How to set up a Google ads account

In this post we’ll show you how to set up a Google Ads account and how to link your ads account to Google Analytics.

Creating a Google Ads Account

1. Make sure you are signed into the Gmail account that you want the Google Ads account to be linked with.
2. Go to https://ads.google.com/intl/en_IE/home/
3. Click on the ‘Start now’ button.
4. Google will then prompt you to begin creating a smart campaign. To have full control over your campaign and account click ‘Switch to Expert Mode’
5. Begin creating your campaign, keeping in mind the steps in the account structure in section 4.6 of this document. If you would like to create the campaign later, click ‘Create an account without a campaign’ and you can begin to explore your account.
6. Finally fill in your billing information and set up your conversion actions.

How to Link Google Ads and Google Analytics

Before you begin you need to make sure you are logged into the same email on each account on both platforms.

1.Sign in to Google Analytics.
2.Click Admin and navigate to the property you want to link.

3.In the Property column, click Google Ads Linking.

4.Click + New link group.

5.Select the Google Ads accounts you want to link, then click Continue.
Enter a link group title.

6.Turn linking ON for each view in the property in which you want Google Ads data.

7.Optionally, select Enable Google Display Network Impression Reporting to also include that data in each view.

8.Click Link accounts.

Once step 8 is complete your two accounts will be linked.

(Google Ads, 2021)

Why is linking Google Ads and Google Analytics important?

Linking these accounts will allow you to see the full customer cycle, from how users interact with the PPC campaign (e.g., seeing ad impressions, clicking ads).As explained by  performance improvement and quality guru Dr. H. “If you can’t measure something you can’t understand it. If you can’t understand it, you can’t control it. If you can’t control it, you can’t improve it.” This encapsulates the importance of  understanding your metrics. The only way you can improve your advertising is if you continually improve your campaigns. To improve campaigns, you need to analyse your metrics.