E-commerce
October 2, 2026
Are you wondering how to audit the integration between Google Analytics and Google Ads?
The answer is simple: check that data is flowing correctly between the two platforms, then compare conversions using the same attribution model. This is essential for making reliable marketing decisions and avoiding spending based on incorrect figures.
The stakes are real: poor synchronization can distort your reports, mask real performance, or lead you to believe in non-existent results. A regular audit protects your advertising budget and the relevance of your analysis.
So how do you audit the integration between Google Analytics and Google Ads? On the agenda:
Why is linking Google Analytics and Google Ads essential?
What Analytics data can be found in Google Ads?
How to verify Google Ads data in Analytics?
How to compare conversions between the two tools?
What is the checklist for a complete integration audit?
Let's get started.
Summary
Why is linking Google Analytics and Google Ads essential?
Google Ads is a powerful tool for attracting qualified visitors. Google Analytics, on the other hand, tells you what those visitors do once they arrive on your store. Linking the two gives you a complete picture: how much a click costs, but also how much that click brings in terms of sales and behavior.
Without this connection, you are running your advertising campaigns blind. You see impressions and clicks, but not the actual quality of the traffic generated. With the integration, data flows in both directions and enriches your reports.
The goal of the audit is simple: to confirm that this flow is working. Poorly transmitted data can lead you to stop a profitable campaign or, worse, to overinvest in an ineffective one. A regular audit is therefore a reflex of a rigorous merchant.
Furthermore, this connection allows you to leverage advanced features like dynamic remarketing or lookalike audiences, which rely on browsing data collected by Analytics. Without a healthy integration, these tools lose precision and effectiveness. Taking the time to verify this connection is about ensuring that every euro invested in your ads works for your revenue.
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What Google Analytics data can be found in Google Ads?
Once the accounts are linked, Analytics data appears in Google Ads reports. To verify them, open a campaign, ad group, or keyword report, and then modify the columns. Click on the "Google Analytics" arrow to display the available metrics.
You can import from Analytics to Ads:
Bounce rate: to measure the relevance of your ad traffic.
Pages per session: to evaluate visitor engagement.
Average session duration: an indicator of interest in your content.
Percentage of new sessions: to distinguish new visitors from returning ones.
Conversion data: e-commerce transactions and goals, if you import them.
This data enriches your advertising reports without any additional configuration. It helps you judge the quality of traffic, not just its volume.
For example, a high bounce rate on a campaign can indicate a mismatch between your ads and the landing page content. A low session duration can reveal an issue with usability or the value proposition. By integrating these indicators into your Ads dashboards, you refine your optimizations and improve the return on investment of each campaign.
What data cannot be imported into Google Ads?
Not everything can be transferred from Analytics to Ads. Some data remains exclusive to Google Analytics, and it is important to know this so you don't look for information in the wrong place.
The following cannot be imported into Google Ads:
Data from other channels: organic, direct, and social media traffic.
Other advertising platforms: Microsoft Ads, for example.
Individual page data: page views, exits.
Audience data: demographic characteristics or areas of interest.
This limitation is normal. Google Ads focuses on advertising performance, while Analytics maintains the global vision of the customer journey. If you are looking for detailed behavioral data, go directly to Analytics.
This distinction also prevents duplication and confusion. For example, demographic data is often more precise in Analytics because it is based on all visitors, not just those coming from advertising. By knowing these limits, you know where to look for information and avoid basing your decisions on incomplete data.
How to check Google Ads data in Google Analytics?
The other direction of integration is just as important. To verify that Google Ads data is successfully reaching Analytics, go to the "Acquisition" section, then "Google Ads".
You should find there:
Campaigns: impressions, clicks, costs.
Ad groups: same metrics, broken down by group.
Keywords: to analyze performance by query.
Search terms: to discover the actual queries of users.
Bid adjustments: to verify your campaign settings.
If this data is missing or incomplete, the integration is likely misconfigured. A simple click on a report can reveal this to you immediately.
Also, remember to check that auto-tagging is enabled in Google Ads. Without it, tracking parameters are not added to URLs, and Analytics cannot associate clicks with campaigns. A quick test consists of clicking on an ad and examining the destination URL: it must contain parameters like "gclid". If it does not, correct the configuration.
What data cannot be imported into Google Analytics?
Here again, not everything flows in both directions. The most important limitation concerns conversions: Google Analytics can send conversions to Google Ads, but the reverse is not possible.
Google Ads conversions cannot, therefore, be imported into Analytics. If you want to analyze a conversion in Analytics, it must be configured as a goal or e-commerce transaction within Analytics itself.
Furthermore, data that is not included in the Google Ads reports of Analytics cannot be added to them. For example, dynamic remarketing data or certain metrics specific to Ads remain in Ads. This distinction prevents confusion during your cross-analyses.
This means that for a complete view, you have to juggle between both tools. For example, the cost per conversion is calculated in Ads, while the total revenue generated by a campaign can be tracked in Analytics. By combining this information, you obtain a more precise picture of the profitability of your advertising actions.
How to compare conversions between Google Ads and Google Analytics?
Comparing conversions between the two platforms is an excellent practice for detecting tracking issues. If the numbers diverge significantly, there is probably a configuration error.
The first step is to identify the attribution model used in Google Ads for each conversion. Go to "Tools and settings," then "Conversions." Click on the relevant conversion action and note the attribution model, for example "Position-based," as well as the conversion window.
Next, in Google Analytics, open "Conversions," then "Multi-Channel Funnels" and "Model Comparison Tool." Set up the report with the same time period, a single comparable conversion, and the same attribution model. This method gives you a reliable basis for comparison.
It is also recommended to document these settings in a reference file. This way, during each audit, you can quickly verify that the settings have not changed. An unintentional modification of the attribution model can indeed distort all your comparative analyses.
How do I set up conversion comparison in Analytics?
The setup of the comparison report requires some precise adjustments. In the Analytics model comparison tool, select the same time period as your Google Ads report.
Choose a single conversion to compare, for example "Transaction" or "Goal: Order placed". The figures must be close to be comparable. Then, set the path length to "All" to include all conversions.
Select "Google Ads" as the conversion type, then adjust the lookback window to match that of Google Ads. If Ads is set to 30 days, do the same in Analytics. Finally, filter by conversion action if you have several. You will then get a comparable figure.
Don’t forget to check that the conversions imported into Ads are indeed marked as "imported" and not as "native". This ensures that you are comparing the same events. A native Ads conversion can have a different trigger than that of Analytics, which would explain a discrepancy.
How should the discrepancies between the two platforms be interpreted?
Once the comparison is made, you get two figures. In the typical example, Google Ads displays 189.9 transactions while Analytics calculates 177.95. A discrepancy of a few percent is normal, but a significant gap should alert you.
If the figures do not match, several causes are possible:
The Analytics conversion tag does not fire on the same page as the Google Ads one.
Google Ads traffic is redirected, which removes the auto-tagging parameters.
Attribution models differ between the two platforms.
Check these points one by one. A poorly configured redirection is a frequent cause of data loss. A methodical audit allows you to quickly identify the source of the problem.
It is also possible that conversions are counted twice, for example if the Ads conversion tag is placed on a page that reloads multiple times. In this case, the Ads figures will be higher than those of Analytics. Inspecting the code of your thank you page can reveal this type of duplicate.
How to check if conversion tags are firing?
Tag triggering is the core of tracking. If the Analytics conversion tag does not trigger on the same page as the Google Ads tag, your data will be incomplete.
Verify that both tags use the same trigger in Google Tag Manager. For example, the Ads conversion tag must trigger on the thank-you page, just like the Analytics event tag. A difference in triggers immediately explains a data discrepancy.
Also, ensure that Google Ads traffic is not being redirected. A redirection can strip auto-tagging parameters, preventing Analytics from recognizing the source of the traffic. Test your URLs manually to confirm that parameters are correctly preserved.
Use Google Tag Manager's preview mode to simulate a conversion and verify that the tags trigger correctly. This feature allows you to test without publishing changes. If a tag does not trigger, you can adjust the trigger rules in a few minutes.
How to audit other advertising platforms?
Google offers a seamless integration between Ads and Analytics, but other platforms, such as Microsoft Ads, do not benefit from such deep linking. This does not prevent you from verifying their tracking.
Use the same comparison process as for Google Ads. Compare the conversions reported by the advertising platform with those recorded in Analytics. If the numbers diverge, there is likely a configuration issue.
Cost data from other platforms can also be imported into Google Analytics. This import allows you to centralize your analysis and compare the performance of all your advertising channels in one place. A regular audit of these integrations is just as important as it is for Google Ads.
For platforms that do not offer native integration, you can use third-party solutions or custom scripts to import data. This requires a bit more work, but provides a valuable overview for optimizing your overall advertising budget.
How does Qstomy help make your conversion data more reliable?
Qstomy, the Shopify AI agent, does not replace Google Analytics, but it complements your tracking setup by acting directly on conversion. Where Analytics measures, Qstomy transforms.
Concretely, Qstomy guides your visitors toward purchase through personalized recommendations, upsell and cross-sell suggestions, and cart assistance. It also tracks packages and handles a portion of customer service, reducing friction and improving the customer experience.
By streamlining the purchasing journey, Qstomy increases your conversion rates. More conversions, properly tracked, make your Analytics data more meaningful. The AI agent acts on performance, while your measurement tools confirm the results. A winning combination for your Shopify store.
Additionally, Qstomy can help you identify friction points in your sales funnel, allowing you to fine-tune your advertising campaigns. By better understanding visitor behavior, you can adjust your messaging and offers to maximize the return on investment of every click.
What is the checklist for a complete integration audit?
Here is a practical checklist for auditing the integration between Google Analytics and Google Ads:
Check the account link in the Google Ads settings.
Monitor Analytics data in Google Ads reports.
Monitor Google Ads data in the Acquisition section of Analytics.
Compare conversions using the same attribution model.
Test tag triggering on the confirmation page.
In brief
A regular audit of the integration between Analytics and Ads protects your advertising budget and makes your decisions more reliable. Compare the data, check the tags, and correct discrepancies quickly.
FAQ
How often should I audit the integration? Ideally once a month, or after any major modification to your campaigns or your website.
Is a 5% discrepancy between conversions normal? Yes, slight discrepancies are normal. A discrepancy greater than 10% warrants a thorough investigation.
Can Qstomy replace Google Analytics? No, Qstomy focuses on conversion and customer experience, while Analytics measures performance. The two are complementary.
To go further: Google Analytics for marketing: ads, traffic and performance (GA4) - Qstomy, E-commerce CRO: how to transform traffic into sales - Qstomy, How to set up e-commerce tracking on Google Ads? Conversions and GA4 - Qstomy, Why use social media for e-commerce customer service? - Qstomy, E-commerce CRM and customer support: using the right data to respond better - Qstomy, E-commerce SEO strategy for category pages - Qstomy, Delivery help page: reassuring customers and helping them choose before the checkout funnel - Qstomy.
Enzo
October 2, 2026
