Linking Google Ads to Google Analytics 4 enables conversion import, audience sharing, and unified reporting between your ad spend and your website behaviour data. The linking process takes under thirty minutes and is essential for any accounting firm running Google Ads. This guide walks through the exact steps.

Without the GA4 connection, Google Ads operates on partial information. It knows when someone clicked your ad, but not what they did on your website afterwards — whether they viewed a service page, spent time reading, submitted a form, or left immediately.

With the link, you can:

  • Import GA4 events (form submissions, bookings) as Google Ads conversions
  • See bounce rates, session duration, and page views for ad traffic within GA4
  • Build audience segments in GA4 and use them for Google Ads remarketing
  • Access cross-channel attribution in GA4 to understand how Google Ads contributes alongside other channels

Prerequisites

Before linking:

  1. You need a GA4 property installed on your website (not Universal Analytics — GA4 only)
  2. You need Admin access to both the GA4 property and the Google Ads account
  3. Auto-tagging must be enabled in Google Ads (it is on by default — check under Settings > Account Settings > Auto-tagging)

Linking from Google Ads

Step 1: sign in to your Google Ads account at ads.google.com

Step 2: click the Tools icon (spanner symbol) in the top navigation

Step 3: under Setup, click Linked Accounts

Step 4: find Google Analytics (GA4) and Universal Analytics and click Details

Step 5: your GA4 properties will be listed. Find the correct property for your website and click Link

Step 6: select the Google Ads account you want to link to and click Continue

Step 7: configure your settings: enable auto-tagging (leave this on); enable Remarketing (turn this on to allow GA4 audiences to be used in Google Ads); enable Conversion import (turn this on so GA4 events can be imported as conversions)

Step 8: click Link and confirm

The link is established immediately, but data sharing between the two platforms takes up to 24 hours to begin.

Linking from GA4 (alternative route)

You can also initiate the link from the GA4 side:

Step 1: open GA4 at analytics.google.com

Step 2: go to Admin (gear icon, bottom left)

Step 3: under Property, click Google Ads Linking

Step 4: click Link

Step 5: select your Google Ads account from the list

Step 6: configure Enable Personalised Advertising (allows audience sharing) and Enable Auto-tagging

Step 7: review and submit

Both routes achieve the same result. Use whichever platform you are already working in.

Importing GA4 conversions into Google Ads

Once linked, you can import GA4 events as Google Ads conversion actions:

  1. Click Tools > Conversions
  2. Click the + button to create a new conversion
  3. Select Import
  4. Select Google Analytics 4 Properties
  5. Sign in and select your GA4 property
  6. Choose the events to import (for example, form_submission, booking_confirmed, generate_lead)
  7. Configure each conversion action: name, category (Lead), value, count (One or Every)
  8. Import

GA4 events used as conversions must first be marked as conversions within GA4 itself. In GA4, go to Admin > Events, find your event (for example form_submission), and toggle the Mark as Conversion switch to on.

After linking:

  1. In GA4 go to Admin > Google Ads Links and confirm the link status shows as Active
  2. In Google Ads go to Tools > Linked Accounts > Google Analytics and confirm the status is Linked
  3. Run a test conversion on your website (submit your contact form) and check both platforms update within 24 hours

If the link shows as Active but conversion data is not flowing after 48 hours, check: auto-tagging is enabled in Google Ads; the GA4 event is marked as a conversion in GA4; the GA4 measurement ID on your website is the same property linked in Google Ads.

What data is shared after linking

Once linked, Google Ads data appears in GA4 under Acquisition > Traffic Acquisition (filter by CPC source). GA4 session and engagement data becomes visible in Google Ads under the Campaigns reports with additional columns (sessions, pages per session, bounce rate). This cross-platform view allows you to evaluate ad performance on both a clicks/cost level (Google Ads data) and an engagement level (GA4 data) in one place.

Key takeaways

  • Linking GA4 to Google Ads enables conversion import, audience sharing, and unified cross-channel reporting.
  • The link can be initiated from either platform; the result is identical.
  • After linking, mark GA4 events as conversions within GA4 before importing them into Google Ads.
  • Allow 24 to 48 hours for data to begin flowing after the link is established.
  • Verify the link by confirming Active status in both platforms and checking that a test conversion registers in Google Ads within 48 hours.

Frequently asked questions

Can we link multiple GA4 properties to one Google Ads account?

Yes. If your firm manages multiple websites with separate GA4 properties, each can be linked to the same Google Ads account. Conversions from each property are imported separately and visible as distinct conversion actions.

What is the difference between linking GA4 and installing a Google Ads conversion tag?

A Google Ads conversion tag (a piece of JavaScript added directly to your website) tracks conversions independently within Google Ads. Linking GA4 imports GA4's tracked events into Google Ads. For most accounting firms, one approach is sufficient — using GA4 events is recommended because it avoids double-counting and gives a single consistent data source across both platforms.

Linking the platforms does not change your cookie obligations. The GA4 tracking that fires on your website still requires cookie consent under UK GDPR/PECR for analytics cookies. Ensure your cookie consent banner captures appropriate consent before GA4 tags fire.

Can we use the link to run remarketing to past website visitors?

Yes. Once linked with Remarketing enabled, GA4 can create audience segments (for example "visited pricing page", "visited IR35 service page") that become available as audiences in Google Ads for remarketing campaigns.

What happens if we disconnect the link?

Historical data is not deleted from either platform. Disconnecting stops new data sharing and prevents future conversion imports from that GA4 property. Reconnecting is straightforward and follows the same linking steps.