Google Ads & Power BI: How to integrate your data and template

This detailed tutorial aims to empower marketers to easily integrate their Google Ads data directly into PowerBI. By connecting Google Ads to PowerBI, marketers will be equipped to visualize complex campaign data more clearly, combine it with other business data, and unlock valuable insights for strategic decision-making. Once you complete this guide, you will have a comprehensive dashboard at your fingertips, bringing Google Ads statistics into sharp focus through PowerBI's robust analysis tools.

How to connect your Google Ads account to PowerBI

Add a source on Catchr

Begin by accessing the Catchr platform. On the homepage, navigate towards the left-side menu and click on 'Source,' then position your cursor to the upper right and select 'Add a Source'.

Pick Google Ads from the lineup of platforms available and proceed through the identification process to establish a seamless connection between Catchr and Google Ads.

Create the request to transfer Google Ads data to PowerBI

• Within Catchr, locate and click on 'API' from the menu on the left.

• Start by setting the export format to "PowerBI."

• In the "Source" tab, choose 'Google Ads' as the platform from which you wish to export the data.

• Select the Google Ads account(s) from which data should be extracted. You have the option to include multiple accounts if necessary.

• Choose which metrics and dimensions you want in the data request. Feel free to select multiple options here.

Warning: If you're using one of Catchr's templates, ensure that you select all the necessary dimensions and metrics as listed on the template's page within Catchr. This action triggers the template to automatically load with all pertinent data, after which you can tailor it to your specific requirements.

• Determine the time frame for Google Ads data extraction - this can be a predefined or a custom period.

• Apply filters to your request as needed, which you can stack for more targeted data extraction.

• At this stage, you may also modify your request with available platform-specific options.

• Once finalized, a URL will materialize in the top bar. This is your data's direct line to PowerBI—'Preview' to see an immediate representation of your data.

• If the preview aligns with expectations, simply copy the URL—you'll input this into PowerBI momentarily.

Import the Google Ads data and KPI to PowerBI

PowerBI Desktop:
PowerBI Desktop allows for versatile data import from a host of sources, including web pages. For our purposes, we'll pivot to a web data source to assimilate the Google Ads data.

• Go to 'Get Data' and select 'Web'.

• Paste the previously copied URL into the 'Basics' input field.

• Choose 'OK' to finalize.

PowerBI may take a short period to import your data fully. Once that's accomplished, harness PowerBI Query to refine your data, and commence constructing a dashboard to put your Google Ads statistics into perspective. You can then proceed to publish and disseminate your newly minted dashboard to requisite parties.

PowerBI Web App:
To utilize a data set in PowerBI's web app, push it through from PowerBI Desktop and then activate it on the browser-based app. Revisiting prior steps will be instructive in publishing your web data source from PowerBI Desktop.

Subsequently, opt for 'New Report' and select an uploaded data set to form the basis of your report. Here, you'll encounter all your data sets, ready to be leveraged into compelling visual reports.

In short, by following this guide, you've unlocked the power to meld Google Ads data with PowerBI, allowing for an enhanced analytical perspective on your marketing campaigns' data.

Example of metrics you can use with the PowerBI Integration for Google Ads

PowerBI is a dominant force in the visualization and manipulation of complex data sets. When connected with Google Ads, a plethora of actionable metrics are put at your fingertips, fostering data-driven insights. Metrics such as Clicks, Impressions, and Cost per Click (CPC) serve as foundational elements of data analysis.

These metrics can be extrapolated to illuminate trends over time, draw comparisons between campaigns, or grant granularity down to the keyword level, providing a multidimensional view of your marketing endeavors. The integration permits custom queries and filters, allowing tailoring of data to align with unique organizational goals. With the capacity to visualize data through custom dashboards and report templates, PowerBI accelerates understanding, sharing, and application of insights drawn from A data.

Here is an example of how these capabilities could be employed: A marketer could use the integration to splice cost data across different campaigns to determine ROI, combine it with conversion rate to assess the efficiency of ad spend, or overlay it with session data to comprehend wider customer engagement trends.

To explore the full spectrum of metrics available through Catchr's Google Ads metrics for PowerBI, visit the comprehensive fields listing at Catchr's Google Ads Metrics for an extensive overview.

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