How to Link GA4 to Google Ads (and Import Your Key Events)

If you run Google Ads, linking it to GA4 is one of the highest-value things you can do. It’s how your GA4 key events become conversions you can bid toward, and how your ad campaigns start showing up in your analytics.

This guide walks through the link itself and then how to import your key events as conversions.

Before you start: You need Editor access on the GA4 property and administrative access on the Google Ads account. It also helps to have your key events set up first, since those are what you’ll import.

Why link GA4 and Google Ads

The link runs both directions, which is what makes it useful:

• Import key events as conversions. Your GA4 key events (form submissions, purchases) become conversion actions in Google Ads, so you measure the same thing in both places.
• Share audiences for remarketing. GA4 audiences (like “added to cart but didn’t buy”) flow into Ads so you can target them.
• See campaigns in GA4. Your Google Ads clicks and cost appear in GA4’s Acquisition reports, next to the rest of your traffic.
• Better bidding signals. Google’s automated bidding uses the conversion data to make smarter decisions.

How to link GA4 to Google Ads

Step 1: Open Google Ads links

In GA4, go to Admin > Product links > Google Ads links.

You should see: A page listing any existing links, with a Link button in the top right.

Step 2: Choose your account

Click Link, then Choose Google Ads accounts. Pick the account you want and click Confirm.

If you don’t see your account, you probably don’t have admin access to it. Ask whoever manages the Ads account to grant it, or to do this step.

Step 3: Review the settings

Click Next to review the link options, like enabling personalized advertising and auto-tagging. Leave the defaults on unless you have a reason not to.

Step 4: Submit

Click Next, then Submit.

You should see: Your Google Ads account listed on the Google Ads links page with a status showing the link is active. Google’s full walkthrough is in Connect Google Ads to Google Analytics.

How to import your key events as conversions

Linking the accounts doesn’t automatically turn your key events into Ads conversions. You choose which ones to import.

1. In Google Ads, go to Goals > Conversions, then click + New conversion action > Import > Google Analytics 4 properties. (You can also start this import from GA4 under Advertising > Conversion management.)
2. Find the Google Analytics (GA4) section and select the key events you want to import.
3. Click Next, review your choices, and click Save.

You need at least the Marketer role in Google Analytics, plus admin access to the Google Ads account, for this. Only events you’ve marked as key events in GA4 will appear as options.

You should see: Your chosen key events listed as conversion actions in Google Ads. They start counting from import forward, not retroactively.

What you’ll see once it’s linked

Give it up to an hour, then check two places:

• In GA4, open Reports > Acquisition > Traffic acquisition. Your Google Ads traffic now shows with campaign detail instead of lumped into a generic bucket.
• In Google Ads, your imported key events appear as conversions you can report on and bid toward.

Common problems

“I can’t select my Ads account.” You need admin access to that Google Ads account. This is the most common blocker.

“My conversions show zero.” Imported conversions only count data from the moment you imported them. Give it a day or two of live traffic.

“The numbers don’t match GA4 exactly.” Google Ads and GA4 attribute conversions differently, so some gap is normal even after linking.

What to do next

Your accounts are talking to each other. Here’s where to go from here:

• Mark more key events if you’re only importing one or two. See the key events guide.
• Check your campaign traffic in the GA4 reports.
• Connect Search Console too for the organic side of the picture. See how to connect Search Console to GA4.

For the full picture of how GA4 works, start with our GA4 beginner’s guide.