Make sure your Google Analytics & AdWords accounts are linked by March 3rd, 09

Posted: February 26, 2009

Google Analytics is doing an update to their system in passing AdWords to Google Analytics data. If you have multiple Google Analytics accounts; or accounts which are not linked to AdWords accounts – you might want to make sure the information is correct.

Here’s the step by step information from Google in linking your AdWords and Google Analytics account together (copy and paste email from Google):

Action required: Cost data change
Important change to Google AdWords and Analytics cost data importing

Dear Google Analytics User,

On March 4th, we will be updating how Google Analytics imports AdWords data to improve security and provide greater control and convenience. This update will require that your AdWords and Analytics accounts are linked and that you have "Apply Cost Data" selected. We are proactively notifying Administrators of Analytics accounts that will be affected by this change (you either have auto-tagging enabled and/or have a linked account without cost data applied to some or all of your profiles).

If you are receiving AdWords traffic (e.g. Visits), but the AdWords reports in Google Analytics do not contain impression or click data (e.g. CPC, Impressions, ROI), then it is likely that AdWords and Analytics are not linked or the cost data option is turned off for that profile. The cost data import option is selected by default when linking your accounts; however, new profiles created after the linking process may not have cost data implemented.

You may need to apply one of the following changes to your Google Analytics account(s) <removed> by March 3rd, 2009 to continue collecting AdWords data:

Link your accounts and apply cost data (if you have enabled auto-tagging, but you have not linked your AdWords account to Analytics)

Sign in to AdWords and click the Analytics tab.
If you don’t see your Analytics account, then your accounts are not linked. Follow the on-screen instructions to link your accounts. (Learn how or watch the video)
When linking your accounts, keep the default "Apply Cost Data" box checked. AdWords cost data will now be applied to all of your current profiles.

Implement cost data (if your AdWords and Analytics accounts are already linked)

Sign in to AdWords and click the Analytics tab.
From the Overview page, select an Analytics account to display all the profiles for that account.
Select desired profile and click "Edit".
View the Main Website Profile Information box to see if cost data is already applied.
If cost data is not applied, click ‘Edit’ from the upper right hand corner of the Main Website Profile Information box.
In the Edit Profile Information page, select the checkbox that says ‘Apply Cost Data’.
Repeat these steps for each profile you wish to continue receiving AdWords cost data.
Click ‘Save’ to finish.

Please remember that you can only link one AdWords account to one Analytics account. If the Analytics account you wish to link to is not available, it is possible this Analytics account is already linked to another AdWords account. (If this is the case you can always unlink them and then link the desired ones.) Currently, due to auto-tagging, your Analytics account may be receiving data from more than one AdWords account although they are not linked. With the March 4th change, if you need to receive data from multiple AdWords cost sources these must all be applied to your profiles. If this is necessary, please read this FAQ. With cost data applied, please note that you will receive full AdWords cost data (visits, impressions, CPC, ROI, etc.) in your Analytics report.

We recommend that you make the changes outlined in this email to your Google Analytics account by March 3rd, 2009 to ensure your Analytics reports continue to receive AdWords data.

Sincerely,

The Google Analytics Team

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Written by Brad Geddes aka eWhisper · Filed Under Blog

Comments

5 Responses to “Make sure your Google Analytics & AdWords accounts are linked by March 3rd, 09”

Google Updates Analytics / AdWords Account Linkage - Marketing on the Web, Huntsville AL on February 27th, 2009 11:51 am

[...] Thanks to Rusty Brick at Search Engine Roundtable for the heads up and Brad Geddes for his coverage (here). [...]
AdWords Requiring Analytics To Be "Linked" To Send Cost Data | Kooshy - Sneaky Search Marketing on February 28th, 2009 1:00 am

[...] coming up for those Google AdWords users who use Google Analytics to track their campaigns. Brad posted this information yesterday, but just in case you missed it, here it is [...]
????? ????? on May 6th, 2009 7:55 am

i was away for the last few weeks.

is there a way for retreiving the lost info to the analytics?

thanks!
Brad Geddes aka eWhisper on May 6th, 2009 8:24 am

Good question; and one I’m not sure of the answer to.

I’d recommend asking this question in the Google Analytics forum: http://groups.google.com/group/analytics-help
aimClear’s 2009 Daily Training Link Library » aimClear Search Marketing Blog on January 1st, 2010 5:46 pm

[...] Make sure your Google Analytics & AdWords accounts are linked by March 3rd, 09, Brad Geddes [...]