Why are my conversions different from Google Ads to Google Analytics?
This is a common question we get asked… a lot.
Whenever we take a new ecommerce client on, one of the first jobs is to sort out the attribution and get the real picture of performance so we have an accurate starting point. This allows us to then set realistic expectations around how far we think we can turn the dial in the first few months. We treat the first 90 days as onboarding for our new clients and in that time, as well as connecting all the dots like base feeds, Google Analytics, Google Ads, Feed Optimisation, etc, we demand to see an improvement in performance. We only measure improvement by ‘money in the till’! If you’ve met any of us or read about any of our work, you’ll know we’re not keen on gassing on about CTRs, impressions shares, etc. It’s the £££s our clients see in the bank that drives us as an agency. So, in order to hear the till ring, you have to be confident that the money is being attributed correctly to the right channels.
Google Ads and Google Analytics will give you a different picture every time. The most common disparity is the window of time being measured. In Google Ads you can set the window to as high as 90 day. This means I click on an ad in the middle of September but don’t make the purchase until December and Google Ads will attribute that sale to that click. Common window in Google Analytics is 30 days. It all depends on what you’re buying. It might take months for someone to press the button on a Tag Heuer watch but if we’re talking a TShirt for £15, I doubt that takes 3 months.
Next up is ‘which click’? Whodunnit!? A buyer may click many ads in their run up to buying and it’s up for debate which click carries the most weight. We once looked at a buyer’s journey for a £30 dress and they had 137 touch points!!! There’s different ways to count it but here’s the scenario – If you have Google Analytics set to last click and Google Ads set to first click. The same sale could appear months apart.
There are many more reasons the two platforms will report differently but we’ll be here all day. Our approach is simple – Enable Enhanced Ecommerce Reporting in Google Analytics and import that data into your Google Ads account. Bingo. Your numbers will match (almost!).
If you need a hand setting this up or have any questions about ecommerce tracking, give us a shout and we’ll help you out.
