Google Ads attribution: buyer questions answered
14 buyer questions about Google Ads attribution, each answered from the platforms' own help pages: a short answer, a step-by-step walkthrough with menu paths, and for some questions a version for one store type.
By Joris van Huët, Founder & CEOUpdated 4 min read
Run the numbers for your store: the free break-even ROAS calculator.
Each answer below takes one buyer question about Google Ads attribution and answers it from the platforms' own help pages, read on 1 October 2026. Read the short answer first. If you need to act in GA4, Shopify, Meta or Google Ads, the step-by-step version gives the menu paths.
The questions
How does Google Ads attribution work?
- The short answer: How does Google Ads attribution work?
- Step by step: How to check Google Ads attribution, step by step
- For one store type: How does Google Ads attribution work for electronics?
Why does Google Ads show more conversions than GA4?
- The short answer: Why does Google Ads show more conversions than GA4?
- Step by step: How to reconcile Google Ads and GA4, step by step
Is branded search worth paying for?
- The short answer: Is branded search worth paying for?
- Step by step: How to test if branded search pays off, step by step
- For one store type: Is branded search worth paying for in fashion?
Is Google Ads stealing my organic sales?
- The short answer: Is Google Ads stealing my organic sales?
- Step by step: How to spot Google Ads stealing organic sales in GA4
How do I measure Performance Max?
- The short answer: How do I measure Performance Max?
- Step by step: How to measure Performance Max, step by step
- For one store type: How do I measure Performance Max for sports nutrition?
What is Google Ads data-driven attribution?
- The short answer: What is Google Ads data-driven attribution?
- Step by step: How to use Google Ads data-driven attribution, step by step
Should I bid on my own brand name?
- The short answer: Should I bid on my own brand name?
- Step by step: How to bid on your own brand name, step by step
- For one store type: Should a health and beauty brand bid on its own name?
How do I track Google Shopping sales?
- The short answer: How do I track Google Shopping sales?
- Step by step: How to track Google Shopping sales by product, step by step
Why is my Google Shopping ROAS so high?
- The short answer: Why is my Google Shopping ROAS so high?
- Step by step: How to audit a high Google Shopping ROAS, step by step
- For one store type: Why is Google Shopping ROAS so high for home goods?
What does Paid Search mean in GA4?
- The short answer: What does Paid Search mean in GA4?
- Step by step: How to audit Paid Search in GA4, step by step
What is Paid Shopping in GA4?
- The short answer: What is Paid Shopping in GA4?
- Step by step: How to clean up Paid Shopping in GA4, step by step
- For one store type: What is Paid Shopping in GA4 for a pet store?
How do I know if Google Ads is profitable?
- The short answer: How do I know if Google Ads is profitable?
- Step by step: How to check if Google Ads is profitable, step by step
Do Google Ads and Meta double count sales?
- The short answer: Do Google Ads and Meta double count sales?
- Step by step: How to check if Google Ads and Meta double count sales
- For one store type: Do Google Ads and Meta double count food and drink sales?
How do I split budget between Google and Meta?
- The short answer: How do I split budget between Google and Meta?
- Step by step: How to split budget between Google and Meta, step by step
How to read these answers
Each answer opens with the short version in bold. Most then set one store's anonymised GA4 export next to the usual answer. That export describes one store, not a benchmark, and holds shares of revenue only.
Every other figure comes from a platform's own help page, linked inside the answer, or is a worked example labelled as one. Each answer ends with three checks you can run this week, with what a pass and a fail look like.
Check the homework. Your GA4 Attribution paths export already holds the evidence. Causality Engine reads that one file and shows what each channel caused next to what last-click gave it, in 1 to 2 minutes, for €99 once (excluding VAT), refundable within 30 days. Check the homework
Related answers
Frequently asked questions
Where do the facts in these Google Ads attribution answers come from?
From the platforms' own help pages, read on 1 October 2026 and linked inside each answer, and from one store's anonymised GA4 export. That export holds shares of revenue only, and it describes one store, not a benchmark.Which Google Ads attribution answer should I read first?
Start with the question closest to the decision in front of you. Read the short answer first. If you need to act in the platform, the step-by-step version gives the menu paths.Can I check these Google Ads attribution answers on my own store?
Yes. Every answer ends with three checks you can run this week in Shopify, GA4 or the ad platform, each with what a pass and a fail look like.
Go deeper: Incrementality testing, explained.
Sixty-second versions of these ideas: Causality Engine on YouTube Shorts.
Keep reading
Terms in this article
- AttributionAttribution identifies user actions that contribute to a desired outcome and assigns value to each. It reveals which marketing touchpoints drive conversions.
- Causal AttributionCausal Attribution uses causal inference to determine which marketing touchpoints genuinely cause conversions, not just correlate with them.
- CausalityCausality is the relationship where one event directly causes another, essential for identifying specific actions that drive desired outcomes in marketing.
- ConversionConversion is a specific, desired action a user takes in response to a marketing message, such as a purchase or a sign-up.
- Google AdsGoogle Ads is an online advertising platform where advertisers bid to display ads, service offerings, and product listings.
- Google ShoppingGoogle Shopping is a Google service allowing users to search for products and compare prices from online retailers.
- IncrementalityIncrementality measures the true causal impact of a marketing campaign. It quantifies the additional conversions or revenue directly from that activity.
- RevenueRevenue is the total income generated by the sale of goods or services related to a company's primary operations.