GA4 Conversion Setup and Sync to Ads

In my recent posts, I’ve detailed several topics related to Google Analytics 4 (GA4) events and Google Ads conversions. In many of my previous posts, I’ve discussed events based on Universal Analytics (UA). In this post, I’ll attempt to establish a comprehensive framework that encompasses all of my previous writings.

Previously, I discussed how conversion events could be tracked based on forms and purchases, specifically in relation to Google Analytics v3 (Universal Analytics, or UA). For reference, you may review the posts titled “Typeform GTM / GA Setup and Conversion Tracking” and “Teachable - Course Purchase Tracking”. In this post, I’ll explain how these operations can be handled within the Google Analytics 4 (GA4) event structure, as well as discuss the general characteristics of the “conversion” process.

Conversion (Conversion)

Conversion (conversion) can be described as a user completing or performing an action that has been assigned a value. The term also encompasses the concept of a state change.

The action performed has converted the user’s status from visitor to customer. The relevant process may have been defined on a website or application basis. The assigned value and user status changes can be categorized into various types. For example, in an e-commerce site, the purchase of a product is a primary (primary) conversion. However, secondary (secondary) conversions such as adding an item to a cart, requesting a notification for a product with no stock, or adding an item to a wishlist may also occur. Most often, it is expected that primary performance metric conversions are supported by secondary conversions that are considered successful. In form-based actions, form submission can be considered a conversion. Of course, having subsequent interactions after form submission integrated into the process via a CRM system will enhance the consistency of performance measurement.

As observed, the term “conversion” refers to a portion of the user journey, not the entire user lifecycle. A user differentiates themselves from others by the points at which they engage with a brand and the actions they take.

Google Analytics 4 and Conversion Setup

Universal Analytics (UA) provided us with the ability to track transaction (transaction) and purchase (purchase) events based on e-commerce activities. In addition, we could define scenarios such as page views or completing an action flow as conversions using goals (goals). Of course, these structures were designed differently in terms of format. However, Google Analytics 4 now treats all events as actions and defines them (either generally or specifically for events) as parameters. This enables us to create comprehensive flows using different event and value definitions and mark them as conversions.

Conversion Events

Google Analytics 4 reports are based on events triggered by users while interacting with a website and/or app, and data transmitted to Google Analytics servers via API or offline collection. Google Analytics 4 lists these events in the Engagement > Events ¹ report and on the Configure > Events page.

By default, events such as purchase² (website and app), first_open (only app), in_app_purchase (only app), app_store_subscription_convert (only app), and app_store_subscription_renew (only app) are designated as conversions³. In addition, any other custom events that reach and are listed on the server can also be designated as conversions.

After a conversion event is defined, it is evaluated differently from other events. Once a conversion occurs, the associated action can be viewed in real-time⁴, although it may appear in standard reports up to 24 hours later³. In discovery reports, however, this process may take longer, depending on the time period associated with the asset, and the last weekly data may vary over time.

You can refer to the article titled “Google Analytics 4 (GA4) Property Structure” (particularly the Conversions and Modelled Conversions⁵ sections).

After an event is marked as a conversion, the relevant conversion data can be tracked in the Engagement > Conversions and Configure > Conversions reports. The standard reports under Engagement provide metrics such as users and revenue associated with the event and conversion, while the Configure reports provide information such as user and trigger data, as well as changes compared to previous periods.

Before a newly created event, based on an existing event or event data, is marked as a conversion, it can be verified through discovery reports. This ensures that any changes to parameters or event names, as well as the effectiveness of conversions, are considered ^{6 7}.

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Conversion events can be created either by following the Configure > Conversions > New conversion event steps or by using Configure > Events > Create event with conditions. Existing events or conversions cannot be deleted, but they can be edited/modified. In this case, the data associated with the event continues to appear in reports³.

However, Google Analytics 4 provides the ability to delete data between specified dates at both event and parameter levels by following the Admin > Property > Data Deletion Requests steps.

Other events and event parameters can be processed as a new event together with conditions, and this event can be marked as a conversion. While Universal Analytics follows the basic structure of a goal setup, GA4 offers greater flexibility in creating more comprehensive events, modifying parameters, and including them in discovery reports under different relationship contexts⁸.

Transfer of Conversions

Google Analytics 4 provides the ability to share conversions with over 50+ networks, including Google Ads. All linked networks can be viewed under the Configure > Conversions > Network Settings section³.

Transferring conversions to Google Ads⁹ enables benefits such as linking conversion data to platform-specific reports with different metrics and dimensions, and evaluating it through smart suggestions¹⁰, among other advantages¹¹.

Discrepancies may exist between Google Analytics and the network attribution report based on network attribution. For example, based on Google Ads: Google Ads records conversions on the date of click (the date when the user’s conversion-causing ad click occurred), whereas Google Analytics will process conversions on the conversion date (the date when the user’s actual conversion occurred). As a result, if either the click or the conversion did not occur within the relevant period, the number of conversions reported in the two environments may differ. Additionally, differences in time zone settings between Analytics and Google Ads may also lead to variations in conversion counts^{12 11}.

Conversions transferred to Google Ads are indicated as the “conversion source” column. Detailed information (platform, GA4 event, property name, etc.) can be accessed upon clicking the relevant conversion. However, these details cannot be modified.

Currently, if Universal Analytics conversion tracking is being offered in Google Ads, existing conversions must be disabled and new conversions must be recreated within Google Analytics 4, followed by transfer to Google Ads. A conversion defined in both properties may be counted more than once for the relevant action. After the transfer is complete, Google Analytics 4 will be able to use its audience and conversion event data (for both apps and web) for the proposed campaigns¹³.

Footnotes

1. Interaction reports. Analytics Help ↩
2. Measuring e-commerce conversions. Analytics Help ↩
3. Creating and managing conversion actions. Analytics Help ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴
4. Real-time reports. Analytics Help ↩
5. About modeled conversions. Analytics Help ↩
6. Conversion Funnel. Google Analytics Help ↩
7. Conversion path discovery. Google Analytics Help ↩
8. Matching Universal Analytics goals with Google Analytics 4 conversions. Analytics Help ↩
9. About conversion tracking. Google Ads Help ↩
10. About Smart Recommendations. Google Ads Help ↩
11. Transferring Analytics conversions to Google Ads. Analytics Help ↩ ↩²
12. How conversions are linked. Analytics Help ↩
13. Getting recommendations for Google Analytics 4 conversions in Google Ads. Analytics Help ↩