> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.moleculedata.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.moleculedata.com/tracking-ad-channels/tracking-google-adwords.md).

# Tracking Google Ads

Add the Molecule Data tracking template to your Google Ads account.

{% hint style="info" %}
Our automated reporting will not show accurate data without these changes. It is important to make these changes.
{% endhint %}

**COPY THIS TRACKING TEMPLATE**

```
{lpurl}?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign={campaignid}&utm_content={campaignid}|{adgroupid}|{creative}&utm_term={keyword}|{product_id}
```

Google Ads makes it easier to implement the tracking template compared to Meta. You only need to copy the tracking template above and paste it into the account settings (and optionally into each campaign's settings). All ads are automatically populated with the necessary values when a user clicks them — no changes are needed at the ad level.

**IMPORTANT:**

If you have already placed UTM parameters at the ad level for any type of campaign, account- and campaign-level tracking templates will not overwrite those, so it is important to remove any UTM parameters from the actual ads.

**Follow these steps to implement the tracking template:**

1. Copy the tracking template above.
2. In your Google Ads account, navigate to the top level of the account's campaign structure.
3. Click **Account settings** in the left sidebar.
4. Find the **Tracking** section.
5. Paste the tracking template you copied in step 1.
6. Click **Save**.

Now let's do the same on each campaign:

1. Navigate to the campaign's **Settings** section and expand **Additional settings**.
2. Open the **Campaign URL options** section.
3. Paste the same tracking template.
4. Click **Save**.

**IMPORTANT:**

If you are running YouTube ads, those campaigns do not offer a campaign-level tracking template. You will have to paste the tracking template into the YouTube video ads themselves:

1. **Edit** each ad, find **Ad URL options (advanced)**, and paste the tracking template there.
2. Save each ad.

**That's all — the tracking template integration is done!**

**Customizing your UTM values**

If you are an advanced UTM user, you may want to keep your existing `utm_source`, `utm_medium`, and `utm_campaign` values consistent with what you have used in the past. That is not a problem for Molecule Data — you can change any of these to your liking:

* utm\_source
* utm\_medium
* utm\_campaign
* utm\_term

For example, the tracking template could look like this:

> {lpurl}?utm\_source=google\&utm\_medium=**paid**\&utm\_campaign={campaignid}\&utm\_content={campaignid}|{adgroupid}|{creative}\&utm\_term={keyword}|{product\_id}

Or like this:

> {lpurl}?utm\_source=**adwords**\&utm\_medium=**paid**\&utm\_campaign=my\_campaign\_name\&utm\_content={campaignid}|{adgroupid}|{creative}\&utm\_term={keyword}|{product\_id}

**IMPORTANT:**

It is recommended not to change the `utm_content` part. If you need it to be a specific value, that is possible too — in that case, add **`&ref={campaignid}|{adgroupid}|{creative}`** at the end of your custom tracking template.

An example of that would look like this:

`{lpurl}?utm_source=google&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=my_campaign_name&utm_content=xyz&utm_term={keyword}|{product_id}&ref={campaignid}|{adgroupid}|{creative}`

Stick with one consistent tracking template that includes the `{creative}` dynamic parameter in the correct field. Only then can we ensure consistent and accurate campaign / ad group / ad performance tracking in the Molecule Data dashboard.

**IMPORTANT:**

If you already use a tracking template in all of your ads and the `{creative}` value is present in any of the UTM parameter fields, we can map it automatically in the reporting, so no changes are needed. Please contact our support team if you have any questions.