Using Google Analytics 4 (GA4) with the Google Analytics for Firebase SDK (GA4F SDK) provides comprehensive, privacy-centric analytics to help you better measure and optimize your App campaign performance. Learn more about the benefits and features you get access to by using Google Analytics 4.
This guide provides a comprehensive, step-by-step process for integrating Google Analytics 4 and the Google Analytics for Firebase SDK with Google Ads bidding.
Before you begin
Before you begin, make sure you have the following:
- An app to market in Google Ads.
- Administrative access to a Google Ads account or a Google Ads manager account.
- Android users need Google Play Console account ownership. Learn more about Console Play access levels.
- A Firebase project.
- Optionally, if you have web analytics, you can set up Google Analytics 4 for your website and app.
- When linking in:
- A Google Analytics 4 property, the Google Account needs to be an administrator or editor in the corresponding Google Analytics 4 property.
- A Firebase project, the Google Account needs to be an owner of the Firebase project that you want to link.
- Update to the latest APIs or SDKs.
- You should also update to the latest SDK version, which will allow it to properly communicate consent signals to help respect user choices and enable comprehensive measurement and modelling. Learn more about Resources to help you get ready for privacy and regulatory changes for traffic in the European Economic Area (EEA).
Get started with Google Analytics 4
To successfully bid on app events with Google Ads using GA4, you must follow these steps:
- Add the Google Analytics for Firebase SDK to your app
- Implement event tracking
- Enable Google Analytics 4 for your project
- Link Google Play if your app has in_app_purchase events
- Mark events as key events
- Link with Google Ads
- Create Google Ads conversions based on key events
- Enable auto-tagging
- Bid on conversions
Step 1 of 9: Add the Google Analytics for Firebase SDK to your app
The Google Analytics for Firebase (GA4F) SDK is a piece of code that needs to be implemented into your app. All implementation instructions and developer docs can be found through the following links:
- For iOS, Android, or Flutter projects: Get Started with Google Analytics for Firebase SDK
- For Unity projects: Get started with Google Analytics for Firebase SDK for Unity
Step 2 of 9: Implement event tracking
The GA4F SDK automatically collects certain events. No additional code is required to capture these including first_open and in_app_purchase.
Implement additional events with event logging using the GA4F SDK:
- Android
- iOS
For generally recommended events, read Recommended events.
Step 3 of 9: Enable Google Analytics 4 for your project
Link an existing Google Analytics 4 property
- Open the Firebase console, select your project, and click
.
- Open Project settings > Integrations.
- On the Google Analytics card, click Link.
- Select an Analytics Account or create a new one.
- If you select an existing account, you have the option to select an existing Google Analytics 4 property in that account or to create a new property.
- If you create a new account, then a new Google Analytics 4 property is created for you and your project is linked to that property.
- Configure your Analytics settings.
Create new GA4 property from Firebase console
- Open the Firebase console and select your project.
- Click Analytics.
- Click the Enable Google Analytics button and follow the prompts.
Learn more about Firebase integration.
Step 4 of 9: Link Google Play if your app has in_app_purchase events
You can link Google Play from either Google Analytics 4 or the Firebase console.
In Google Analytics 4
- In Admin, under "Product Links", click Google Play links.
Note: The previous link opens to the last Analytics property you accessed. You can change the property using the property selector. You must be an Editor or above at the property level to link Google Play.
- Click Link.
- If you have Admin permissions on one or more Play developer accounts, click Choose app then select the app you want to link to.
- Click Next.
- Verify the auto-selected app data stream and click Next.
- Review your configuration settings and click Submit.
In the Firebase console
- Open the Firebase console, select your project, and click
- Select Project Settings.
- On the Project Settings page, click the Integrations tab.
- On the Google Play card, click Link.
- Click Link to Google Play in the “Linking to Google Play” popup box.
Verify that apps are properly linked. Status should be “Linked”.
Learn more about linking Google Play to Firebase and linking your developer account to Google services.
Step 5 of 9: Mark events as key events
- In Admin, under Data display, click Events.
Note: The previous link opens to the last Analytics property you accessed. You can change the property using the property selector. You must be a Viewer or above at the property level to mark events as key events.
- Turn on the switch in the “Mark as key event” column.
Make sure to mark required events, the ones you plan to use for bidding in your App Campaigns, as key events. Learn more about marking events as key events
Step 6 of 9: Link with Google Ads
Enable bidding on app conversions by connecting your app data streams in Google Analytics to your Google Ads account. You can link Google Analytics 4 with Google Ads from GA4, the Firebase console, or directly in Google Ads.
In Google Analytics 4
- In Admin under "Product Links", click Google Ads links.
Note: The previous link opens to the last Analytics property you accessed. You can change the property using the property selector. You must be an Editor or above at the property level to link Google Ads.
- Click Link.
- Click Choose Google Ads accounts, then select the Google Ads accounts you want to link.
- Click Confirm.
- Click Next.
- The option to Enable Personalized Advertising is on by default.
- If personalized advertising is disabled, Firebase/GA4 lists cannot be used for remarketing in App engagement or Web campaigns.
- Expand the Enable Auto-Tagging option to enable auto-tagging or to leave your auto-tagging settings as they are.
- If you enable auto-tagging when you link to a manager account, then auto-tagging will be enabled on all Google Ads accounts directly linked to the manager account.
- Auto-tagging is required to track app conversions in Engagement and web campaigns.
- Click Next, then review your settings.
- Click Submit to link your accounts with the current settings.
In the Firebase console
- In Firebase select your project and click
- Select Project Settings.
- On the Project Settings page, click the Integrations tab.
- On the Google Ads card, click Link.
- Click Continue in the “Linking to Google Ads” popup box.
- Choose which accounts should be linked and click Link to Google Ads.
- After successful integration, you should review accounts that are linked in the “Integrations” section.
In Google Ads
- In your Google Ads account, click the Tools icon
.
- Click Data manager.
- In the “Data manager” page, click + Connect Product.
- In the “Data source”, enter “Google Analytics (GA4) & Firebase” in the search bar, then select.
- Under “Link Setup”, select a Google Analytics or Firebase property.
- If you have an "Edit" access to the Google Analytics properties or you’re an owner for Firebase projects, the search results will display a list of all available properties and projects.
- Find a Google Analytics property or a Firebase project from the list, then click Next.
- (Recommended) Use the toggle button to import app and web metrics and Google Analytics audiences.
- For app and web metrics import:
- This property is used to show site engagement metrics in the Google Analytics reporting columns of your account. Note that you need to add Google Analytics 4 columns to your Google Ads reports.
- In most cases, it will take less than an hour for Google Analytics data to be imported, but the process may take longer for larger accounts. After the data is imported, you can add Google Analytics columns to your Google Ads reports.
- For app and web metrics import:
- Review your selection and click Link.
If your Google Ads account is managed by one or more manager accounts, the “Accounts” column shows which of your manager accounts are linked to a Google Analytics 4 property or a Firebase project.
- If the Google Ads account is managed by multiple manager accounts (for example, by a sub-manager and a manager account), the main manager account will be displayed in the “Accounts” column.
- If a Google Analytics property or a Firebase project is linked to your Google Ads account and not linked to a manager account, you’ll find a hyphen (“-”) in the “Accounts” column.
Troubleshoot linking issues between your Analytics and Google Ads accounts.
Learn more about linking Google Analytics 4 properties and Google Ads and Google Ads integration.
Step 7 of 9: Create Google Ads conversions based on key events
- In your Google Ads account, click the Goals icon
.
- Click the Conversions drop down in the section menu.
- Click Summary.
- Click + New conversion action.
- Select App from the list of conversion types.
- Click Google Analytics 4 properties, then click Continue.
- Check the box next to a key event, then click Import and continue.
- Click Done.
Set account-default goals for imported events
- First-time users of GA4
- Include goals in account defaults if you would like the conversion to be counted towards any campaigns with account-default conversion goals. Learn more About account-default conversion goals.
- Migrating from another conversion event source
- If you are already optimizing to third-party app conversion actions as primary, then be sure to set action optimization to secondary for all newly imported GA4 conversion actions to avoid negatively impacting your existing campaigns.
Step 8 of 9: Enable auto-tagging
Auto-tagging is required to track conversions for App Engagement campaigns and web campaigns with app goals.
- In your Google Ads account, click the Admin icon
- Click Account settings.
- Click the Auto-tagging section.
- You'll be able to check the current status of auto-tagging for your account. To turn auto-tagging on or off, click to check or uncheck the box next to “Tag the URL that people click through from my ad”.
- Click Save.
Learn more About auto-tagging.
Step 9 of 9: Bid on conversions
After you create conversions based on your key events, you can begin bidding on the conversions by starting with App Campaigns or choosing the right campaign that can utilize your app conversions.
Learn more about conversion goals and using conversion goals to guide new campaigns.
If you’re already bidding on conversions imported from another app SDK and wish to begin using GA4 for bidding, follow the instructions on how to Migrate App campaigns to use Google Analytics 4.
Web to App Connect
If you run Search, Performance Max, and or Shopping campaigns in addition to using App campaigns, you can use Web to App Connect to drive better experiences for your customers through seamless web-to-app integration. For mobile users who have your app installed, you can use Web to App Connect to help you direct customers to relevant pages on your mobile app through deep links in Search, Performance Max, and Shopping campaign ads.
Once deeplinked to a specific page in your app, your customers can easily complete their intended action, whether purchasing, signing up, or adding items to their cart. By using the Web to App Connect interface, you can also more easily track these in-app conversion actions and get recommendations on how to improve your campaign. Creating seamless web-to-app experiences for your customers can help deliver, on average, 2 times higher conversion rates for ad clicks landing in your app compared to your mobile website. Learn more about converting better with the Web to App Connect interface.
To get started with Web to App Connect, follow the 3 steps below:
- In your Google Ads account, click the Tools icon
- Click the Planning drop down in the section menu.
- Click App advertising hub. This will take you to the Web to App Connect interface.
Learn more about converting better with the Web to App Connect interface.
