Best practice to separate paid from organic conversions in Google Analytics

[DoMiSoL]

I have a PPC campaign for a client with standalone landing pages with a form, not reachable from the website (although in the same domain).

1. I've added the AdWords conversion code to the "thank you" page and I also added a Goal in
   Google Analytics whose counter is increased every time the thank you page is reached.

This way I can track conversions with both AdWords and Analytics.

Is that correct?

Should I import back in AdWords the goals from Analytics, as suggested in the AdWords account?

2. I have another landing page with a form in the website, where I send users coming from
   organic search, so I set up a second goal in Analytics for the thank you page of this form.

Is this the reason why  I am supposed to import in AdWords the analytics' goals, so that I could see both kind of conversions in both accounts?

3. But the most important question is:  If I send both PPC/organic visitors to the same landing page is there still a way to separate PPC from Organic conversions?

Thank you very much for your advice.

DoMiSoL Rossini

[byoung]

Hi DoMiSol,

1. I've added the AdWords conversion code to the "thank you" page and I also added a Goal in
   Google Analytics whose counter is increased every time the thank you page is reached. This way I can track conversions with both AdWords and Analytics.  Is that correct?

Yes, as long as you have added the Google Analytics tracking code to the "Thank you" page so you can track that specific goal.

Should I import back in AdWords the goals from Analytics, as suggested in the AdWords account?

Linking your Analytics account with Adwords has a lot of benefits. The main reason to do so is to be able to see a more comprehensive view of your AdWords post/click activity such as:

• Bounce Rate: When someone sees only one page or triggers only one event.
• Avg. Session Duration: The average time someone stayed on your site.
• Pages/Session: The average number of pages viewed per session.
• % New Sessions: The estimated percentage of first-time sessions.
• Access to  awesome Remarketing lists from Google Analytics

In terms of tracking AdWords conversions use one or the other, not both. Do not import any goals that you are already tracking through AdWords Conversion Tracking into AdWords, this can create double-counting and duplication, which would make your conversion data misleading and hard to interpret.

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2. I have another landing page with a form in the website, where I send users coming from organic search, so I set up a second goal in Analytics for the thank you page of this form.

Yes, you are simply tracking a new action from a different form.

Is this the reason why I am supposed to import in AdWords the analytics' goals, so that I could see both kind of conversions in both accounts?

_In theory yes (as explained above). But I would not import your organic goals into Adwords, there is no reason to. _To make it simple, remember this:

• AdWords tool will track ONLY your AdWords conversions.
• Analytics will track conversions from ALL your channels: Bing, Social, Email etc. As long as you have the proper tracking & tags implemented in your URL's.

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3) But the most important question is: If I send both PPC/organic visitors to the same landing page is there still a way to separate PPC from Organic conversions?

Yes, as long as you have auto-tagging enabled AND Adwords conversion tracking in the pages that you want to track. Google will track your PPC data separate from your organic - Google Adwords adds a "GCLID" (Google Click Identifier) to the Destination URL. This is a globally unique tracking parameter to pass information back and forth between Google AdWords and Google Analytics, this includes UTM parameters, click to conversion and cost data for your paid campaigns.

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I hope this information is helpful.

Cheers,

~Barbara

[TheeDigital]

You should be able to go to Goal Overview > Source / Medium and see where the user came from.