Google Analytics (AdWords) integration summary

Stitch’s Google Analytics (AdWords) integration replicates data using the Google Analytics Reporting API v4. Refer to the Schema section for a list of objects available for replication.

Note: This guide describes how to replicate Google AdWords data using Stitch’s Google Analytics integration. Additionally, this approach replaces the deprecated 15-10-2015 version of Stitch’s Google Analytics (AdWords) integration.

As this approach uses the Analytics API, there may be some differences in the data when compared between AdWords and Analytics. You can find out more about these differences in Google’s documentation.

If you want to use the AdWords API, use Stitch’s Google AdWords integration.

Google Analytics (AdWords) feature snapshot

A high-level look at Stitch's Google Analytics (AdWords) (v05-12-2017) integration, including release status, useful links, and the features supported in Stitch.

STITCH
Release status

Released on December 5, 2017

Supported by

Stitch

Stitch plan

Standard

API availability

Not available

Singer GitHub repository

Not applicable

REPLICATION SETTINGS
Anchor Scheduling

Unsupported

Advanced Scheduling

Unsupported

Table-level reset

Unsupported

Configurable Replication Methods

Unsupported

DATA SELECTION
Table selection

Unsupported

Column selection

Unsupported

Select all

Unsupported

TRANSPARENCY
Extraction Logs

Unsupported

Loading Reports

Supported

Connecting Google Analytics (AdWords)

Google Analytics (AdWords) setup requirements

To set up Google Analytics (AdWords) in Stitch, you need:

  • At least Read & Analyze permissions in the account you want to connect to Stitch. See Google’s documentation for more info.

  • To have recent data in the account you want to connect to Stitch. Verify that there is data from the past 30 days in the account before continuing.

  • To link your AdWords and Google Analytics profiles. See Google’s documentation for instructions.

  • To pause any ad-blocking software. Ad blockers can interfere with pop-ups, which are used in Google authorization and may prevent authorization from successfully completing.


Step 1: Add Google Analytics (AdWords) as a Stitch data source

  1. Sign into your Stitch account.
  2. On the Stitch Dashboard page, click the Add Integration button.

  3. Click the Google Analytics icon.

  4. Enter a name for the integration. This is the name that will display on the Stitch Dashboard for the integration; it’ll also be used to create the schema in your destination.

    For example, the name “Stitch Google Analytics AdWords” would create a schema called stitch_google_analytics_adwords in the destination. Note: Schema names cannot be changed after you save the integration.

Step 2: Define the historical replication start date

The Sync Historical Data setting defines the starting date for your Google Analytics (AdWords) integration. This means that data equal to or newer than this date will be replicated to your data warehouse.

Change this setting if you want to replicate data beyond Google Analytics (AdWords)’s default setting of 30 days. For a detailed look at historical replication jobs, check out the Syncing Historical SaaS Data guide.

Step 3: Create a replication schedule

In the Replication Frequency section, you’ll create the integration’s replication schedule. An integration’s replication schedule determines how often Stitch runs a replication job, and the time that job begins.

Google Analytics (AdWords) integrations support the following replication scheduling methods:

To keep your row usage low, consider setting the integration to replicate less frequently. See the Understanding and Reducing Your Row Usage guide for tips on reducing your usage.

Step 4: Authorize Stitch and select a Google Analytics (AdWords) profile

  1. Next, you’ll be prompted to log into your Google account and to approve Stitch’s access to your Google AdWords data.
  2. Click Allow to continue.
  3. After your credentials are validated, you’ll be prompted to select the Google Analytics profile you want to connect to Stitch:

    Selecting a Google Analytics profile.

    Remember: Profiles need to have Read & Analyze permissions to be detected by Stitch. If you don’t see the profile you want in this list, double-check the permission settings of the profile.

  4. When finished, click Continue to save the integration.

Step 5: Select Metrics and Dimensions

After you grant Stitch access to your Google Analytics profile, you can select Google Analytics (AdWords) Metrics and Dimensions you want to replicate to your destination.

Before you make your selections, note that:

  • The following instructions use the Metrics and Dimensions that a deprecated version of Stitch’s Google AdWords integration replicated. You can select other Metrics or Dimensions, but we’re listing them here for those who may want to mimic the old integration.

  • Metric/Dimension combinations must comply with Google’s compatibility rules before the integration can be saved. Stitch will check the validity of your selections as you go and notify you if something isn’t allowed. Google’s Dimensions & Metrics Explorer can be used to validate different combinations before you enter them in Stitch.

  • Google limits the number of Metrics and Dimensions you can select. You can select up to 10 Metrics and seven Dimensions per integration. Refer to Google’s documentation for more info on these limits.

  • Metric/Dimension combinations can’t be changed after the integration is saved. The Primary Key Stitch will create is a composite key composed of the Dimensions selected during this step.

Refer to Google’s documentation for more info about Google AdWords Metrics and Dimensions.

Choose your data

To complete the setup, you’ll select the Metrics and Dimensions you want to replicate.

  1. In the Choose Metrics field, select up to 10 Metrics to replicate.

    If you want to replicate the same Metrics as Stitch’s old Google AdWords integration, select the following:

    • ga:adClicks
    • ga:adCost
    • ga:impressions
  2. In the Choose Dimensions field, select up to seven Dimensions to replicate.

    If you want to replicate the same Dimensions as Stitch’s old Google AdWords integration, select the following:

    • ga:adContent
    • ga:adGroup
    • ga:adDestinationUrl
    • ga:adwordsCampaignID
    • ga:campaign
    • ga:date
    • ga:keyword
  3. As you add Metrics and Dimensions, Stitch will check them for recent data and compatibility according to Google’s compatibility rules. To be considered recent, data must be from the past 30 days.
  4. Review your selections. Remember: Metrics/Dimensions cannot be added or removed after the integration is saved.
  5. When finished, click Save Integration.

Initial and historical replication jobs

After you finish setting up Google Analytics (AdWords), its Sync Status may show as Pending on either the Stitch Dashboard or in the Integration Details page.

For a new integration, a Pending status indicates that Stitch is in the process of scheduling the initial replication job for the integration. This may take some time to complete.

Free historical data loads

The first seven days of replication, beginning when data is first replicated, are free. Rows replicated from the new integration during this time won’t count towards your quota. Stitch offers this as a way of testing new integrations, measuring usage, and ensuring historical data volumes don’t quickly consume your quota.


Google Analytics (AdWords) replication

Google Analytics (AdWords) Replication and Attribution Windows

Every time Stitch runs a replication job for Google Analytics (AdWords), the last 15 days’ worth of data will be replicated.

This is applicable to all tables in the integration.

Stitch replicates data in this way to account for updates made to existing records within the default attribution window of 15 days, thus ensuring you won’t make decisions based on stale (or false) data. As a result, you may see a higher number of replicated rows than what’s being generated in Google Analytics (AdWords).

Setting the Replication Frequency to a higher frequency - like 30 minutes - can result in re-replicating recent data and contribute to greater row usage. Selecting a lower frequency can help keep your row count low.


Google Analytics (AdWords) table reference

report

The report table contains info about your active campaigns and the ads contained within those campaigns.

Note: The attributes in this table are dependent upon the Metrics and Dimensions selected during setup. The schema shown below uses the Metrics and Dimensions from an older version of Stitch’s Google AdWords integration.

Table Rows and Data Pagination

Google AdWords data is paginated on a daily basis. This means a single row in the table pertains to a specific day. The start_date and end_date columns, which will contain identical values, indicate the day the row is for.

For example: If start_date and end_date contain the value 2017-12-12 00:00:00, the row contains data for December 12, 2017.

Replication Method

Key-based Incremental

Primary Keys

adContent

adDestinationUrl

adGroup

adwordsCampaignId

campaign

date

end_date

keyword

start_date

Replication Key

end_date

adClicks

METRIC

adContent

DIMENSION

adCost

METRIC

adDestinationUrl

DIMENSION

adGroup

DIMENSION

adwordsCampaignId

DIMENSION

campaign

DIMENSION

date

DIMENSION

end_date

DATETIME

impressions

METRIC

keyword

DIMENSION

start_date

DATETIME

Google Analytics (AdWords) & (not set) Values

According to Google’s documentation:

(not set) is a placeholder name that Analytics uses when it hasn’t received any information for a dimension.

In general, if (not set) appears in your Google AdWords reports, it means that the property being tracked in the Analytics account is receiving traffic from an AdWords account that isn’t linked to the reporting view. Follow the tips in the AdWords section of this Google article to troubleshoot and resolve the issue.


Questions? Feedback?

Did this article help? If you have questions or feedback, feel free to submit a pull request with your suggestions, open an issue on GitHub, or reach out to us.