How to Track Your Ads with Google Analytics

Introduction  

Running ads is great—but if you’re not tracking performance, you’re flying blind.  

Google Analytics is the go-to tool for understanding what’s actually working. From ad  clicks to conversions, it gives you the clarity you need to scale confidently.  

This blog breaks down how to track your paid ads like a pro—without being a data nerd.  

Step 1: Set Up Google Analytics (GA4)  

Head to analytics.google.com and create a GA4 property.  

Install the tracking code on your website (via Google Tag Manager, WordPress plugin,  or manual HTML paste).  

Confirm that:  

• Page views are being tracked  

• Events like form submissions or purchases are firing correctly 

Step 2: Create Key Events for Tracking  

Custom “events” let you track:  

• Button clicks  

• Lead form submissions  

• Purchases or bookings  

• Scroll depth or time on page  

Use Google Tag Manager to define these or set them up in GA4’s Events settings.  

Step 3: Use UTM Parameters on All Ads  

UTM tags tell Google Analytics where traffic is coming from and what campaign it  belongs to.  

Use this format:  

https://yourwebsite.com/offer? 

utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=leadgen_offer2025  Key UTM pieces:  

• utm_source = platform (e.g., facebook, instagram, google)  • utm_medium = paid, social, cpc, etc.  

• utm_campaign = internal name for the campaign  

Use Google’s Campaign URL Builder to generate links.  

Step 4: Track Conversions Inside GA4  

Once your UTM links are working and events are set up, you can track: 

• Where leads came from  

• Which ad campaign brought them in  

• What actions they took on your site  

Check these reports in GA4:  

• Acquisition > Traffic acquisition 

• Conversions > Events 

• User behavior > Path exploration 

Step 5: Set Up Conversion Goals  

Create goals based on events (like lead_form_submit or purchase_complete).  This helps you see:  

• Conversion rate by traffic source  

• Which campaigns drive actual ROI  

• Where users drop off  

Step 6: Build Simple Dashboards  

Use GA4 Explorations or connect Google Analytics to:  

• Google Looker Studio (for custom dashboards)  

• CRM tools like HubSpot, ActiveCampaign, or ConvertKit 

• Ad platforms for combined reporting  

This gives you a real-time, centralized view of ad performance.  

Bonus: Track ROAS (Return on Ad Spend)  

To calculate ROAS:  

1. Total Revenue from Ads ÷ Total Ad Spend = ROAS  

2. A ROAS of 2.0 means you made $2 for every $1 spent  

Use conversion values in your Google Analytics events to automate this.  

Conclusion  

Tracking isn’t optional—it’s how you scale without wasting money.  

Set up your GA4, tag every link, define your conversion events, and watch what  happens when you make data-driven decisions.  

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