Are you looking for a quick and easy way to link Google Ads to Google Analytics and your WordPress website?
By linking these platforms, you’ll get insights about your ad campaign’s performance and what people do on your site after they click on an ad.
In this article, we’ll walk you through how to link Google Ads to Google Analytics and WordPress in just a few clicks.
In This Article:
- Why Connect Google Ads with Google Analytics?
- How to Link Google Ads to Google Analytics
- Connect Google Ads and WordPress for Conversion Tracking
- How to View Google Ads Data in Google Analytics
- From Search to Social: Track All Your Paid Campaigns in One Place
- Frequently Asked Questions About Google Ads in WordPress
Why Connect Google Ads with Google Analytics?
You might be wondering why it is important to link your Google Ads (formerly known as AdWords) account with Google Analytics.
Google Ads is a powerful tool, but it only tells you half of the story. If you only look at the data in Google Ads, you’ll be missing out on the information about what users do once they’ve clicked on the ad.
But if you track Google Ads in Google Analytics, you’ll be able to understand your visitors’ behavior, where they click, how much time they spend on the page, and much more. It shows more of a customer journey and helps you allocate your budget to get maximum conversions.
For example, you might notice that some keywords have lower conversions but long visit durations. This shows that the keywords you’re targeting are great for creating awareness about your brand, but people aren’t ready to buy at this stage.
That being said, are you ready to learn how to add Google Ads to Google Analytics?
How to Link Google Ads to Google Analytics
To set up the link between Google Analytics and Google Ads, start by opening the property you’re connecting:
Next, open the Admin area:
Find Google Ads Links in the middle column:
Next, click the blue Link button:
Next, click Choose Google Ads accounts:
Now, choose the account(s) you want to link with and click Confirm:
On the next screen, make sure the right account is chosen and click Next:
Now, you can choose whether you want to disable personalized advertising. You can change this setting any time after setup if you need to.
Finally, click Next, then Submit.
That’s it! You’ve successfully linked Google Ads to Google Analytics.
Pro Tip: After linking your accounts, it’s best to wait 24 hours before checking your reports. It takes a bit of time for the data to start flowing between platforms, so don’t panic if you don’t see results immediately.
Connect Google Ads and WordPress for Conversion Tracking
The easiest way to connect Google Ads and WordPress to track your WooCommerce, Easy Digital Downloads, or MemberPress conversions is by using ExactMetrics. It’s the best premium Analytics WordPress plugin and helps you set up tracking without editing code or hiring a developer.
So, if you have an eCommerce site, it’s incredibly easy to set up conversion tracking using ExactMetrics.
To start, follow these steps:
Step 1: Install and Activate ExactMetrics
First, you’ll need to install and activate the ExactMetrics WordPress plugin on your website.
Using the plugin, you’ll get Google Analytics insights right inside your WordPress dashboard and be able to quickly and easily set up advanced tracking like file downloads, eCommerce tracking, form conversions, and outbound link clicks that Google Analytics doesn’t track by default.
Next, you’ll need to add Google Analytics to your WordPress site. With the help of ExactMetrics, all you have to do is follow the steps in the setup wizard. The plugin will add the tracking code for you, and there’s no need to touch a single line of code.
For a full tutorial on how to set up ExactMetrics and connect your site to Google Analytics, read how to add Google Analytics to WordPress.
Step 2: Install ExactMetrics Ads Addon
Now that the plugin is up and running on your website, you’ll need to install and activate the ExactMetrics Ads addon. You’ll need a Plus or higher license to access the addon.
You can install the addon by going to ExactMetrics » Addons and then navigate to Ads. After that, click the Install button, and in a few seconds, the addon will automatically activate.
Pro Tip: ExactMetrics also offers a PPC Tracking addon. It allows you to track conversions from Microsoft Ads, Meta Ads, LinkedIn Ads, and more. This means you can manage all your PPC conversion tracking in one place.
Step 3: Set up Conversion Tracking
Next, you’ll be able to enter your Google Ads Conversion ID and Conversion Label in ExactMetrics. This will automatically add your Google Ads conversion tracking code to your site, without having to do it manually.
To find your Conversion ID and Conversion Label, go through the process of setting up a website conversion. When you get to this screen where you can choose your installation method, click the Use Google Tag Manager option:
You’ll then see this screen with your ID and label so you can copy-paste it:
Once you have the ID and label screen open, navigate to ExactMetrics » Settings » Publisher and then go to Ads Tracking. Here’s where you can paste your ID and label:
Click the Save Changes button when you’re done. You’ve successfully set up Google Ads conversion tracking!
How to View Google Ads Data in Google Analytics
After linking Google Ads and Google Analytics, you can now view different reports to understand your visitor’s behavior better.
To see how your campaigns are performing in Google Analytics, navigate to Reports » Acquisition » Traffic acquisition. On that page, scroll down to the table and you’ll find Paid Search for your ad traffic.
You can see the number of clicks, costs, cost per click (CPC), number of users, sessions, bounce rate, pages per session, and much more for each campaign.
Besides that, you can use Secondary Dimensions to drill down your campaigns further. For instance, you can select Device Category as a dimension and see which device people use to view your campaigns.
You can also view other reports like Keywords and Search Queries to see the search term people use to reach your website. This way, you can see which keywords to target in your campaigns.
And that’s it!
From Search to Social: Track All Your Paid Campaigns in One Place
While Google Ads is incredibly powerful for search advertising, your audience isn’t just searching on Google. They’re scrolling through social media, discovering products on Pinterest, and engaging with content on TikTok and LinkedIn.
That’s why we’re excited about how ExactMetrics has expanded beyond just Google Ads tracking. You can now track conversions from multiple advertising platforms right inside your WordPress dashboard, giving you a complete picture of your paid marketing performance.
Here’s what you can track alongside your Google Ads campaigns:
- Facebook Ads – The social media giant’s advertising network lets you reach billions of users. Track which campaigns drive actual conversions, not just clicks.
- LinkedIn Ads – Perfect for B2B businesses targeting professionals and decision-makers. See which campaigns generate quality leads.
- Pinterest Ads – Ideal for visual products and e-commerce. Monitor shopping behavior and product discovery campaigns.
- TikTok Ads – Reach younger audiences where they spend their time. Track viral content performance and engagement.
The real power comes from seeing all this data in one place. Instead of logging into five different advertising platforms and trying to compare performance in spreadsheets, you get a unified view of what’s working and what’s not.
This makes it much easier to shift budget from underperforming channels to the ones that actually drive results.
Setting up tracking for each platform is just as simple as the Google Ads setup I showed you earlier. Install the ExactMetrics PPC Tracking addon, add your conversion tracking IDs, and you’re done.
Not using ExactMetrics yet? Get started today!
Frequently Asked Questions About Google Ads in WordPress
How do I add Google Ads to my WordPress site?
To add Google Ads to WordPress, you have two options. First, you can use ExactMetrics to automatically add your Google Ads conversion tracking code by entering your Conversion ID and Label in the plugin settings. Second, you can manually add the Google Ads code to your WordPress theme files, but we don’t recommend this method as it requires editing code and can break if you update your theme.
Does Google Ads work with WordPress?
Yes, Google Ads works perfectly with WordPress. You can run Google Ads campaigns that drive traffic to any WordPress site, and you can track conversions using tools like ExactMetrics. WordPress is actually one of the most popular platforms for running paid advertising campaigns because it’s easy to set up conversion tracking and landing pages.
Can I track Google Ads conversions in WordPress?
Absolutely! You can track Google Ads conversions in WordPress using the ExactMetrics plugin. Once you install the Ads addon and enter your Conversion ID and Label, ExactMetrics will automatically track conversions like purchases, form submissions, and button clicks. You’ll see this data both in your WordPress dashboard and in your Google Ads account.
Do I need a plugin to add Google Ads to WordPress?
You don’t technically need a plugin to add Google Ads tracking to WordPress, but we highly recommend using one like ExactMetrics. Without a plugin, you’d need to manually edit your theme files and add code snippets, which can be risky if you’re not experienced with coding. A plugin makes the process much simpler and safer.
How much does it cost to run Google Ads on WordPress?
Running Google Ads on a WordPress site costs the same as running ads on any other platform. Google charges you based on your bid strategy (usually cost-per-click or cost-per-impression), and you set your own daily budget. The WordPress platform itself doesn’t add any extra costs. You will need to pay for tools like ExactMetrics if you want easy conversion tracking, but that’s a separate cost from your actual ad spend.
How do I know if my Google Ads tracking is working?
To verify your Google Ads tracking is working, run a test conversion on your site after setup. For example, if you’re tracking purchases, make a test purchase. Then check your Google Ads account within 24 hours to see if the conversion appears. You can also use Google’s Tag Assistant Chrome extension to check if your conversion tracking code is firing correctly on your website.
What’s the difference between linking Google Ads to Analytics and adding conversion tracking to WordPress?
Linking Google Ads to Google Analytics lets you see detailed user behavior data in GA4 after someone clicks your ad. Adding conversion tracking to WordPress (using ExactMetrics) tells Google Ads when someone completes a valuable action on your site. We recommend doing both—they work together to give you complete visibility into your ad performance and ROI.
Can ExactMetrics track multiple Google Ads accounts?
Yes, ExactMetrics can track conversions from multiple Google Ads accounts on the same WordPress site. However, you’ll need to set up the conversion tracking for each account separately using their respective Conversion IDs and Labels. This is useful if you manage multiple brands or clients from one WordPress installation.
We hope you liked our article on how to link Google Ads to Google Analytics. You can also go through our guide on important Google Analytics metrics every business should track.
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