How Google Ads Uses GA4 Conversions to Manufacturers More Customers

Why should manufacturers link Google Analytics 4 to Google Ads?

TL;DR: Linking GA4 to Google Ads provides a single source of truth for your data, allowing you to track more nuanced customer actions and feed Google’s AI with better information to find higher-quality leads.

For a business owner, this means no more data discrepancies. The numbers you see in your Google Analytics reports will finally match what you see in your Google Ads dashboard. This alignment is critical for making accurate ROI calculations and trusting your marketing spend.

My core opinion, based on years of working with industrial companies, is that relying only on standard Google Ads conversion tracking is a huge mistake. It’s more difficult to set up correctly for complex actions, and it keeps your most valuable data siloed. When you import GA4 conversions, you create a unified view of the entire customer journey, from the first ad click to the final quote request. This allows Google’s bidding algorithms to learn from a much richer dataset and make smarter decisions on your behalf.

What are GA4 conversion events and why do they matter?

TL;DR: GA4 conversion events are specific, valuable user actions you define on your website, such as form submissions, file downloads, or clicks to call. They matter because they represent steps a potential customer takes on their journey to becoming a lead.

Think beyond the main “Request a Quote” form. A purchasing manager from a Tier 1 supplier in Grand Rapids might not be ready to request a full quote on their first visit. But what will they do? They might:

• Download a PDF spec sheet for a specific machine.
• Click the `mailto:` link to email a question to your engineering team.
• Click the `tel:` link on their mobile phone to call your front desk.
• Visit the RFQ page, showing clear intent, even if they don’t submit the form.

These are what I call “micro-conversions.” They are powerful signals of buying intent. By setting these up as conversion events in GA4 and importing them into Google Ads, you give the algorithm crucial data points it can use to find more people who behave like your best potential customers.

How does tracking these “micro-conversions” improve Google Ads performance?

TL;DR: Tracking micro-conversions gives Google’s automated bidding strategies more data to work with, helping them find qualified buyers faster and more efficiently, even if those buyers don’t fill out a form immediately.

Here’s a real-world example. I worked with an industrial equipment manufacturer near that was frustrated with their ad performance. They were getting clicks but very few form fills. From the outside, it looked like the campaigns were failing.

We dug into their analytics and set up GA4 events to track PDF spec sheet downloads and “click-to-call” actions. We imported these into Google Ads as secondary conversions. The story changed overnight.

We discovered that while form fills were low, engineers and buyers were frequently downloading schematics and calling the sales desk directly. The campaigns weren’t failing—they were succeeding in a way we couldn’t measure before. By feeding this new conversion data to Google Ads, two things happened:

1. Smarter Bidding: The “Maximize Conversions” bidding strategy suddenly had a lot more data. It started optimizing for users likely to download a PDF or call, which were strong proxies for a good lead.
2. Clearer ROI: The business owner could now see the true value of their ad spend. They weren’t just paying for clicks; they were paying for tangible actions that led to sales conversations.

What is the step-by-step process for using GA4 events in Google Ads?

TL;DR: The process involves creating the event in GA4, marking it as a conversion, linking your GA4 and Google Ads accounts, and then importing the conversion into your ad campaigns.

While the technical details can get complex, here is the high-level roadmap I use for my clients. For a Marketing Manager like Sarah, understanding this process is key to overseeing a successful implementation.

(Visual Suggestion: An infographic or flowchart showing these five steps with the GA4 and Google Ads logos.)

1. Link Your Accounts: Ensure your Google Analytics 4 property is correctly linked to your Google Ads account. This requires admin access to both platforms.
2. Identify High-Intent Actions: Determine which user actions on your site (beyond a form fill) indicate a potential lead. Start with PDF downloads, outbound clicks to dealer sites, and phone number clicks.
3. Set Up Events in GA4: Using Google Tag Manager or GA4’s built-in event tracking, create events for each of these high-intent actions.
4. Mark Events as Conversions: Inside the GA4 interface, go to the ‘Events’ section and simply toggle the switch to mark your newly created events as official conversions.
5. Import into Google Ads: In Google Ads, navigate to `Tools and Settings > Measurement > Conversions`. Click to add a new conversion action and choose the ‘Import’ option. Select ‘Google Analytics 4 properties’ and choose the GA4 events you just marked as conversions.
6. Set Your Campaign Goal: Finally, edit your campaign settings to use these new conversion actions as the optimization goal. You can even set some as “secondary” actions to inform the algorithm without directly optimizing for them.

What are the biggest benefits for my business?

TL;DR: The primary benefits are higher quality leads, a better return on ad spend (ROAS), and a clearer understanding of your marketing’s impact on sales.

Let’s break this down by who you are:

• For the Business Owner (Frank): You get clarity and confidence. By unifying your data, you can finally draw a straight line from your ad spend to qualified sales opportunities. It transforms marketing from a “money pit” into a predictable engine for growth. According to a 2025 analysis by the Digital Marketing Institute, companies using unified analytics see a 20% improvement in marketing ROI on average.
• For the VP of Sales (Mark): Your team gets better leads. The Google Ads algorithm is no longer just optimizing for “anyone who will click a button.” It’s actively hunting for prospects who exhibit the behavior of a serious buyer. This means your sales team spends less time chasing dead-ends and more time closing deals with people who have already raised their hands.
• For the Marketing Manager (Sarah): You get control and credit. You can now provide clear, defensible reports that show the full value of your campaigns. Instead of just reporting on clicks, you can show how many spec sheets were downloaded or how many phone calls were initiated, proving the tangible impact of your work.

Ready to Feed Your Sales Pipeline with Better Leads?

Stop guessing if your Google Ads are working. By leveraging the full power of your Google Analytics data, you can build a smarter, more efficient lead generation machine that delivers the high-quality opportunities your sales team needs to grow.

As a solo consultant based here in Michigan, I work directly with manufacturers to implement these technical strategies. I’m not a project manager; I’m the one in the trenches, connecting the data and optimizing the campaigns.

If you’re ready for a no-fluff conversation about your lead generation, let’s schedule a free 30-minute Lead Generation Audit. I’ll personally review your website and ad account to identify your biggest opportunities for growth—no strings attached.

Schedule Your Free Audit Now