The conversions (goal completions and e-commerce transactions) reported by Google Ads (AdWords) could be vastly different from the conversions reported by Google Analytics, as they both use different tracking methods.

#1 Google Analytics and Google Ads use different attribution models or source

Google Analytics and Google Ads use different attribution models.

Google Analytics uses two different attribution models. GA uses the last non-direct click attribution model for non-multi channel funnel reports and the last click model for multi-channel funnel reports. Whereas Google Ads uses the last AdWords click’ attribution model in which the last Google Ads click in a conversion path gets all the credit for the conversion.

The use of different attribution models alone can create a discrepancy in conversion data between Google Ads and Google Analytics.

For example, if a user clicks on your Google ad and then later return to your website via organic search to complete a goal then Google Ads will give credit for the conversion to the last Google Ads click whereas Google Analytics will give the credit for the conversion to organic search.

In Google Analytics, all the Google Ads conversion paths (keyword path, ad group path, and campaign path) are based only on clicks. Whereas in Google Ads, the Google Ads conversion paths are based on both clicks and impressions.

#2 Google Analytics and Google Ads use different attribution time

Google Analytics defines attribution time as the time of the goal completion or conversion, whereas Google Ads defines attribution time as the time of the ad query the user searched for, preceding the click that led to the conversion.

For example, a user comes to your website on 3rd Sept via Google Ads but doesn’t complete any goal or transaction, they then come again 10 days later on 13th Sept via organic search, and this time the user completes a goal or transaction. In this example, Google Analytics will consider the attribution time as 13th Sep (the time of goal completion) while Google Ads will consider the attribution time as 3rd Sep (time the user performed the search query).

#3 Goal conversion rate is calculated differently between Google Ads and Google Analytics

The Goal conversion rate in GA is based on the Goals you have defined for a particular view and the sessions recorded for that view.

So filtered views can create huge data discrepancy between Google Ads and analytics.

The goal conversion rate in Google Ads is based on the Goals you have defined via the Google Ads conversion tracking code or the goals you imported from Analytics and the clicks/video views recorded for the goals.

#4 Goal conversion counting is different between Google Ads and Google Analytics

In Google Analytics, a goal completion is counted only once per user session. Whereas in Google Ads a goal completion can be counted many times per ad click.

So if a file download is one of your goals then google analytics will count only one file download as a goal completion in a given session no matter how many times a user downloads the file in the same session. Whereas in Google Ads, if file download is one of your goals then Google Ads can count goal completion each time the user downloads the file after an ad click, even in the same session.

In Google Ads conversion tracking, there is no concept of user sessions.

Moreover, Google Analytics counts conversions from all traffic sources and mediums. Whereas Google Ads count only those conversions which resulted from Google ad clicks/video ad views.

#5 Flexible conversion counting in Google Ads can create data discrepancies between Google Ads and Google Analytics

In Google Ads, you can count conversions according to your business and marketing goals through flexible conversion counting.

So for any conversion action (user action that leads to conversion) in Google Ads, you can choose to count every conversion that occurred after an ad click or only one conversion that occurred after an ad click.

For example, if you want to track sales, then you would prefer to count every sales/transaction that happened after a click on your ad. Consequently, you will set your count option to ‘Every’ while setting up a conversion in Google Ads:

If however, you want to track leads, then you would prefer to count only one lead conversion that happened after a click on your ad (unique leads).

Consequently, you will set your count option to ‘one’ while setting up a conversion in Google Ads:

Google Analytics does not provide flexible conversion counting, which can create a difference between Google Ads and analytics goals data.

#6 Certain transactions are recorded in Google Analytics but not in Google Ads and vice versa

Because of the flexible conversion counting feature of Google Ads, there is a possibility that certain transactions that are recorded in Google Analytics are not recorded and reported by Google Ads.

For example, if a user clicks on an ad and then place two different orders, then Google Ads may report only one order (if the conversion count is set to one) whereas Google Analytics reports two orders.

Similarly, if Google Analytics tracking code does not fire for some reason (maybe it is disabled by a user), then, in that case, Google Analytics won’t record and report the user’s transaction but Google Ads will still count and report such transaction.

Test transactions, reverse transactions and refund data can all create data discrepancies between Google Ads and analytics conversions data.

Test transactions – it is common for developers to place test transactions on a website during testing. These transactions are often recorded and reported by Google Analytics but not by Google Ads.

Reverse transactions – in Google Analytics, you can reverse a transaction which is not possible in Google Ads.

Refund data – in Google Analytics you can import refund data which is not possible in Google Ads.

#7 Invalid ad clicks and invalid conversions in Google Ads

Google Ads can discount invalid clicks and all the conversions which occurred as a result of such clicks.

This is not the case with Google Analytics. GA can still report on the conversions resulted from invalid Google ad clicks.

#8 Google Analytics data sampling issues

Data sampling issues in your Google Analytics account can very easily skew your analytics data and can create a huge difference between reported conversion data in Google Analytics and Google Ads.

#9 Date of conversion

Google Analytics and Google Ads can report the same conversion on a different day and time.

Google analytics report conversion on the day it happens. Whereas Google Ads reports conversion on the day, the ad was last clicked prior to conversion.

For example, let’s say someone clicked on your Google ad on July 1 and then made a purchase on July 2.

Now both Google Ads and Google Analytics will not report any conversion on July 1.

However, on July 2, Google analytics will report the conversion.

But Google Ads will not report any conversion for July 2. Instead, it will now report the conversion for July 1.

#10 Conversion data freshness

Conversions recorded via Google Ads conversion tracking code are updated faster in Google Ads (usually within 3 hours) than the conversions imported to your Google Ads account from Google Analytics.

The imported conversion data can take up to 9 hours to reflect on the Google Ads reports. Because of this reason, the conversion data between Google Ads and analytics can be temporarily out of sync.

#11 Not all Google Ads conversions can be tracked in Google Analytics

There are certain categories of conversions that can not be tracked in Google Analytics at present.

For example, the following Google Ads conversions can not be tracked in Google Analytics at present:

#1 Cross-account conversions – these are the conversions that resulted from your ads created in multiple Google Ads account.

For example, let’s suppose you have two Google Ads accounts and a single Google Analytics account for the website. Now let’s assume if a user clicks on the ad from account A, and then they also clicked on the ad from account B and finally complete the goal or conversion. In this case, each Google Ad account will count the conversion, even if it’s the same user. In Google Analytics it will be counted once only and attribute to the second ad account as it was the last interaction before conversion.

Note: If you are using multiple Google Ads account managed by a common Ads Manager account and use cross-account conversion, Google Ads will count it as one conversion only and attribute it to the second ads account.

#2 Phone call conversions – conversions that resulted from phone call extensions or phone numbers embedded on your website.

#3 View-through conversions – conversions that resulted from the viewing (impression) of your video/display ad. For example, a person saw your ad (but not clicked it) and then later completed a conversion on your website, which can be counted as a view-through conversion in Google Ads.

#4 Cross-device conversions – the conversions which resulted from an ad click on a different device. For example, a person clicks on your ad, on one device and then later completed a conversion on your website via a different device, which can be counted as a cross-device conversion in Google Ads.

#5 Cross browser conversions – the conversions which resulted from an ad click on a different web browser. For example, a person clicks on your ad, on one web browser and then later completed a conversion on your website via a different web browser, can be counted as a cross-browser conversion in Google Ads. Cross browsers conversions are included in ‘All Conversions’ in Google Ads and are not reported separately.

#6 Store visits conversions – the conversions which resulted from a visit to your physical store (shop, hotel, restaurant, etc) after a click on your Google ad.

#12 User data preferences for tracking methods

Users may opt out of the analytics tracking option (GDPR rules) which is used to set analytics cookies on the browser and to track session activities. In this case, Google Analytics will fail to record the goal completion or conversion but Google Ads can still track the conversion by using conversion pixel code that is executed at the time of the goal completion.

Also, it is vice versa if a user who uses or toggles an Ad Block extension while browsing lands on a website and performs a conversion, Google Ads will fail to record the conversion but Google Analytics will record it and report it.

#13 Subscription renewals tracking

Since subscription payments (other than the first payment) are not triggered by a user’s actions, they need to be tracked server-side. You can track the subscription renewals in Google Analytics using measurement protocol but you can not track this conversion in Google Ads.

If you want to know more read the article Google Analytics Recurring Revenue and Subscriptions Tracking Tutorial

#14 URL tracking

Google Ads can only track clicks on the ads shown to the user, whereas Google Analytics can track all the activities a user does on the website post ad click.

To get the complete overview of the user journey you need to integrate your ads account with your analytics account. You can add URL parameters to your Google Ads and then pass these parameters to your analytics account to get a holistic overview of the user journey.

To learn about other differences between Google Analytics and Google Ads data, read the article: Why Google Ads and Google Analytics data don’t match & how to fix it