Google Updates Analytics Data Tracking To Ensure Consistency With Ads

Google is rolling out a change in Google Analytics in order to facilitate more uniform data tracking across Google Ads and Analytics, with “Key Events” being implemented to replace conversions for behavioral analytics.

As explained by Google:

“Key events help site and app owners continue to consistently measure the most important behavior on their websites and apps so they can supercharge their user experience. With this update, a conversion will be the same whether you’re looking at it in your Google Ads reporting or in a Google Analytics report. In this improved, more unified experience, we are addressing the differences in conversions reporting that marketers have experienced across Google Ads and Analytics, a long-standing request that we are happy to have resolved for our customers.”

So the change will essentially ensure that you’re seeing the same data labels and insights in both applications, which has long been a headache for some marketers working across both platforms.

Further, if your Google Ads account is linked to Analytics, you’ll also now see consistent conversion data in the Advertising Workspace, helping to streamline measurement and optimization.

It’s a minor change in the broader scheme, but it could be important in your workflow, ensuring more accurate data tracking across these two key platforms. So now, if you see conversion data in Analytics, that same insight will be reflected in Google Ads, rather than messing with your head by showing you different info.

Which does mess with your head. There’s nothing worse than launching a campaign based on the data you’ve studied, only to then, after launch, get that feeling that you may have read it wrong.

Google Analytics is notorious for this, due to the depth of variables available, but hopefully, these improved data labeling integrations and displays will help.

You can read more about the update here.