Analytics in another account to see the differences again

[samiaseo222]

Even though all the settings, including the chosen attribution model for each conversion action , were exactly the same, there was still a difference in revenue of around CZK 100,000. So I kept digging until I came to a clear explanation.

The problem is that the two platforms use different reporting methods . Google Analytics uses "time of conversion" reporting (e.g., the date a transaction occurred), while Google Ads uses "time lithuania phone number data of interaction" reporting (e.g., the date the related ad was clicked). Although transactions are recorded via the Google Analytics tag, once they are imported into Google Ads, the system automatically converts the reporting of these transactions to "time of interaction."

The difference between reporting "interaction time" and "conversion time" is what's called conversion lag. For example, if I clicked on an ad on May 1st and later made a purchase on May 6th, that transaction (and the associated revenue) would be reported in Analytics on May 6th, and in Google Ads it would be reported on May 1st. You can see conversion lag by running a report using the "days to conversion" field.

As we mentioned with attribution models, the total number of conversions is not lost , but they are potentially shifted outside the date range you are using when comparing the two platforms. For example, the imported transactions were created at the end of May. However, in Google Ads, conversion values ​​are reported as far back as March. This is because transactions occurring now are attributed to past dates when the last click occurred.

So my next question was: "Which is correct: Google Ads tracking or Google Analytics tracking?".

The difference is due to the "deduplication" that Analytics does. Google Ads tracking is single-channel, meaning it is not aware of the involvement of any channels (Direct, Organic, other paid channels, etc.) outside of Google. In contrast, Google Analytics does inference if multiple channels are involved. Analytics works with a last indirect click model (last click, ignoring Direct unless it is the only channel involved).