If you’re looking to get insights to fetch details about keywords, costs, etc. from your linked Google Ads account to a GA4 property, we’d recommend enabling the “Auto-tagging” option.
What is Auto-tagging?
Auto-tagging from Google allows you to automatically import data from the Google Ads interface directly into Analytics. This will help you to better analyze the user journey on your website after people clicked on your ads.
If the auto-tagging option is enabled and a user clicks over to your site from an ad, it’ll automatically trigger and add the “gclid” parameter to your landing page URL.
Note: Please ensure that the Conversion Tracking is set up correctly for all the conversions you want to report and analyze. You can use the Google Tag Manager to quickly set this up.
Tracking gclid data using Auto-tagging
Setting up Auto-tagging in Google Ads
To start tracking GCLID data, you have to enable the “Auto-tagging” option in Google Ads, link the Google Ads account with the GA4 property and you’re good to go! Here are the steps to help you set this up:
Access your Google Ads account and Go to Settings on the left page menu.
Click Account Settings at the top of the page.
Select the Auto-tagging option and tick/check the “Tag the URL that people click through from my ad” column. (read more)
Linking Google Ads with Google Analytics 4 property
Before linking a GA4 property to Google Ads, please make sure you have the correct permission for the Google Ads account. Additionally, you’ll also need to have the “Editor role” for the GA4 property.
Once these conditions are satisfied, you can link your Analytics property with the Google Ads account by following the steps mentioned below:
Sign In to your Analytics account and go under the Admin section on the bottom left.
Select the GA4 property, and under the PRODUCT LINKS section, click on Google Ads Links.
Click “Link” and choose the Google Ads account you want to link, and confirm.
Expand the “Enable Auto-Tagging” option to enable auto-tagging or to leave your auto-tagging settings as they are.
Submit (You can read more about this here)