Google Analytics 4
is our next-generation measurement solution
and will be replacing Universal Analytics soon.
Migrating to Google Analytics 4 today
can help you familiarize yourself with Google Analytics 4
ahead of the universal Analytics sunset
and take advantage of its measurement continuity.
In this video we will follow the process of how to
import your Google Analytics 4 conversions into Google Ads
and switch your bidding from Universal Analytics
to Google Analytics 4 conversions.
This is relevant for advertisers that are currently bidding
on Universal Analytics conversions in Google Ads
and have already started their migration process
to Google Analytics 4.
Please make sure that you have already set up a property,
enabled website data collection,
linked your new property to your Google Ads
or manager account,
and set up conversion events
in Google Analytics 4 before following the steps in this video.
More information can be found in the Google Analytics Help Center
and the setup assistant and the Analytics interface.
After you have created conversion events
in your Google Analytics 4 property,
you can import conversions into Google Ads
to use them for reporting and bidding.
If you're using a manager account for conversion tracking,
make sure to import conversions in the manager account.
To import a conversion from Google Analytics 4,
go to your Google Ads account.
Via “Tools and settings”.
Navigate to “Conversions”.
Next, select “New conversion action”,
click “Import”
and select Google Analytics 4 Properties.
Click “Continue”.
Select each conversion event you want to import
for reporting or optimization purposes,
then click “Import and continue”.
Before clicking “Done”, take note of any call-outs.
If you already have Universal Analytics conversions
in your Google Ads account
and have set them to primary, meaning
they are included in your conversion column,
your imported Google Analytics 4 conversions
will be set to “secondary” by default
to prevent double-counting two similar conversions.
This setting gives you the opportunity
to compare conversion counts
of similar Universal Analytics
and Google Analytics 4 conversions.
Consider that any change to conversion settings
will have an effect on smart bidding strategies,
so it is important to understand the potential discrepancies.
While it is common to see small discrepancies
in conversions and conversion value,
we suggest following the recommendations in the Help Center
if you see large discrepancies before
you start bidding on Google Analytics 4 conversions.
Once you are ready to switch from bidding on Universal Analytics
to bidding on Google Analytics 4 conversions,
you will be able to use a new tool that has been launched right
in the Google Ads interface, to help make the switch easy to execute.
You will see a recommendation in the recommendations tab
15 days after importing your new Google Analytics 4 conversions.
You will also be able to access the tool
via the Conversion summary page,
by navigating to “Tools and settings”
and then “Conversions”
In the tool,
conversions are grouped in the account level goals you're used to.
The “all conversions” column shows the conversion volume
and allows you to compare
similar Universal Analytics and Google Analytics 4 conversions
to check for large discrepancies.
To start bidding to Google Analytics 4 conversions,
they have to be set to primary,
unless you've configured campaign-level conversion settings
or rely on a custom goal that includes Universal Analytics conversions.
The tool also gives you an additional view
on conversion differences
for a final review.
Now, to make the switch,
start by reviewing each of your conversions,
and setting all Universal Analytics conversions
from primary to secondary.
Next, change your Google Analytics 4 conversions you want to bid on
from secondary to primary.
If you use individual conversion actions for reporting purposes
but don't want to bet on them, leave them on “secondary”.
You can now save your changes.
If you work with custom goals
that use Universal Analytics conversions,
make sure to update them accordingly.
Any other conversions included in your goals can remain unchanged,
but we strongly recommend to re-evaluate
these based on your ability and fit within your strategy
as Universal Analytics properties will stop
processing new hits when Universal Analytics sunsets.
In the days after the switch,
you will likely see minor fluctuations
in campaign performance.
We recommend avoiding making significant account
changes for at least 7 to 14 days
while the smart billing strategies learn how to adjust.
To learn more about how Google Analytics 4 and Google Ads work
together to help achieve your goals, visit the Google Ads Help Center.
We also encourage you to visit the Google Analytics Help Center
for more information on Google Analytics 4
and the migration process.