Connecting Google (Analytics, Search Console & Ads)

Connect GA4, Search Console and Google Ads so traffic, search and spend data flow in.

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Google is usually the first thing you connect - it powers the Google Analytics, Search Console and Google Ads tabs, and feeds attribution. Each Google platform has its own card on the Connections tab: you enter its account ID and click Test connection to confirm it works. When the test succeeds, the card shows what you actually connected - the resolved account name appears next to the Connected pill, and the expanded card adds a "This ID resolves to ..." confirmation with a link to the account, so you can visually check the ID belongs to the right property or account. (If an older connection doesn't show a name yet, one more successful Test connection fills it in.)

Two ways to connect

Recommended - connect your own Google account. On the Connections tab, click Connect Google account and sign in with the Google account that has access to your Analytics, Search Console and Ads. It's read-only and you can revoke it any time, and one sign-in covers all three Google platforms. Then just enter each account's ID on its card and Test connection.

Or grant access instead. If you'd rather not sign in, you can give the reporting email shown on each card access to your properties (steps below), then enter the IDs.

Your client connects Google one of two ways: by signing in with their own Google account (recommended - one consent covers Analytics, Search Console and Ads), or by granting your agency reporting email access to each property. Either way, the account ID for each platform is entered on its card and confirmed with Test connection. Your agency Google reporting account and Ads MCC are configured once in Settings - Integrations.

Google Analytics & Search Console

If you're granting access rather than connecting your own Google account:

  • Analytics (GA4): open GA4 -> Admin -> Property Access Management, click + Add User, add the email shown on the card, set the role to Viewer, and Add. The account field wants your numeric Property ID (Admin -> Property Settings, top right) - not the G-XXXX Measurement ID.
  • Search Console: open Search Console -> Settings -> Users and permissions, click Add user, add the email shown, set permission to Restricted, and Add. The field wants your Property URL (the full URL with a trailing slash, or the sc-domain: prefix for a domain property).

Enter the ID, click Test connection, and the tab fills in after the first data pull. The card also shows the property name it resolved to, so you can confirm it's the right one.

Google Ads connects through a manager (MCC) link, not a per-user invite:

  1. Enter your Customer ID (top right of Google Ads, format XXX-XXX-XXXX) on the card and click Test connection.
  2. The platform sends a manager link request from its MCC to your Google Ads account.
  3. In Google Ads -> Tools & Settings -> Account Access -> Managers, click Accept on the request from the MCC ID shown on the card.
  4. Click Test connection again - it should go green and show the account name it resolved to.

Connecting your own Google account (above) covers Ads too, and skips the manager-link step.

When it won't connect

If a Test connection fails, the card shows a specific message in a red box - find yours below. (You can run up to 10 tests per platform per hour.)

Analytics or Search Console won't connect

"We can't access your Google Analytics yet. Have you added [email] as a Viewer?" (or, for Search Console, "...as a Restricted user?")

  • Why: the reporting email hasn't been granted access to that property, or was added on the wrong property.
  • Fix: add the exact email shown on the card - as a Viewer in GA4 (Admin -> Property Access Management) or a Restricted user in Search Console (Settings -> Users and permissions) - on the correct property, then Test connection again.

"We couldn't find that Google Analytics / Search Console account. Double-check the ID you entered."

  • Why: wrong ID. GA4 wants the numeric Property ID (not the G-XXXX Measurement ID). Search Console wants the full URL with a trailing slash, or the sc-domain: prefix for a domain property.
  • Fix: re-enter the correct ID/URL and Test connection.

"Google Analytics is rate-limiting us right now. Try again in a few minutes."

  • Why: too many requests to Google in a short window.
  • Fix: wait a few minutes and Test again.

The sign-in was blocked, or nothing happened after "Connect Google account".

  • Why: the Google consent was cancelled or denied, so no access was granted. (You may simply land back on the Connections tab with Google still showing as not connected.)
  • Fix: click Connect Google account again and approve all the read-only permissions when prompted.

Connected, but the tab still says "add the email as a Viewer" even though you did.

  • Why: the property may not be verified, or the Analytics Data API isn't enabled for it - both look like an access error.
  • Fix: confirm the Search Console property is verified / the GA4 property is correct, then Test again. Give the first data pull a little time to appear.
Google Ads won't connect

"A manager link request is pending..." or "We've sent a manager link request to Google Ads account..."

  • Why: the platform has sent a manager (MCC) link request and is waiting for you to accept it.
  • Fix: in Google Ads -> Tools & Settings -> Account Access -> Managers, click Accept on the request from the MCC ID shown, then click Test connection again.

"The link between [MCC] and Google Ads account [ID] is refused / cancelled / inactive."

  • Why: a previous manager link was declined or removed.
  • Fix: in Google Ads -> Account Access -> Managers, choose Link to manager with the MCC ID shown, then Test connection.

"We couldn't find Google Ads account [ID] - it should be the operating account, not a manager (MCC) account."

  • Why: wrong Customer ID, or you entered a manager account instead of the operating one.
  • Fix: enter the operating account's Customer ID (top right of Google Ads, XXX-XXX-XXXX) and Test connection.

"Couldn't look up / send a manager link request from manager account [MCC] (agency-side)... the developer token is still on Test access."

  • Why: this one is on your side, not the client's. Your MCC's developer token is on Test access, or the connected Google account doesn't have Admin on the MCC.
  • Fix: apply for Basic/Standard access in the MCC's API Center, and make sure the OAuth account has Admin rights on the MCC.
It worked before, then stopped

"...credentials need refreshing - please contact support."

  • Why: the Google login used to read your data expired or was revoked. Note: if you connected your own Google account and later removed the platform's access in your Google security settings, you'll see this same message.
  • Fix: if you connected your own Google account, reconnect it from Connections -> Google. Otherwise it's on the platform side - contact support.
  • Fix: reconnect your agency Google reporting account (Settings -> Integrations -> Google). If the client connected their own Google and revoked it, ask them to reconnect.

Disconnecting is safe - your cached data stays available; only new syncing stops until you reconnect.

For anything not covered here, see Common issues & fixes or Error messages explained.