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Revenue and Conversion Tracking

Home > English > Revenue and Conversion Tracking > Conversion Tracking > How To Articles: Conversion Tracking > Setting Up Google Analytics Conversion Tracking

Setting Up Google Analytics Conversion Tracking

Introduction

You may want to use Google Analytics to track conversions, rather than Marin Tracker. This article will show you how to set up conversion tracking with Google Analytics.

How to set up Google Analytics conversion tracking

In order to properly set up Google Analytics conversion tracking, steps must be taken both by you and by your Platform account team. Below we'll outline the parts of the process you can carry out yourself. We recommend that you do this with the guidance of a Platform representative, who can help ensure everything works correctly.

Your Tasks  

  1. First, ensure that you've linked the Google Adwords account to Google Analytics via the Admin option in Google Analytics. These two Google systems must be linked to complete the integration and sync your data correctly.
  2. Make sure the user is set at the Account level (as opposed to Property or View level). Then, add the email address ga-api@marinsoftware.com to your Google Analytics profile and grant Read and Analyze access.
    This will ensure API access for the Platform. You can add the email address by logging into the specific GA account and following the instructions found here: https://support.google.com/analytics..._topic=1009690
     
  3. Identify if you are using autotagging ON and/or autotagging OFF
    • If using autotagging ON for Google objects: Make sure all UTM tracking parameters are removed from Google keyword/creative URLs. Having both UTM tracking parameters and autotagging ON for the same Google objects has been known to cause conversion reporting issues. For auto-tagging ON, click here to read our help article for more information.
    • If using autotagging OFF for Google objects and non-Google objects (ie. Microsoft): Make sure all UTM tracking parameters are appended on these URLs. And we strongly recommend utm_content to contain these parameters: utm_content=[uniq_id]|pcrid|{creative}|pkw|{keyword}|pmt|{matchtype} Please note the delimiter may vary. For auto-tagging OFF, click here to read our help article for more information.
  4. Next, you'll need to create conversion types within the Platform that represent the GA goals and eCommerce you want tracked. If you are attempting to track conversions that are not goals and eCommerce, please contact your Platform representative for further information on what is supported.

    Please note, that GA rates and averages cannot be brought down to the Platform. To create these conversion types, follow these steps:
    1. Click the Admin link in the upper right of the Platform.
    2. Click the Revenue sub-tab, then choose Conversion Types from the left-hand menu.
    3. Use the Create button ('plus' icon) to add your new conversion types.
       
  5. If you are not using Auto-tagging, please make sure the following have been completed:
    • URL Builder is set up with the correct UTM tracking parameters.
    • All of the keyword/creative URLs have these UTM tracking parameters.
    • The Tracking IDs setting is configured correctly to parse out the Tracking ID, {Creative}, {Keyword}, and {MatchType} values as specified in URL Builder.
       
  6. Click the Help link in the upper right of the Platform, and contact our Support Services team to make this GA mapping. Make sure to include the following information:
    1. The GA profile name and profile ID you would like mapped (the one you granted ga-api@marinsoftware.com access to). The profile ID is the 8-digit number after the 'p' as seen in the URL address bar when you are logged into the GA account.
    2. The GA goals, eCommerce, etc. you would like mapped in correspondence to the conversion types created in the Platform.
      • If these conversion types are Goals, please specify the goal number for each of these.
      • For example, Goal 1 corresponds to Request a Brochure conversion type.
    3. Let us know if you are using autotagging ON or autotagging OFF for your Google tracking.
    4. if you would like GA data to be backfilled, please specify the date of how far back you would like this to be processed.

Internal Tasks

The next steps will need to be taken by your Account Team. They will work internally to set up your revenue integration using the above details and bring in the requested GA conversion data. Please reach out to your Platform representative to complete this process.

How to compare revenue figures in Google Analytics vs. the platform

Migrating from Auto-Tagging to Manual Tagging

If your revenue integration is currently configured for AdWords Auto-Tagging and you would like to migrate to Manual tagging for your Google campaigns, you can seamlessly update your account and preserve historical conversions.

If you would like to move forward with a migration, please follow up with your Customer Engagement Manager to plan the migration for your account. This is a technical configuration that can result in data loss if not done correctly. Your CEM and/or the Platform Support team can advise on steps for a successful migration.

The following will need to be done to your account for this migration:

  • Update URL Builder for Google Publisher / GA Manual Tagging.
  • Review the Tracking IDs window to verify URL parameters will parse correctly.
  • Download all URLs, remove existing tracking and re-upload to append GA manual tagging.
  • Request your CEM or Support representative to update your account's revenue integration for GA Manual Tagging.
  • Update Google Analytics to allow manual tagging to override auto-tagging.
    • In Google Analytics, go to Admin > Property Settings > Advanced Settings
    • Check the Allow manual tagging (UTM values) to override auto-tagging (GCLID values) button.
  • Revenue tracking will be based on manual tagging going forward.
Please note the manual tagging override setting in Google Analytics will preserve your historical conversions and prevent any gaps in tracking. In addition it is unnecessary to disable auto-tagging in AdWords, if the manual tag override setting is enabled.

Additional information about GA conversion tracking

  • If you are using goals, the recommended format for your conversion ID is the goal and the number without spaces (goal1, goal2, etc.).
  • We recommend that you keep Auto-tagging OFF to ensure greater conversion accuracy (this requires URLs tagged with the UTM parameter), however GA tracking can be set up with Auto-tagging ON if necessary.
  • Each client account may have multiple GA revenue mappings to one conversion type (in Overwrite mode) as long as there is no overlap between the mappings. Make sure that each mapping is for a different set of keywords and creatives in the account, and this should not be an issue.
  • If you are using Auto-tagging ON, make sure to remove all UTM parameters from your Google URLs. If UTM parameters are still included, there will most likely be issues with tracking, and the majority of conversions may not pull through.

Additional information about Google Click Identifier

gclid (Google Click Identifier) is a globally unique tracking parameter used by Google to pass information back and forth between Google AdWords and Google Analytics. If you enable URL auto tagging in Google AdWords, Google will append a unique ?gclid parameter on your destination URLs at run-time. Because it is a redirect, you won't see any gclid parameters on your AdWords text ad destination URLs, but it will show up in your Web server log files.

Important notes

  • If for any reason you adjust your utm_content parameter, or turn AdWords Auto-tagging on or off, please file a Support ticket or contact your Platform representative. Our team will ensure that the change occurs smoothly.
  • Note that keyword level and content attribution can be inaccurate if using auto-tagging due to the way Google Analytics reports metrics at the keyword, and its delivered match_type. Recently Google Analytics has made bidded match type accessible from its reporting API.
  • If you are using Google Analytics Auto Tagging and seeing failed revenue upload rows, this normally means that GA is tracking things which are not linked to the Platform. For example, PLA or DSA campaigns.
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