Viewing Google Ads Reports in GA4
Learn how to link Google Ads account, view campaign performance and analyze paid search data
Viewing Google Ads Reports in GA4
From account linking to deep analysis, master the complete process of viewing and analyzing Google Ads data in GA4 to improve advertising performance.
Step 1: Foundation Setup - Link Accounts
Before analysis, ensure data sources are properly connected through two key operations.
Operation 1: Link Google Ads Account
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First, click the Admin gear icon in the bottom left of GA4 interface.
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Next, find and select Google Ads Links option in the Property column.
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Click the blue Link button.
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Follow screen instructions to select the Google Ads account to link and complete confirmation.
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Key Point:After completion, you can clearly see which GA4 property ID is linked to which Google Ads customer ID, along with operation date for future reference.
Operation 2: Enable Google Signals
Purpose:
Enable this feature so GA4 can collect more comprehensive cross-device user information, and automatically sync audiences created in GA4 (such as "visited but did not purchase users") to Google Ads for precise remarketing.
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Return to the Admin interface.
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In the Admin , find Data related Settings, then select Data Collection.
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Here, ensure the Google Signals data collection toggle on the right is enabled.
Tip:After completing these settings, data synchronization takes some time. Usually within 24 hours, complete Google Ads data will appear in GA4 reports.
Report Access Path Reference
| Report Type | Access Path | Key Features | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acquisition Overview | Reports → Life cycle → Acquisition → Overview | Quick view of traffic source distribution | Daily monitoring, executive reporting |
| Traffic Acquisition | Reports → Life cycle → Acquisition → Traffic acquisition | Detailed channel and campaign data | Campaign performance analysis |
| Google Ads Reports | Reports → Life cycle → Acquisition → Google Ads campaigns | Dedicated Google Ads data view | Google Ads specific optimization |
| Exploration Analysis | Explore → Blank/Free form | Custom dimension and metric combinations | Deep analysis, custom research |
Step 2: Daily Monitoring - View Standard Reports
This section is for quickly grasping overall advertising performance in daily work.
Quick Overview
Entry Point:
Click the Reports option in the left main navigation bar.
Quick Overview Path
After entering reports, in the Reports snapshot interface, there will be a Session source/medium card. The CPC data representing pay-per-click traffic mainly comes from Google Ads.
View Detailed Campaign Reports:
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In the left navigation tree of reports, expand Life Cycle, then expand Acquisition.
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Click to enter Traffic acquisition report.
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Scroll down the page to see a chart about session default channel groups.
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Key Entry:On the left side of this chart, find and click the blue "View traffic acquisition report" link.
Report Interpretation
This is the core report that needs daily attention, click "customize report" in the top right corner.
Default View:
The report defaults to Session campaign as dimension, which is the Google Ads campaign name.
Core Metrics:
The report lists key data for each campaign including Users, Sessions, Engaged sessions, Google Ads clicks, Cost, Cost per click, Conversions, and Total Revenue.
Switch Analysis Perspective:
Click the small arrow next to Session campaign to switch the main dimension of the report. For example, select Session Google Ads keyword text to switch from showing campaign performance to showing detailed data for each bid keyword.
Step 3: Deep Dive - Use Exploration Features
When standard reports cannot meet the needs of multi-dimensional cross analysis, it's time for exploration features.
Start Here:
Click the Explore option in the left main navigation bar.
Create blank report: Select Blank template to build a completely custom analysis report from scratch.
Practical Case: Analyze User Real Search Terms
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Name Report:
For example, Google Ads Keywords and Search Terms Analysis.
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Import Dimensions:
- • In the Variables section Dimensions, click the plus sign.
- • Search and select Session Google Ads keyword text (keywords you set in Ads) and Google Ads query (actual search terms users entered on Google).
- • Click Import in the top right corner.
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Import Metrics:
- • In the Variables section Metrics, click the plus sign.
- • Search and select Sessions and Conversions.
- • Click Import.
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Build Report:
- • Drag content under dimensions to the Rows area in the tab settings bar.
- • Drag content under metrics to the Values area.
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Data Cleaning:
- • To make the report more focused, filter out meaningless data.
- • Find the Filters option below the tab settings bar.
- • Click and select Session Google Ads keyword text.
- • Set filter condition to "does not exactly match", then enter "not set" in the text box.
- • Click Apply.
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Insight Analysis:
The resulting report clearly reveals which bid keywords matched which real search terms from users, and how many visits and conversions each search term brought. This is valuable evidence for optimizing ads and discovering new keywords.
Step 4: Evaluate Real Value - Attribution and Path Analysis
This module helps us break out of single-click limitations and understand advertising's role in the entire user conversion journey from a macro perspective.
Entry Point:
The Advertising option in the left main navigation bar.
Model Comparison Report
Click Model comparison in the left menu.
Purpose:Compare how conversion credit is allocated to different channels under different attribution models. Compare the conversion credit that Paid Search channel gets under Last click model and Data-driven model.
Discovery:If Paid Search has high credit under First click model, it indicates its crucial role in brand acquisition and user awareness initiation, with value far beyond the last click.
Conversion Paths Report
Click Conversion paths in the left menu.
Function:This report is like a map, showing which channel sites users visited and in what order before final conversion.
Typical Path:
You can see conversion paths like this: users first contact the brand through Paid Search, then may visit again through Organic Search, and finally complete conversion through Direct access. This clearly shows that Google Ads is the first step for users to know the brand, and its guiding value cannot be ignored.