Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Step 1: Connect Your Google Ads Account
3. Step 2: Insert Northbeam UTM Parameters
4. Google Ads FAQ
   • How do I connect an extra account or remove an account?
   • Can Northbeam track Demand Gen Campaigns?
   • Why do I see a data discrepancy?
   • I think there's an issue with tracking. Please help!

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Introduction

This guide will show you how to set up tracking for the following Google and YouTube metrics in Northbeam:

• Spend, impressions, visits and all conversion-based metrics attributed to Google Ads

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Step 1: Connect Your Google Ads Account

What does the connection do?

Northbeam natively integrates with the Google Ads API. By doing so, we pull all your current and historical Campaigns, Adsets, and Ads from your account, along with a list of useful metrics. Notably, we pull impressions, which fuel our view model and unlock our Clicks and Views attribution model. We also pull ad spend to help you with decision making.

How to connect your Ad Account

How to connect:

• Onboarding Flow - If you're in our onboarding flow, please navigate to Integrations
• Activated Dashboard - If your dashboard is activated, please go to Settings > Connections

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Note: The credentials used must have admin access to the Ad Account.

For a visual walkthrough, reference the video below.

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Step 2: Insert Northbeam UTM Parameters

Please add the following UTM parameters in the Final URL Suffix at the Account Level.

nbt=nb%3Aadwords%3A{network}%3A{campaignid}%3A{adgroupid}%3A{creative}&nb_adtype={adtype}&nb_kwd={keyword}&nb_ti={targetid}&nb_mi={merchant_id}&nb_pc={product_channel}&nb_pi={product_id}&nb_ppi={product_partition_id}&nb_placement={placement}&nb_li_ms={loc_interest_ms}&nb_lp_ms={loc_interest_ms}&nb_fii={feeditemid}&nb_ap={adposition}&nb_mt={matchtype}

Step-By-Step Guide:

For a visual walkthrough of setting up UTM parameters, reference the video below.

Have existing UTM parameters?

If you have existing parameters, please add our parameters to the end (or beginning) and we'll all set. Be sure to use an ampersand (&) to connect your existing parameters to our parameters.

For example:

utm_source=paid&utm_medium=google&nbt=nb%3Aadwords%3A{network}%3A{campaignid}%3A{adgroupid}%3A{creative}&nb_adtype={adtype}&nb_kwd={keyword}&nb_ti={targetid}&nb_mi={merchant_id}&nb_pc={product_channel}&nb_pi={product_id}&nb_ppi={product_partition_id}&nb_placement={placement}&nb_li_ms={loc_interest_ms}&nb_lp_ms={loc_interest_ms}&nb_fii={feeditemid}&nb_ap={adposition}&nb_mt={matchtype}

UTM Auto-Appending

To ensure optimal tracking, Northbeam will attempt to place UTM parameters on all newly created Google Ads from any ad accounts connected to your dashboard. We ask to please also manually append our UTMs.

If you prefer the UTM Auto-Append functionality disabled on your account, please reach out to our Support team.

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Google Ads FAQ

1. How do I connect an extra account or remove an account?

Reference our step-by-step guide below:

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2. Can Northbeam track Demand Gen Campaigns?

Demand Gen campaigns are a newer campaign type and recently replaced Discovery campaigns. We support any campaign types that are available through Google's API.

However, Demand Gen campaigns utilizing product feeds are not currently available through Google's API (Google's documentation here).

If you're running Demand Gen with product feed, you'll likely see reported revenue, along with the campaign ID.

Example:

Because these campaign types are unsupported by the API, we cannot fetch the Campaign/AdGroup/Ad naming conventions, ad spend, or impressions. If you'd like, we could always upload spend using a Custom Spendsheet.

Our team is keeping a lookout on Google's API capabilities. Once it's available, we'll be sure to make the adjustments to pull in the data.

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3. Why do I see a data discrepancy?

Discrepancies in Revenue, Orders, and Visits are expected. The reason for this lies in the differences between Northbeam's attribution model and the corresponding platform's attribution model. Each attribution model has a unique method of allocating credit.

For example, Northbeam's Clicks-Only model divides credit across all touchpoints and tries to push credit to your upper funnel channels. Let's say your in-platform model uses Last Click, which gives credit to the last touchpoint in the journey. This is going to cause a discrepancy.

To take it one step further, let's say both Northbeam and in-platform are using Last Click. Northbeam is unique in that we recognize all touchpoints from every single channel. Whereas most platforms only recognize touchpoints from that same platform.

In addition, there's often a difference in the attribution window. By default, Northbeam leverages a 1-Day window, which is different than many other platforms' default.

To get the most apples to apples comparison, be sure to compare data using same Attribution Model and Attribution Window. But keep in mind, it will never be exact.

Attribution Models and Windows

Google:

• Attribution Model: Last Click (default)
• Attribution Window: 30-Day Click (default)
  • Source: Google Conversion Windows

Northbeam:

• Attribution Model: Varies (default is Clicks-Only)
• Attribution Window: 1-Day (default, can extend to an infinite lifetime value)

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4. I think there's an issue with tracking. Please help!

Please reference our 5 Tracking Principles.

• Connection: Make sure your Ad Account is still connected. Go to Settings > Connections and check for any errors. Connections could break for a variety of reasons, but most commonly, the User losing access to the Ad Account.
• UTMs: Ensure all your TikTok Ads contain Northbeam UTMs, listed above under Step 2.
• Northbeam Pixel: Ensure the Northbeam Pixel is firing on your landing page. Note that some site themes may not automatically transfer to landing pages on certain third-party apps, necessitating manual pixel placement.
• Purchase Pixel: Confirm that the Purchase Pixel is firing on your checkout page.
• A-Record Setup: Verify that the A-Record is correctly configured in your DNS Settings.