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Google Ads to Google Analytics Setup

Before Getting Started​

  1. You will need to have a Google Ads Marketing source, a Google Analytics Source, and one Data Destination Setup.
  2. Ensure all integrations for your desired Data Flow are Active without Errors.

Setup​

In your Nodus workspace, navigate to the sidebar and select Data Flows > Create Flow

  1. In the New Data Flow Set Up card, you will first select a Marketing Source to use. Dont have a marketing source set up? Check out our documentation on Marketing Sources
  2. Next select your Analytics Source.
  3. And finally, select the Data Destination to where you would like to deliver you transformed Marketing and Analytics data.
  4. Click NEXT in the top right of the main card.

Data Flow Settings​

After selecting the Integrations for your Data Flow, you will need to Name and set Scheduling

  1. Set a Name for your Data Flow. This will only be used by you later to identify this specific Data Flow.
  2. Scheduling: First, select a Schedule Option. You can either set to run Once Per Day or Set a Daily Frequency.
  • Once Per Day will allow you to set a specific time for your Data Flow to execture every day.
  • Daily Frequency will allow you to execute your Data Flow multiple times per day.
  1. Select the relevant Timezone for your business
  2. Initial Lookback Start Date will specify which date to initially pull data from.
caution

The Initial Lookback Start date can be limited by the Marketing and Analytics source you have set. Please reference their relevant documentation for any Lookback limitations.

note

Depending on your Destination selection, you may have some additional options on this. Follow the instructions on page.

Analytics Mapping​

This is the most critical step of your Data Flow creation. Take special care to double check the details you provide here

Enhanced Linking​

If you are asked about Enhanced Linking between Google Ads and Google Analytics, select YES. At this point you will be taken to the review page where you can finalize your Data Flow setup. If you selected NO on Enhanced Linking, proceed to Parameter Selection below.

note

If you are unsure if you use enhanced linking you can check by following these steps:

  1. Sign in to your Google Analytics 4 property and select the Gear icon in the bottom left to access Admin settings
  2. Next, scroll down to Product Links and select Google Ads Links
  3. Check if your existing Google Ads link has Enable Auto-Tagging selected. If enabled, you should select Yes to Enhanced Linking.

Parameter Selection​

Google Analytics permits a specific set of Default and Custom parameters for use in URL tracking templates. In Google Ads, review your tracking template (also called Final URL Suffix) and select the relevant paramters that you are using. If you use Custom URL Parameters, provide only the text prior to the "=" (e.g. if you had a custom parameter for channel_id=123, just input chanel_id=)

tip

You can find where you have your Final URL Suffix set by following this Google documentation

Parameter Values​

For the Parameters you set previously, whether Default or Custom, you will now need to specifcy the information being passed in the Parameter itself. Most importantly, you will want to define which Macro values from Google Ads you are using and which Parameters these Macros are passed through.

Delimeter Review​

This section is only use if you are passing concatenated macros in a single parameter (e.g. utm_adContent={device}-{devicemodel}). If you are, select Yes and proceed to the next screen. Here you will locate the Parameter(s) passing concatenated Macros, after which you will input the character dividing your concatenated Macros into the delimeter field.

info

With the example previously given, utm_adContent={device}-{devicemodel} would have the delimiter of - input, separating {device} and {devicemodel}.

Parameter Mapping​

The final step to completing your Data Flow is to ensure Custom Parameters map to correct Dimension in Google Analytics that the Parameter Value is being passed to. For each Custom Parameter use the dropdown list to select the related ga: dimension.

info

It is worth noting that Default Parameters are sent to preset Dimensions in Google Aanalytics. Because of this, the Dimension value will be pre-set, and no further work is required.