Let’s get straight to it: do you really need Google Analytics for Google Ads, or is this just one of those “Google wants you to use all their tools” situations?
I’ve heard this question a hundred times: “But Ads already shows me conversions—why bother with Analytics?” Well, here’s the reality: Ads alone can show you numbers, but it won’t show you the story. And if you’re managing serious marketing spend, missing that story can burn a hole in your budget faster than you’d like to admit.
Think this is nuts? Read until the end.
The Google Ads View: What You See Without Analytics
So you’re in Ads. What do you get? Numbers like:
- Impressions
- Clicks
- CPC (cost per click)
- Conversions (if you set up tracking)
- Maybe some revenue data if you’re running e-commerce
Neat, right? It looks complete. But here’s the thing: Ads reports when someone clicks your ad and whether they convert. Everything in between? A giant black box.
Now here is the thing… not everyone converts right after the click. Some explore, get distracted, come back later, or just bounce because the landing page didn’t wow them. Ads doesn’t tell you that story. It just says: “Yep, they clicked. Yep, they converted. Oh, they didn’t? Well, better luck next time.”
The Analytics View: The Missing Puzzle Pieces
When you bring Google Analytics into the picture, suddenly the fog clears. You get to see what people did after the click:
- Did they bounce instantly?
- Did they browse three different pages?
- Did they spend 10 minutes researching, then leave?
- Did they return two days later via organic search before converting?
Can you see how insane this is? You go from seeing just clicks and conversions to seeing the full customer journey. And if you’re spending thousands (sometimes millions) on ads, wouldn’t you want actual visibility into how people behave with your site?
Analytics also unlocks:
- Assisted conversions (spotting when Google Ads wasn’t the final “credit-taker” but actually played a role earlier).
- Cross-channel attribution (did your ad help, even if they converted via email later?).
- Audience insights (demographics, device usage, user flows).
Without this? You’re literally guessing why your ads worked—or didn’t.
So, Do You Need It?
Here’s the blunt truth:
- Technically, no—you can run Ads without Analytics.
- But practically? If you want to run Ads well, the answer is absolutely yes.
Running Ads without Analytics is like driving at night without your headlights. Sure, the car moves. Sure, you might reach your destination—eventually. But you’ll also crash a few times, waste time, and maybe regret ever starting that drive.
The Rare Times You Might Skip It
Let’s be real. There are some cases where Analytics isn’t life-or-death:
- You’re testing Ads with a micro-budget just to “see what happens.”
- You’ve got one product, one page, one conversion, and you don’t care about depth of data.
But for most marketing managers or PPC pros spending thousands every month? Skipping Analytics would be a huge mistake.
The Power Duo: Making Them Work Together
The process is simple:
- Link your Ads and Analytics accounts.
- Use Analytics data to build high-quality remarketing audiences.
- Run reports to see the real path to conversion.
This takes minutes. Minutes! And yet, I still see digital marketers running blind campaigns relying only on Ads reporting—and wondering why their budget disappears into thin air.
Final Take
So, do you need Google Analytics for Google Ads? No. But if you’re serious about optimizing, scaling, and not wasting your hard-earned budget—yes, you need it like oxygen.
Try this experiment if you don’t believe me: run one campaign with Ads-only reporting. Then, link Analytics and run another campaign with full data visibility. Compare the insights. Can you see how insane the difference is?
Anyway, I’ll leave you with this: Ads without Analytics isn’t marketing. It’s gambling. And you already know the house always wins.