The easiest way to capture Google Ads data in Everest Forms
Here's an easy way to capture Google Ads data in HappyForms so you can track which campaigns are generating leads.
HappyForms is an excellent tool to capture data from Google Ads that can help attract new customers and leads to your business. However, to make the most of your advertising campaigns, it's important to determine which ads, campaigns, and ad groups are the most effective. Without this information, it's challenging to optimize your approach and achieve better results.
That's where Attributer comes in.
In this article, we'll walk you through four simple steps to use Attributer and collect Google Ads data in HappyForms. This data includes the campaign, ad group, or keyword that generated your leads, enabling you to enhance your advertising results.
Why it's important to track customers and revenue from Google Ads
Suppose you are the owner of a business that specializes in selling and installing pool equipment, and you are currently using Google Ads to promote your products. You have created two campaigns - one for Pool Pumps and the other for Pool Cleaners.
However, if you only rely on Google Analytics to track the performance of these campaigns, your data may look something like this:
| Spend | $2,000 | $2,000 |
| Visitors | 200 | 100 |
| Goal Completions | 20 | 10 |
If you were limited to data only about website visitors and completed forms, you might conclude that the Pool Pumps campaign was more successful than the Pool Cleaners campaign because it generated twice as many completed forms.
However, imagine if you could also monitor how many of those leads converted into paying customers and how much revenue they generated. With that information, your statistics would look something like this:
| Spend | $2,000 | $2,000 |
| Visitors | 200 | 100 |
| Leads | 20 | 10 |
| Customers | 2 | 5 |
| Revenue | $8,000 | $25,000 |
To determine which Google Ad campaigns are most effective, it's crucial to track the number of customers and revenue generated by each one. Surprisingly, the Pool Cleaners Campaign outperformed the Pool Pumps Campaign, as evidenced by the following data:
- The Pool Cleaners Campaign resulted in 5 customers, while the Pool Pumps Campaign only generated 2 customers.
- The lead-to-customer conversion rate of the Pool Cleaners Campaign is an impressive 50%, which is five times higher than the Pool Pumps Campaign's 10%.
- The average customer value of the Pool Cleaners Campaign is $5,000 per customer, which is higher than the Pool Pumps Campaign's average value of $4,000 per customer.
- The cost of acquiring a customer is significantly lower in the Pool Cleaners Campaign, at $400 versus $1,000 in the Pool Pumps Campaign.
- The Pool Cleaners Campaign has a Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) that is three times higher.
These numbers highlight the importance of tracking the source of each lead and the ones that convert into customers. By doing so, you can adjust your Google Ads strategy and focus on what's working to improve your results.
4 simple steps to capture Google Ads data in HappyForms
Attributer makes it easy to capture Google Ads data in HappyForms. Here's how it works:
1. Add UTM parameters to your ads
To get started, you need to add UTM parameters to your current Google Ads.
In case you're not familiar with UTM parameters, they are text fragments that you append to the end of a URL to direct visitors from your campaigns. These fragments assist analytics tools such as Attributer in identifying the source of the visitor.
For example, if you want to direct someone to a page like attributer.io/integrations/happyforms, your final URL with UTM parameters should look like this:
attributer.io/integrations/happyforms?utm_medium=paidsearch&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=brand-campaign
Although the information that you can add to UTM parameters can be tailored to your needs, for Google Ads, it's generally recommended to use the following format:
- UTM Medium = Paid search UTM Source = Google
- UTM Campaign = Your Google Ads campaign name
- UTM Term = The ad group name that the ad is a part of
- UTM Content = The keyword the user searched for (which can be automatically added using ValueTrack parameters)
Thankfully, adding UTM parameters to your URLs is a straightforward process, and we have outlined the best method for doing it in Google Ads in this article.
2. Add hidden fields to your forms
Once you have added UTM parameters to your Google Ads, the next step is to incorporate hidden fields into your lead capture forms, such as Contact Us or Request a Quote forms on your website.
Hidden fields are form fields that are not visible to visitors but can receive input from tools like Attributer without their knowledge.
To capture Google Ads data, you will need to include the following hidden fields in your forms:
- Channel
- Channel Drilldown 1
- Channel Drilldown 2
- Channel Drilldown 3
- Landing Page
- Landing Page Group
Incorporating hidden fields into your existing HappyForms is an easy process. You can add the 'Hidden' field type to your form by simply dragging and dropping it.
3. Attributer writes Google Ads data into the hidden fields
After incorporating hidden fields into your forms, Attributer can begin tracking the origins of your website visitors. When a visitor completes one of your HappyForms, like a Contact Us or Request A Quote form, Attributer will automatically populate the hidden fields with relevant Google Ads data extracted from the UTM parameters that you added.
For instance, let's say you work as a marketer at Dropbox, and someone arrives at your website through a Google Ads campaign. Attributer will complete the hidden fields as follows, based on the UTM parameters you used:
- Channel = Paid search
- Channel Drilldown 1 = Google
- Channel Drilldown 2 = Brand campaign
- Channel Drilldown 3 = Free account ad
Aside from capturing UTM parameters, Attributer also tracks the visitor's landing page, such as 'dropbox.com/features/cloud-storage,' and the initial landing page group, such as 'features.'
4. Google Ads data is captured in HappyForms
Once a visitor submits the form, the Google Ads data (entered by Attributer into the hidden fields) is collected alongside their name, email, phone number, and company name, provided in the form.
By capturing this data in HappyForms, you can:
- Include it in the new lead notification emails that HappyForms sends out
- Forward it to your CRM, such as Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive, and others
- Export it to a spreadsheet and generate charts and graphs that display the number of leads and customers you receive from each Google Ads campaign.
Why Attributer is the best way to capture Google Ads data in HappyForms
What makes Attributer the best option for capturing Google Ads data in HappyForms?
These 4 things:
1. Attributer captures all traffic sources
Attributer not only provides attribution data on Google Ads leads but also offers valuable insights into leads that visit your website through other channels such as Organic Social, Referral, Direct, Paid Social, or Organic Search. This comprehensive data provides you with a clear understanding of the source of all your leads and customers, not just those who clicked on your Google Ads. This information helps you make informed decisions about how to allocate your resources for optimal growth.
2. Attributer remembers the data as visitors browse your site
While there are alternative methods to capture Google Ads data in HappyForms, these methods require UTM parameters to be present in the URL of the page where the form is filled out. This presents a challenge because UTM parameters are lost when a visitor fills out the form on a different page from where they initially landed.
For instance, a visitor clicks on your Google Ad and arrives on your website's homepage. They then proceed to the Contact Us page to fill out a form. The UTM parameters will not be recorded because the form was not filled out on the same page where they first landed.
Thankfully, Attributer overcomes this issue by saving the UTM parameters in a cookie within the visitor's browser. As a result, the UTM parameters will be captured in HappyForms, regardless of the page where the form was filled out.
By utilizing Attributer, you can obtain accurate data about the number of leads generated by your Google Ads, even if the form was completed on a different page than the landing page.
3. Provides cleaner data
Attributer was created to handle discrepancies in UTM usage and to accurately link leads to their appropriate channel.
For instance, if you use utm_source=google in some campaigns and utm_source=adwords in others (which is common when different individuals or agencies have managed your Google Ads at different times), Attributer can still attribute the lead to the correct channel, which in this scenario would be Paid Search.
This ensures that you receive more accurate information on the number of leads that originate from your Google Ads.
4. Attributer captures landing page data
In addition to capturing Google Ads data, Attributer also monitors the landing page URL (e.g., https://attributer.io/blog/capture-utm-parameters-happyforms) and its group (e.g., /blog). This data allows you to generate detailed reports that present the number of leads and customers originating from specific areas of your website, such as your blog. Furthermore, you can delve into the performance of each blog post by reviewing the number of leads and customers it produces.
Wrap up
Attributer automatically retrieves the UTM parameters from your Google Ads every time a visitor submits a form via HappyForms on your website. This simplifies the process of tracking and evaluating your campaigns, including the number of leads generated, the most successful campaigns, and the keywords driving traffic to your site.
But that's not all. Attributer also captures data on leads from other sources, such as Organic Search and Organic Social, giving you a complete view of where your leads and customers are coming from.
What's more? Attributer offers a 14-day free trial, so you can test it out and experience the advantages for yourself. Begin properly tracking your leads with Attributer today!
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About the Author
Aaron Beashel is the founder of Attributer and has over 15 years of experience in marketing & analytics. He is a recognized expert in the subject and has written articles for leading websites such as Hubspot, Zapier, Search Engine Journal, Buffer, Unbounce & more. Learn more about Aaron here.