic in GA.
Reasons for the Difference between Conversions and Goals
There are a few reasons for the difference between conversions and goals in Google AdWords and Google Analytics. Here are four of the main reasons:
1. Length of the sales cycle
The length of the sales cycle can impact conversion and goal rates. For example, if someone clicks on an ad and then purchases a product later that day, the conversion will be counted immediately. However, if someone clicks on an ad and doesn’t purchase the product for a week, the goal won’t be counted until that week.
2. Attribution model
The attribution model used can also impact conversion and goal rates. For example, if last-click attribution is used, then only conversions that occur after the last click will be counted. However, if first-click attribution is used, then all conversions that occur after the first click will be counted.
3. Tracking method
The tracking method used can also impact conversion and goal rates. For example, if server-side tracking is used, then all conversions will be counted. However, if client-side tracking is used, then only conversions that are tracked by cookies will be counted.
4. Different time zones
The time zone settings in Google AdWords and Google Analytics can also impact conversion and goal rates. For example, if someone clicks on an ad at 10 pm in New York but doesn’t purchase the product until 2 am in Los Angeles, the conversion will be counted immediately (since it occurred within 24 hours). However,
How to use this Information
If you are running a Google AdWords campaign, you may have noticed that your conversions (as tracked in AdWords) don’t always match up with your goals (as tracked in Google Analytics). By following the below tips you can minimize the discrepancies between the two data sets.
1. Use the same tracking codes
Make sure that you are using the same tracking code on your AdWords campaign as you are on your website. If you’re using different codes, then Google won’t be able to properly track your conversions.
2. Configure goals correctly
It’s possible that your Google Analytics goals are not properly configured. This could cause problems with tracking conversions from AdWords. Make sure that your goals are properly set up and firing correctly.
3. Filtered traffic
If you have filters set up in Google Analytics, this could affect which traffic is being tracked. Make sure that your filters are not excluding any relevant traffic from being tracked.
4. Different conversion windows
By default, AdWords tracks conversions within a 30-day window after someone clicks on an ad. However, you can change this setting in your account preferences. If your conversion window in Analytics is set to something different than 30 days, this could explain why there is a discrepancy between the two platforms.
Conclusion
There are a number of reasons why your Google AdWords conversions may be different than your Google Analytics goals. It is important to keep in mind that these two platforms measure conversions differently and that there are a number of factors that can affect your conversion rates. By understanding the differences between the two platforms and how they measure conversions, you can better optimize your campaigns to ensure that you are getting the most out of your advertising spend.