A really easy way to capture Google Ads data in MetForm
Here's a simple way to capture Google Ads data in MetForm so you can track which campaigns are generating leads and customers.
Are you struggling to measure the impact of your Google Ads? If so, it's probably costing valuable marketing budget as you don't know where you're customers are coming from and what campaigns are most effective.
In this post, we'll guide you through four simple steps to capture valuable Google Ads data using MetForm so you can better understand where your leads are coming from.
Why it's important to track customers and revenue from Google Ads
Imagine you're a business owner specializing in selling accounting services. To effectively promote your services, you've decided to utilize Google Ads. You've set up two targeted campaigns, one focused on bookkeeping and the other on estate planning.
However, relying solely on Google Analytics to track the performance of these campaigns can present challenges, as you may come across data that looks like this:
| Spend | $2,000 | $2,000 |
| Visitors | 200 | 100 |
| Goal Completions | 20 | 10 |
Imagine being confined to data that solely revolves around website visitors and completed forms. Based on this limited information, you might conclude that the Bookkeeping campaign outshines the Estate Planning campaign because it generated double the number of completed forms.
Now, picture the potential when you track the conversion of those leads into paying customers and the revenue they bring. With this comprehensive information in your hands, your statistics would offer a more precise and insightful perspective, as demonstrated below:
| Spend | $2,000 | $2,000 |
| Visitors | 200 | 100 |
| Leads | 20 | 10 |
| Customers | 2 | 5 |
| Revenue | $8,000 | $25,000 |
To accurately assess the effectiveness of your Google Ad campaigns, it's crucial to track both the number of customers and the revenue generated by each campaign.
In this scenario, the data shows the Estate Planning Campaign as the champion, surpassing the Bookkeeping Campaign. Take a look at the following insights:
- The Estate Planning Campaign attracted 5 customers, while the Bookkeeping Campaign generated 2 customers.
- The Estate Planning Campaign achieved an impressive conversion rate of 50%, which is five times higher than the Bookkeeping Campaign's 10%.
- With an average customer value of $5,000, the Estate Planning Campaign outshines the Bookkeeping Campaign's average value of $4,000 per customer.
- Acquiring a customer in the Estate Planning costs significantly less at $400, compared to $1,000 in the Bookkeeping Campaign.
- The Estate Planning Campaign boasts a three times higher Return on Ad Spend (ROAS), highlighting its exceptional efficiency and effectiveness.
These numbers show the higher performance of the Estate Planning Campaign, making it a success when compared to the Bookkeeping Campaign - an outcome you wouldn't get if you just looked at the number of forms completed and not the data behind it.
4 simple steps to capture Google Ads data in MetForm
Attributer makes it easy to capture Google Ads data in MetForm. Here's how it works:
1. Add UTM parameters to your ads
To start, you need to include UTM parameters into your existing Google Ads.
If you're not familiar with UTM parameters, they are small snippets of text that you add to the end of a URL. These parameters serve as tags to help track and identify visitors who come from your campaigns. By utilizing UTM parameters, you enable analytics tools like Attributer to accurately determine the source of the visitor.
For example, if you want to direct people to a specific page like attributer.io/integrations/metform, your final URL with UTM parameters would look like this:
attributer.io/integrations/metform?utm_medium=paidsearch&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=brand-campaign
While you can tailor UTM parameters to meet your specific needs, the following is the recommended format for Google Ads:
- UTM Medium: Specify as "Paid search."
- UTM Source: Set it as "Google."
- UTM Campaign: Use your Google Ads campaign name.
- UTM Term: Include the ad group name associated with the ad.
- UTM Content: Optionally, automate this using ValueTrack parameters to capture the keyword the user searched for.
Don't know how to add the UTM parameters? Here you'll find a step-by-step guide on implementing UTM parameters in Google Ads.
2. Add hidden fields to your forms
Once you have successfully included UTM parameters in your Google Ads, the next step is to integrate hidden fields into the lead capture forms on your website. These forms, such as "Contact Us" or "Request a Quote," provide valuable opportunities for data collection.
Hidden fields are form fields that remain invisible to visitors but allow tools like Attributer to capture information seamlessly without affecting the user experience.
To effectively capture Google Ads data, it is essential to include the following hidden fields in your forms:
- Channel
- Channel Drilldown 1
- Channel Drilldown 2
- Channel Drilldown 3
- Landing Page
- Landing Page Group
Integrating hidden fields into your existing MetForm is a simple process. Utilizing the intuitive drag-and-drop functionality of MetForm, you can simply add the "Hidden" field type to your form, enabling seamless data capture and enhancing your overall data collection capabilities.
3. Attributer writes Google Ads data into the hidden fields
Once you have integrated hidden fields into your forms, Attributer can begin helping you understand where your leads and customers are coming from. When a visitor completes an MetForm, such as a 'Contact Us' or 'Request A Quote' form, Attributer automatically populates the hidden fields with the relevant Google Ads data extracted from the UTM parameters you have added.
How does this work in real life? Imagine you're a marketer at an accounting firm, and a visitor arrives on your website through a Google Ads campaign. Attributer would populate the hidden fields as follows, based on the UTM parameters used:
- Channel: Paid search
- Channel Drilldown 1: Google
- Channel Drilldown 2: Brand campaign
- Channel Drilldown 3: Tax ad
In addition to capturing UTM parameters, Attributer also keeps track of the visitor's landing page, such as 'accountingfirm.com/features/tax-guide,' and the initial landing page group, such as 'features.' Through the seamless collaboration of Attributer and MetForm, you can simply collect and leverage this valuable data to gain insights into your visitors' sources and landing pages.
4. Google Ads data is captured in MetForm
Once a visitor submits the form, Attributer collects the Google Ads data entered into the hidden fields together with the data captured in MetForm, you can:
- Include it in the email notifications you receive, so you stay updated with the details of each lead.
- Send it to your CRM systems, such as Salesforce or HubSpot, to easily manage and organize your leads.
- Export it to a spreadsheet to create charts and graphs that show the number of leads and customers you get from each Google Ads campaign. This helps you see how effective your campaigns are and make informed decisions.
With MetForm, collecting and using Google Ads data, along with other important information, becomes easy. You can efficiently manage your leads, improve customer relationships, and succeed in your marketing efforts.
Why Attributer is the best way to capture Google Ads data in MetForm
Why Attributer is the best solution for capturing Google Ads data in MetForm:
1. Attributer captures all traffic sources
Attributer doesn't only track leads from Google Ads. It also provides insights into leads from various channels, such as Organic Social, Referral, Direct, Paid Social, and Organic Search.
This comprehensive data allows you to understand the sources of all your leads and customers, not just those coming from Google Ads. With this information, you can make informed decisions about resource allocation and drive optimal growth for your business. Attributer's ability to provide insights across multiple channels gives you a well-rounded view of your lead generation efforts, enabling you to make strategic choices based on reliable data.
2. Attributer remembers the data as visitors browse your site
When capturing Google Ads data in MetForm, alternative methods often rely on UTM parameters in the URL of the form's page. However, a challenge arises when UTM parameters are lost if a visitor fills out the form on a different page.
This is one of the key reasons we came up with Attributer.
Imagine this scenario: A visitor clicks on your Google Ad, lands on your homepage, and then fills out a form on the Contact Us page. Unfortunately, the UTM parameters would not be recorded in this case.
Fortunately, MetForm's integration with Attributer solves this problem by securely storing the UTM parameters in a browser cookie. This ensures that the UTM parameters can be captured in MetForm, regardless of the form's page.
With MetForm and Attributer, you can obtain precise data on the number of leads generated by your Google Ads, even if the form was completed on a different page.
3. Provides cleaner data
Attributer was specifically designed to address inconsistencies in UTM parameter usage and ensure accurate lead attribution to the appropriate channels.
Imagine a scenario where you used different UTM parameters like "utm_source=google" and "utm_source=adwords" in your campaigns. With Attributer, the attribution process remains consistent and reliable. It correctly identifies the lead's origin as Paid Search, regardless of the specific UTM parameter used.
By utilizing Attributer, you can trust that you'll receive precise and dependable information about the number of leads generated from your Google Ads. This eliminates any confusion caused by inconsistent UTM parameter usage and allows you to make well-informed decisions based on accurate data.
4. Attributer captures landing page data
In addition to capturing Google Ads data, Attributer also tracks the landing page URL (e.g., https://attributer.io/blog/capture-utm-parameters-metform) and its associated group (e.g., /blog). This information is vital for generating comprehensive reports that show the number of leads and customers originating from specific sections of your website, such as your blog.
Attributer also helps you evaluate the performance of individual blog posts. By understanding the number of leads and customers they generate, you gain valuable insights that drive data-driven decision-making. It means you can optimize your website's performance by focusing on areas that deliver the most significant results and maximize the impact of your content strategy.
Wrap up
With Attributer you can simply gather information, including UTM parameters, from your Google Ads when visitors submit a form on your website. This seamless process allows you to track your campaigns, assess lead generation, identify successful campaigns, and understand which keywords drive leads and customers to your site.
Attributer also captures data from sources like Organic Search and Organic Social meaning you can have a comprehensive view of where your leads and customers come from and better allocate marketing budget to drive growth.
You can start using Attributer today with a free 14-day trial.
Get Started For Free
Start your 14-day free trial of Attributer today!
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.