June 9, 2025

Part. 3 – Performance Max & Google Ads

Posted on June 9, 2025August 1, 2025 by Adenlab Adenlab

How do you get started and set up your campaigns? We tell you all about it!

A reminder about Performance Max: what is it and how does it work? Performance Max is a new tool created by Google to centrally manage online advertising campaigns.

Its goal

Its aim: to generate high-performance results across multiple channels (Search, Display, YouTube…), all from a single platform, in a single campaign. The stated aim is to facilitate the management of advertising campaigns for all advertisers.

His secret

Its secret: automation and the power of its algorithm, designed to achieve conversion objectives and not just be visible on keywords.

Deployment schedule

Deployment schedule: we have dedicated an article to this subject, which can be consulted here:Performance Max deployment schedule on Google Ads

So how do you go about migrating your Smart Shopping campaigns? First of all, you’ll need to clarify your conversion objectives by product or service, rather than thinking in terms of keywords, which people would search for in order to buy them. Here’s why:

Conversion goals at the heart of Performance Max's Google Ads campaign strategy

These are the first elements you’ll be asked for when you launch a campaign on Google Performance Max, and they’re essential. Each campaign will be designed and automated according to your conversion objectives. These can take the form oflead acquisition via phone calls or form filling, or even purchases on your ecommerce site.

We’ll explain below how to optimize them, but first, here are the main elements to prepare and the steps to follow to successfully migrate your Smart Shopping campaigns to Performance Max.

What you need to launch a Perfomance Max campaign

Your marketing and conversion objectives

Your feeds

Google My Business (optional) ○ Google Merchant Center (optional) ○ Dynamic ad feed (optional) ○ Business data feed (optional)

The resources you'll be using

Text, image, video (optional as it can be generated automatically)

Your audiences

Primary audiences, including remarketing lists (optional) ○ Google Audiences, including custom audiences (optional)

Your geographical targets

The desired budget

On this basis, ads will be automatically served on search engines, Maps, Display, Gmail, Discovery and YouTube.

Getting started: how do I create a Google Ads campaign with Performance Max?

Step 1: Select your objectives

Step 2: Choose Performance Max campaigns Step 3: Determine a strategic bid and budget Step 4: Add as many campaign parameters as you need Step 5: Create an asset group and assign it/them an ad group and assign them an audience Step 6: Add extensions, if relevant to you

Start your migration: when and how to launch your first Performance Max campaign with Google Ads?

○ First of all, you don’t need to pause your current campaigns to test Performance Max.

○ You should also know that the sooner you get started, the more you’ll benefit, because from the 2nd half of 2022 you’ll automatically be redirected to this type of campaign as far as Google Shopping is concerned. ○ But for now, you can go step by step, and it’s even recommended.

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Here are the main points to bear in mind:

○ Google Ads Performance Max campaigns are complementary to your existing campaigns. However, Performance Max campaigns will take priority over existing Shopping campaigns that use the same products in the same account. ○ Don’t launch a Shopping campaign (standard or Smart Shopping) and a Google Performance Max campaign at the same time and for the same product references ○ Test a campaign first to tame the tool and do some “test and learn”. ○ Refine your campaigns and deploy them on more offers or products, depending on the results obtained in the test phase (we explain the recommended timing below).

Test & learn: our recommendations

Don't switch all your campaigns at once to Performance Max

As we’ve just seen, it’s advisable to test Performance Max alongside your existing campaigns, whatever the channel. Indeed, even though Performance Max delivers ads across the entire Google inventory, it’s important to use it alongside your existing campaigns as a complementary strategy. This is because existing campaigns often have additional features and tools (such as keyword research), which can help maintain your brand’s presence on different platforms and conversion volume, while Performance Max enables you to seize additional opportunities.

Tracking and analysis of Performace Max campaigns from Google Ads

In order to be able to track and analyze your campaign, you need to use Google Analytics Conversion Tracking for a more precise measurement of conversions, or alternatively, Google Ads Conversion Tracking.

Launch: Sample campaign schedule

1 . Analysis of a typical period before the campaign 2 . Conversion measurement phase for this sample period 3 . Implementation of the Performance Max solution, start-up phase 4 . Performance Max campaign acceleration phase 5 . Evaluation of campaign results

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Test analysis tips

To be set up BEFORE the campaign

Include: Campaigns optimized for the same purpose as Performance Max. Exclude: Existing campaigns that are not optimized for the same objective, such as branding campaigns like YouTube Instream and CPM Display.

To be examined AFTER the campaign

Change in global conversions. Change in conversion value to a similar CPA/ROAS*.

Please note

Examining the breakdown of performance by objective can also be useful! But wait a minute … Before we know how to examine your campaigns, let’s answer a key question: “How do you determine your conversion goals on Performance Max?”

Focus on... Google Ads and Performance Max conversion targets

Set relevant objectives

The Performance Max algorithm attempts to capture the most qualified conversions according to a desired ROI. If you want to optimize it, it’s advisable to aim for the lowest conversions in your funnel (i.e. the purpose of your campaign: call, form, purchase…), but also to choose a reasonable volume, closely aligned with the desired objective!

In brief

Take the time to prepare your campaigns before getting started, and migrate your campaigns. Test different product verticals to get the most out of Google Performance Max. Because even if the promise is campaign automation, there are still a good number of optimization points to improve your conversions. Would you like to talk to our experts? Contact us now! We help a large number of ecommerce sites manage their Google Ads campaigns.

We would be happy to discuss this with you

Interview : Natalya Donnat – Director of Operations & General Manager, Adenlab

Posted on June 9, 2025August 1, 2025 by Adenlab Adenlab

Following the changes to Google Ads and the Performance Max solution, we interviewed Natalya Donnat, Director of Operations at Adenlab. She answered our questions, giving us a clearer picture of the Performance Max issues.

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What do you think of Google Ads’ max performance campaigns?

So far, initial tests have been encouraging. The Performance Max campaign type has been in Beta since May 2021, and following positive results at Google, this Beta has been whitelisted for all accounts. Several tests have also been launched at Adenlab on several different business sectors. Some business sectors are responding better than others, but the tests are still being finalized.

🤓

Does automating this format benefit advertisers?

For the moment, I can’t say that automation is beneficial. The Performance Max format gives us very little information to analyze performance by diffusion (search, display or shopping). *It is currently impossible to understand where our ads are broadcast. * During our tests, we remain very vigilant about the distribution of our campaigns.

🤓

Does automating this format benefit advertisers?

We find that the Performance Max format cannibalizes our other Search, Shopping, Video or Display campaigns. And therefore take precedence and are prioritized by Google. That’s why we’ve developed Adenlab’s own methodology for setting up campaigns, reading performance and applying optimizations.

🤓

What are the advantages/disadvantages of Google Ads Performance Max campaigns?

=> The benefits Distribution across the entire Google inventory (YouTube, Display, Search, Discover, Gmail and Maps) from a single campaign Initial results are encouraging Increase in new customers Richer audience information => Disadvantages No information on the distribution of activated levers within the campaign Few possible optimizations Cannibalization with existing campaigns

We would be delighted to discuss the subject with you.

The ultimate guide to Local Services Ads from Google Ads

Posted on June 9, 2025August 1, 2025 by Adenlab Adenlab

simulate the results of your Google Ads campaigns:

Our performance simulator gives you the results you can expect from your Google Ads campaigns …

Google’s reach may extend to the whole world, but for some searches, and especially searches for local services near you, you need a solution in our own neighborhood (and fast)!

People who have an overflowing sink can’t wait for a plumber to come from the other side of France…

Yet companies offering local services often find it hard to convert these potential customers with simple text ads on Google.

That’s why these same companies should be delighted with the solutions offered by Google Ads: Local Services ads:

Google Ads’ Local Services ads are an excellent complement to local SEO strategies if you offer local services(locksmiths, plumbers, garage door professionals, electricians and HVAC services).

With Local Services from Google Ads, when a surfer enters a local search query (such as the one below), several professionals are displayed, just above the traditional paid search ads.

These ads display the company number, opening hours, ratings and reviews left by customers.

These local Google Ads campaigns are displayed on computers, tablets and mobiles.

These ads will also be offered in the Google Assistant response to voice searches!

Who can benefit from Google Ads Local Services?

Today, Google offers Local Services Ads for the following sectors:

```
  Aide ménagère
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  Aménagement paysager
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  Bardage
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  Clôtures
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  Collecte de déchets
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  Constructeurs de piscines
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  Couverture
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  CVC
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  Déménagement
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  Diagnostics immobiliers
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  Entreprise générale
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  Entretien de pelouses
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  Entretien de piscine
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  Extermination des nuisibles
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  Fondations
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  Homme à tout faire
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  Menuiserie
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  Nettoyage de tapis/moquettes
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  Nettoyage de vitres
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  Plomberie
```

  Réparation d'appareils électroménagers

```
  Revêtement de sol
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```
  Services d'arboriculture
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```
  Services de déneigement
```

  Services de restauration après un dégât des eaux

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  Services électriques
```
```
  Services liés aux fenêtres
```
```
  Services liés aux plans de travail
```
```
  Services liés aux portes de garage
```

Not all services are supported in all markets
To find out if you are eligible, visit theGoogle Local Services help pagesand sign up for the program here.

What are the advantages of Google Ads Local Services ads?

Advertisers who use traditional Google Ads campaigns know that it’s expensive to pay for a click that isn’t appropriate or doesn’t convert (indeed, local service advertisers often pay Cost per Click sometimes more than 5 times the average cost per click in Google Ads).

Google Ads local campaigns connect potential customers with the right advertiser, and avoid the mismatches that often occur when a user searches for general terms for a very specific service, or for a location outside a company’s service area.

With Les Annonce Local Services, local service advertisers are billed only for valid leads.

If you receive a fraudulent lead, spam or bad correspondence, you can even dispute the billing to obtain a credit.

How can you earn the trust of Internet users with the "Google Protection" badge?

💡 Local Services ads appear with a green tick next to “Google Protection”.

As well as attracting the attention of users, this allows companies to benefit from Google’s guarantee.

Users trust Google, and its recommendation is not limited to its reputation.

And yes … The “Google Protection” guarantee protects dissatisfied customers up to €1,500 in France on work carried out via local service listings. Find out more about this guarantee offered and insured by Google here

💡 Your positive reviews and comments are highlighted

Every Local Services ad includes ratings and reviews from past customers to help you earn the trust of Internet users.

Currently, Local Services ads are one of the few ways to get your reviews featured in search engines.

💡 Extend the reach of your paid search ads

You’ll notice that Google Ads’ Local Services ads are positioned above traditional paid ads and organic results.

This is because Google’s Local Services ads are not intended to replace your traditional search ads, or even your local search engine optimization.

💡 Be included in voice search responses

With over 20% of all searches coming from voice search, local service ads represent one of the few ways to ensure you’re going to be found on the multiple devices powered by Google Assistant.

💡 No ads or keywords to manage

Paid search advertisers know that keyword research and ad testing can be time-consuming tasks. Google Ads’ Local Servies campaigns require neither!

These campaigns are automatically triggered when a customer searches for one of thousands of relevant search terms, from as broad as “plumber” to as specific as “leaky faucet under the sink”.

The ad format will be automatically created using the information contained in your company profile.

How to launch your Google Ads Local Services campaigns and ads?

💡 Confirm your eligibility :

Local Services campaigns are only available in certain sectors and markets.

To find out if you can deploy Local Services Ads, first confirm your business type and location.

If you qualify, you’ll be guided through the process of creating an account to manage your local service listings.

These ads are managed separately from the ads you create in Google Ads or Google Ads Express, so you’ll need to create a new account.

💡 Create your company profile

Your Google profile for Local Services Ads is different from your Google My Business account, which is linked to your local listing on Google (if you haven’t already done so, note that you need to create and optimize this account too).

Your company profile for these ads will determine which service offers will be associated with your local service ads.

Be clear about the type of services you are able to offer and the areas in which you want to obtain leads.

From your company profile, you can edit

```
  Votre budget hebdomadaire
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  Vos heures d'ouverture
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  Vos domaines de service
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  Vos types de services
```

You also have the option of adding highlights to your company profile, which will eventually be displayed alongside your ads and on your company details page.

How do you manage your inbound leads and business opportunities?

Once your company profile is complete, you can launch your ads and start collecting new leads.

From your dashboard, you can access the “lead” tab via the drop-down menu in the top right-hand corner.

Don’t forget that leads (potential customers) are not necessarily confirmed customers! So make sure you follow up your incoming leads.

Once you’ve selected a prospect, you can view their details, including job type and location, and listen to a recording of the call.

After reviewing these leads, you have three options for follow-up:

Reply to the customer by sending your message in the form of an e-mail or SMS to the customer.
Call the customer on the telephone number they have provided.
Decline the request. If you decline the request, it will be deleted and the potential customer will be informed. You can send a reply with further information on why the request was declined. Once declined, requests can be retrieved in the event of a change.

Managing your budget

From your company profile, you can adjust your ad budget. You can manage the amount you wish to spend on your ads by increasing or decreasing your average weekly budget.

Since you’re charged on a cost-per-lead basis – not per-click – with Google Ads Local Services campaigns, increasing or decreasing your budget will have a direct impact on the number of inbound leads you generate.

Remember that your ad budget is separate from your Google Ads budget.

Classifying ads

Even with these new Local Services ads, space is still limited on the search engine!

However, unlike your search ads where you have to worry about your ad’s quality score – formulated by a combination of your ad’s CTR, relevance and landing page, you don’t have to worry about these ranking factors.

Instead, Google calculates the ranking of your local service ads by taking the following factors into account:

Votre proximité par rapport aux emplacements des clients potentiels
Votre score d'évaluation et le nombre d'évaluations que vous recevez
Votre réactivité aux demandes de renseignements et aux requêtes des clients
Vos heures d'ouverture.
L'existence ou non de plaintes sérieuses ou répétées concernant votre entreprise.

Get reviews

Reviews play an important role in the ranking of your ads, so it’s especially important to collect reviews from satisfied customers.

Fortunately, Google makes it easy for you to contact customers who book appointments through your ads and ask them for feedback.

In the “Reviews” tab of your local service listings manager, you can review the work you’ve done for your customers and ask them directly to leave a Google review about you.

Be sure to personalize the message for your customers to increase the likelihood that they’ll leave a review about you!

All you have to do is get started now and acquire new customers, close to your establishments!
To find out more about our digital marketing agency, please contact us to set up a local strategy for your business.

Google Analytics 4 (GA4): what you need to know and what new features does GA4 offer?

Posted on June 9, 2025August 1, 2025 by Adenlab Adenlab

Since 2005, Google Analytics has been the benchmark for website and marketing performance tracking. Over time, Google has made additions and improvements to the platform, announcing last week that it would be discontinuing :

Optimize your analytics accounts and branding plan: ask for a diagnosis

One of the most common instances of Google Analytics (Universal Analytics) will disappear on July 1, 2023

What's new in Google Analytics?

The simple version: Universal Analytics will be replaced by Google Analytics 4 from July 1, 2023.

The official announcement: Google has announced that “on July 1, 2023, standard Universal Analytics properties will no longer process data. You will be able to see your Universal Analytics reports for some time after July 1, 2023.

However, the new data will only be transmitted to your GA4 properties.

What is a Google Analytics property?

This is the website or application you are tracking with Google Analytics.

If you currently use Universal Analytics to track your website, this will be called your “Universal Analytics property”.

Once you’ve set up GA4, you’ll have a Google Analytics 4 property for that same website. Since Universal Analytics (UA) and Google Analytics 4 (GA4) are different, several reports are available for each property.

What is Google Analytics 4?

To understand exactly what GA4 is, a quick lesson in the history of Google Analytics is in order.

Google Analytics: The very first instance of Google Analytics was released in 2005.

Universal Analytics (UA): The new, improved version of Google Analytics was released in 2012 and has become the default property type.

Google Analytics 360: this is a software suite that, in addition to Universal Analytics, provides Tag Manager, Optimize, Data Studio, Surveys, Attribution and Audience Center. Released in 2016.

Google Analytics 4: This is the latest version of Google Analytics, released on October 14, 2020.

What's the difference between Universal Analytics (UA) and Google Analytics 4 (GA4)?

In addition to offering more features than Universal Analytics, Google Analytics 4 is built differently to align with current and future reporting and privacy needs.

Here are just a few of the benefits of Google Analytics:

Event-based

Universal Analytics is session-based, while GA4 is event-based. In other words, the ability to track events such as button clicks, video plays, etc. is built into GA4, whereas it requires advanced configurations in UA. This means that page views are not the only important metric.

Multi-device tracking

Universal Analytics was designed around desktop web traffic, while GA4 gives companies visibility into customer journeys across their entire website and applications.

Automatic learning

GA4 uses machine learning technology to share information and make predictions.

Respectful of privacy

Universal Analytics (UA) data is highly dependent on cookies, which is not the case with Google Analytics 4.

How do I know if I'm using Google Analytics?

Google Analytics 4 was released on October 14, 2020 and has become the default version, so if you created your property after this date, you’ll probably be using GA4.

If you’re using analytics before this date, you’ll probably be using Unnversal Analytics (UA).

If you’re not sure, you can check your property type by clicking on the down arrow at the top left of your account, next to your property name :

Next, look at your property ID:

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UA property IDs start with UA and end with a number.

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GA4 properties have numbers only.

What do I have to do?

If you are currently using Universal Analytics, there are three actions to prioritize:

Switch to GA4 as soon as possible

Although you have more than a year before this change takes place, it’s best to make the change now so that your GA4 account can collect the data needed for automated information.

If you’re currently using UA, and want to set up a GA4 property alongside your existing UA property, use Google’s GA4 configuration wizard, which gives you the option of configuring it with your markup.

If you use Google Ads, organize personalized events or use other advanced features.

See Google’s page on how to upgrade to Google Analytics 4, which breaks the process down into 12 steps with effort levels indicated for each step.

Adjust your Google Ads conversion tracking

Once your GA4 property is set up, you’ll be able to view Analytics data in your Google Ads account If you’ve set up conversion tracking, you can import Analytics conversions into Google Ads and delete any targets you’ve imported from Universal Analytics (UA) to avoid duplicates. To import your Analytics conversions, in your Google Ads account, go to :

Tools & Settings > Conversions > Add a new conversion action
then select Import:

Here you can select each conversion event you wish to import into your Google Ads account.

Exporting historical reports

Google will allow access to your Universal Analytics data for at least six months after July 1, 2023, during which time you will need to export the data that is important to you. There are three ways to export:

Exporting individual reports
Using the Google Analytics Reporting API
Export to BigQuery

Conclusion

Don’t wait any longer to upgrade to Google Analytics 4! The sooner you start, the more historical data you’ll have in your account.

What’s more, Google’s machine learning will be able to start earlier and predict interesting information in your GA4 account.

Don’t hesitate to contact us to set up your GA4 accounts and parameters. Our Analytics experts will be with you every step of the way.

Optimize your analytics accounts and tagging plan: Ask for a diagnosis

Conversion tracking with Google Ads

Posted on June 9, 2025August 1, 2025 by Adenlab Adenlab

Download our white paper

Why integrate conversion tracking with shopping cart data when running an ecommerce business?

Google Ads conversion tracking is essential for measuring the performance of your campaigns.

There are several categories of conversion on Google Ads, but the one we’re most interested in for Ecommerce is the value and therefore the purchases made following an interaction with your Shopping or Search campaigns.

Today, Google Ads offers tracking elements in addition to the conversion value, and these include Shopping Cart information!

And yes, Google has set up an improved tracking system that allows you to track not only the conversion value, but also information on the products that have been sold: this is conversion tracking with shopping cart data.

Here we’ll give you a quick reminder of Google Ads conversion tracking, and then give you the information on this Google Ads tracking with the basket data as well!

What is Google Ads conversion tracking?

Google Ads conversion tracking refers to all the procedures and devices used to record conversions or transactions carried out on your website, and to bring back information that is important for your profitability measurements.

With Google Ads conversions, you can track the transactions generated by your Search or Google Shopping campaigns, as well as Display and Youtube.

It’s thanks to this code snippet that you’ll be able to track transaction values in Google Ads and measure the return on investment (ROAS) of your campaigns.

Google Ads conversion tracking is therefore essential and must be functional before embarking on any major expenditure on Google Ads.

There are several types of conversion you can measure, such as :

Sending a form
One call
Request a quote
…

The above actions measure lead acquisition strategies

For Ecommerce, it is common to measure business objectives such as :

Purchasing
Add to basket
Initiated payments

In fact, the device most frequently used by Ecommerces is the one tracking transaction information generated by Google Ads campaigns.

This is the “Purchase” tag, which allows you to track the value of the transaction attributed to your campaign.

This is of course very interesting and extremely useful, but it lacks information on the products that were actually sold in this transaction.

Usually, it’s in Google Analytics and in the E-Commerce part of the reports that you’ll find data on the products that have been purchased by your customers.

Google Ads tracking with Shopping Cart data lets you know directly in Google Ads which products have been purchased, without having to go into Google Analytics.

When it comes to analyzing the performance of campaigns and your catalog, this functionality is more refined, enabling you to better distribute your products and prioritize the distribution of your catalog in relation to sales.

What’s more, the integration of tracking with shopping cart data will enable you to go even further in your analyses, and automatically calculate the margins generated by your campaigns.

To create a conversion action, you will find all the information on the Google Ads page: Create a conversion action
and in your Google Ads tab: Tools and settings > Measurement > Conversion

Why install conversion tracking with shopping cart data?

As mentioned above, Google Ads conversion tracking, and more specifically the “Purchase” tag, will enable you to track conversions and conversion values: the value of the transaction attributed to your campaign.

This information is essential for estimating the profitability of your campaigns and the return on investment.

However, if you set your Google Ads tracking parameters to bring up Shopping Cart data, your analyses, and ultimately your optimizations, will be more relevant and effective.

Not only will you be able to analyze the value of conversions, you’ll also know which products were sold during these same transactions.

Conversion tracking with Shopping Cart data will also enable you to measure the revenues and profits generated by your Shopping and Search Network ads.

And yes, you'll be able to measure the profits (margins) made on your campaigns.

To track margins, you’ll need to add costing information. This will enable Google Ads to **automatically calculate product margins. **

Advantages of this tracking mode :

precise measurement of revenues and profits generated by Google Ads (Shopping and Search ads)
Detailed reports on basket size and average value
Detailed reports on items sold

How do I set up conversion tracking with shopping cart data?

To get Shopping Cart data into Google Ads conversion reports, you’ll need to set up conversion tracking using Google’s global site tag or Google Tag Manager (GTM).

However, we recommend that you go through your Tag Manager and add the data parameters using your Data layers;

Here is the example provided by Google Ads Help:

To transfer basket data to the conversion tools, proceed as follows:

Select the conversion tag to which you wish to send the shopping cart data.
Check the “Provide sales data at product level” box.
Select data layer or JavaScript variables as data source.
You must add the parameters below to the payment page to reference them.

Find out more in the article: “Configuring and testing conversion reporting with shopping cart data“.

Do you have more questions about Google Ads conversion tracking? Do you need to set up an appropriate tagging plan for your Google Analytics and GA4 analyses?

Contact our Analytics and Tag Management team. We will certainly be able to help you.

Consult our Data & RGPD experts

Google replaces FLoC with the Topics API: What you need to know!

Posted on June 9, 2025August 1, 2025 by Adenlab Adenlab

With the deprecation of third-party cookies, Google has struggled to find a way to preserve privacy while delivering relevant ads – a win-win solution for advertisers and consumers alike.

Its initial solution was FLoC, but the Topics API will now take over as the new star of cookie-free targeting.

Article translated and interpreted from “Google Replaces FLoC with Topics API: What You Need to Know” by Susie Marino

The TL;DR

FLoC is being replaced by the Topics API as a better solution for interest-based but privacy-friendly advertising.
Instead of assigning cohorts to users, it will assign them subjects, which they can view and modify.
Advertisers see it as a compromise, but are concerned about the diversity of subjects.

What is interest-based advertising?

To understand what’s going on, you first need to know what interest-based advertising (IBA) is.

Interest-targeted advertising consists in serving ads to a user based on his or her interests, which are deduced from the sites he or she visits.

This enables advertisers to reach the right audiences and users to see relevant ads.

However, this information is often collected by third-party cookies which, as we all know, do not respect privacy and are on the way out.

What is FLoC?

FLoC (Federated Learning of Cohorts) was Google’s initial solution for interest-based targeting without third-party cookies.

We’ll give you all the details of FLoC here, but basically it involved dividing users into cohorts each week based on their browsing history, then sending these anonymous cohorts back to websites for advertising purposes.

But FLoC had its shortcomings, such as a lack of clarity and transparency from the user’s point of view, and several serious security risks.

The Topics API aims to eliminate most of these problems.

What is the Topics API?

On January 25, 2022, Google announced that FLoC was being replaced by Topics API, which is a better solution for interest-based advertising, based on information and community feedback from previous FLoC trials.

The main difference between FLoC and Topics API is that instead of assigning users cohort IDs every week, it will assign them three to five possible topics of interest every three weeks, based on their browsing history.

The API will then communicate three of these topics to participating sites, which can then use them for advertising purposes.

For example, a site dealing with skiing and snowboarding would be placed in the “Sports” category.

Subjects are defined to exclude potentially sensitive categories (race, sexual orientation, religion, etc.).

There are currently 350 themes, but this number is set to rise to hundreds, if not thousands.

Sites can decline to be assigned a theme, and users will be able to view the themes assigned to them.

What the PPC community has to say about the Topics API

The Topics API can definitely be a challenge to digest, and PPC experts already have plenty to say.

Here are a few comments gathered from the ppc community:

Encouraging, but more information is still needed

Aaron Levy, Head of Paid Search at Tinuiti, praises Google for trying to find a happy compromise between user and advertiser, even if the platform didn’t give us all the answers.

TLDR: There’s still a lot of vagueness out there, but it’s encouraging to see that Google is working with wider industry feedback and working towards stability.

In the Search Engine Land article, Aaron continues:

It’s strange to call it an advantage, but I consider anything launched with a higher probability of stability and a lower probability of mass opt-out to be a win.

Indeed, there’s no way around the extinction of third-party cookies. At this stage, the PPC community will take what it can get.

No great surprise

A more neutral sentiment here, by Simon Harris, Trade Desk Director at DPG Media, is not surprised, given the history of these efforts, and finds it :

A common-sense approach

Here's what he says in his Tweets:

People were talking about this approach (a long time ago, before the OG), so much so that I initially thought, wrongly, that this was the path Google would take. I assumed they wouldn’t, because it would have been seen as anti-competitive for anyone who could make sense and money out of a cohort ID and Bidstream data.

It’s interesting to see that Google has come full circle, since the pre-canalized topics were discussed before the first OG. From the consumer’s point of view, it’s good to see that they’re taking a common-sense approach here.

Google was already talking about it back in August, and the rumors have been building up for weeks. So it’s not really a surprise.

The full tweet is here

This is in line with Aaron’s earlier comment that an intermediate solution had to be found.

FLoC was already notorious for its problems, so it was only a matter of time before Google published another proposal, like Topics.

Concerns about the accuracy of subject targeting

Many advertisers feel that the list of topics is not nearly as precise as they would like.

To be fair, Google could only create a limited number of topics before its list became too specific.

If advertisers want more precise topic category choices, this could lead to Google getting deeper into the trap of catering to the needs of each niche market.

That said, Jayesh Easwaramony, founder of Spectra Global, says targeting will get worse, and gives this example.

While it’s fun to laugh at this comic strip that shows the breadth of the fitness subject category, the concern is valid.

A person browsing a fitness website on New Year’s Day is completely different from a person working as a personal trainer.

Chances are, they’re also customers of various businesses.

What you can do

Wondering what all this means for your own advertising strategy?

Try the following steps:

Collect your own data. There are many ways to collect first-party data and even zero-party data (this is number four on our list of 2022 marketing trends).
Stay tuned for updates to the Topics API. Google has a page dedicated to the Privacy Sandbox, and we’ll keep you posted too!

Google Topics API: TBD

The value of the Topics project is in the making, but I’m not sure it’s the future. There are essentially three points to remember here:

Are we surprised? No.
Are the topics too broad? Yes.
Do we have any choice but to try it out? No.

While the Topics initiative is necessary on Google’s part, it’s still too early to tell how beneficial it will be for advertisers.

When will the Topics API be launched?

In its announcement, Google said it would be launching a trial version of Topics and user controls in Chrome “soon”, so that “developers and the advertising industry can try it out”.

The final design of the user controls and other technical aspects of Topics’ operation will be decided on the basis of your feedback and what we learn from the trial.

How many topics will there be?

Google currently estimates that there will be around 350 to start with, but expects the final number of subjects to reach a few hundred or thousands.

Can users see what their subjects are?

Yes, you’ll have total control over this feature, as you’ll be able to view topics, delete those you don’t like and even disable them altogether.

Chrome also shares a complete list of available topics.

What are “participating websites”?

These are websites that end up using the rubric API, i.e. that authorize Google to assign them a rubric.

Sites can decline to be assigned a theme, but they won’t receive theme data either.

What data are used to determine the headings?

In fact, Google assigns themes to websites, and assigns you a theme based on the sites you visit most often.

Google writes: “The calculation of the most frequent topics is carried out entirely within the browser, without sharing data with external servers. The resulting topics may be sent to servers anonymously for sensitivity and abuse analysis.”

Google Analytics: end of GA3, how to prepare for GA4?

Posted on June 9, 2025August 1, 2025 by Adenlab Adenlab

The old version of Google Analytics, GA3, will disappear for good in 2023, to be replaced by Google Analytics 4. Why this sudden switch to GA4? And what changes can you expect?

Download our white paper

The end of Google Analytics (Universal Analytics - GA3) in 2023

On March 16, Google caused a stir by announcing the phasing-out of its web traffic analysis tool, Google Analytics 3. The standard version will disappear completely on July 1, 2023, and the 360 version in October 2023. GA4 will take over.

A sudden decision that hasn’t made many analytics and SEO professionals very happy.

The tight schedule is a cause for some concern, as is the complete change compared to previous versions (new technology, interface, jargon…).

Finally, there are still questions to be answered about data transition, given that Google has yet to propose a dedicated tool.

Google Analytics in the crosshairs of the CNIL

So why the rush? The CNIL, the French Data Protection Authority, may have precipitated this decision. Last February, the CNIL issued formal notices to various website operators for their use of Google Analytics, deeming the transfer of data to be non-compliant. These formal notices followed a series of similar complaints (101 to be exact), lodged by the None of Your Business association.

(NOYB) in various countries affected by the RGPD.

We can assume that Google preferred to keep up with the CNIL’s recommendations by offering a new version of GA, and avoid a flight of its customers to more RGPD-friendly solutions.

What are the RGPD-related developments with GA4?

In order to comply with the French and European authorities, Google had to rethink its data management model. Previous versions of Google Analytics, including GA3, were unable to anonymize users’ IP addresses without first hosting them outside the EU. This is exactly what the CNIL pointed out last February.

With GA4, available since October 2020, Google is making a profound change to the data collection model and proudly announces it on its blog:

“Google Analytics 4 will no longer store IP addresses. These solutions and controls are particularly necessary in today’s international data privacy landscape, where users increasingly expect more privacy and control over their data.”

New features in Google Analytics 4 (GA4)

In addition to greater respect for data confidentiality, GA4 also offers its users new functionalities

Smarter insights

using machine learning to better understand the customer journey across all platforms and devices.

Seamless integration of Google's advertising platforms

a feature that will optimize the performance of your campaigns and boost your marketing ROI.

Improved measurement

GA4 implements automatic and native tracking that you can activate on your site’s functionalities such as external links, search, scroll, data download, video interactions.
We strongly recommend that you activate scroll natively, as you’ll see in the last point.

Engagement rate replaces bounce rate

With GA4, we’ve gone from a disappointing metric to a positive one, with an engagement rate inversely proportional to the bounce rate.
Remember, the main problem with the bounce rate was that it didn’t take into account the time spent when there was no interaction on the page. Now, GA4 is able to detect scroll activation on a page and count the time spent by the surfer on your site’s pages.

Conclusion

The future will be Google Analytics 4, or it won’t be!

Unless you’ve given up on Google Analytics, you should make the switch as soon as possible, if you haven’t already done so.

Points to remember about the switch to GA4

GA3 will disappear completely on July 1, 2023 for the standard version and in October 2023 for the 360 version.

Historical data will remain available until December 31, 2023, after which they will be permanently deleted.

To date, no dedicated data transition tool has been proposed by Google Analytics for making the switch. To be continued…

Don’t wait any longer, start complying with Google Analytics 4 right now.
If you need experts to help you through this transition, contact us!

As specialists in e-commerce site support, we know just how effective analysis can be in optimizing the performance of an e-commerce site. We’d be delighted to support you in this upgrade.

Contact our Analytics experts

Google Ads’ tracking Consent Mode: will it recover your lost data?

Posted on June 9, 2025August 1, 2025 by Adenlab Adenlab

What is Google Ads "Consent Mode" tracking?

Consent Mode is designed to ensure that important data is collected to measure the effectiveness of your Google Ads advertising campaigns, even if your users have not given their consent to cookies.

Products compatible with Consent Mode :

```
Suivi des conversions Google Ads
```
```
Tag de remarketing Google Ads
```
```
Floodlight
```
Google Analytics


		
				
				
					Best Practices for Optimizing Target ROAS
				
				
				
				
									
Photo by Markus Spiske / Unsplash
In order to function, Google’s Consent Mode uses two tags to adjust the behavior of cookies and
Google tags :


  ad_storagean



  alytics_storage




The consent mode uses these beacons to receive information on the consent status of users directly from the cookie consent window provided by your CMP (consent management platform).


		
				
				
					Cookie Management
				
				
				
				
									
								
				
				
		
				
				
					Sending data to Google
				
				
				
				
									Consent Mode recovers an average of 30% of data, excluding cookie validation.
It retrieves information using anonymized pings.
Pings are used for the following events:

Consent status pings are sent from all pages visited by the user for each cookie category (even if the consent status changes),
Conversion pings are sent as soon as a conversion has taken place,
Google Analytics pings are sent to all pages of a website on which the Google Analytics tag has been implemented.

 
In what way?

Time and date (of your website visit).
User agent (if users visit your website)
Referrer (how users accessed your website)
Redirection information in URL (e.g. GCLID / DCLID)
Boolean information on consent status
Random number generated on each loaded page
								
				
				
		
		
				
				
					RGBD compliance
				
				
				
				
					What does the law say?
				
				
				
				
									The RGPD directive establishes rules on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data.
“personal data” means any information relating to an
identified or identifiable natural person (hereinafter referred to as the “person
concerned”); an “identifiable natural person” is one who can be identified, directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to an identifier, such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier, or to one or more factors specific to his or her physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity;
“processing” means any operation or set of operations which is performed upon personal data or sets of personal data, whether or not by automatic means, such as collection, recording, organization, structuring, storage, adaptation or alteration, retrieval, consultation, use, disclosure by transmission, dissemination or otherwise making available, alignment or combination, restriction, erasure or
destruction;
Source: DIRECTIVE (EU) 2016/680 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL APR 27, 2016
								
				
				
				
		
				
				
					RGPD IN BRIEF
				
				
				
				
									No personal data or data enabling personal profiling either by ID or by nominative personal data may be processed without the consent and justified legitimate interest of the person concerned by the processing.
No personal data may be further processed in order to be anonymized to comply with the RGPD.
								
				
				
		
				
				
					RGPD AND CONSENT MODE
				
				
				
				
									
Photo by Daniel Romero / Unsplash
								
				
				
		
				
				
					What does Google have to say?
				
				
				
				
									Anonymization of data processing and data collection first Parties only.
Technically and theoretically, Consent Mode makes it possible to obtain completely anonymous data:

a page = a unique id which is renewed on each page = an action = a ping sent to google solutions (analytics, Ads, etc.).

The user path cannot be followed.
Conversely, actions triggering conversions can be tracked, and degraded Analytics data can be tracked (session times, page views) thanks to the consent mode.
The Consent Mode not only uses no cookies, but also recovers First Party-oriented data.
 

💡
If you need more information or need to review your RGPD and consent policy, our Data Tag Management and Analytics teams are here to help.
 

Consult our Data & RGPD experts
 
								
				
				
		
				
				
					What the CNIL says
				
				
				
				
									
For the first 4 techniques, the collection of individual data for
advertising purposes comes under the RGPD, and must logically be subject to
“free and informed” consent on the part of the Internet user. For the 5th
technique, that of the cohort that seeks to anonymize
personal data, it also imposes consent in the name of another
text, the ePrivacy directive. 
								
				
				
		
				
				
					CONSENT MODE IS BETA
				
				
				
				
									Consent mode is sold as a tool to comply with RGPD regulations without ever mentioning it in the Google documentation. The consent mode plays on the fact that it does not collect any personal
data, as it only collects anonymous browsing data on the website (first parties). This data can therefore be processed.  
On the other hand, the CNIL seems to be impartial on its side, and the boundary between personal data and website events (conversion tracking) seems relatively close. Consent mode has so far not obtained any conformity from the CNIL. For the moment, it’s an existing technology on a slippery slope, liable to be declared non-compliant by the CNIL. 
All in all, it’s fair to say that Google GAFA has gone to great lengths to produce a tool that complies with regulations. However, this is to the detriment of the free interpretation of laws and the words used in legal texts. 
Aggregators have their own user-privacy-oriented interpretations, while advertising agencies have their own business-oriented interpretations. Only official validation of the Api by the CNIL will determine the compliance of the consent mode. 
Consult our Data & RGPD experts



	
		Posted in TrendsTagged Analytics




	
		Increase your sales without spending a thing! By improving your search engine optimisation on Google Shopping!
			
				Posted on June 9, 2025August 1, 2025 by Adenlab Adenlab			

			


	
			
							

			
	
				
				
					
				
				
									
 

Merchants combining Google Shopping’s free listings with their Google Ads campaigns recorded 2 times more views and increased visits to their site by an average of 50%.
								
				
					
				
		
					
				
				
									For many advertisers, products listed on Google Shopping and not benefiting from an advertising campaign are relegated to oblivion: that’s a mistake!
Indeed, we tend to believe that, like the second Google page, these product pages are never visited.
However, back in 2020, Google observed that merchants who combined free listings with their paid campaigns recorded twice as many views and increased visits to their websites by an average of +50%.
These significant figures can be explained by three letters: SEO.
Taking care of your search engine optimization on Google Shopping will encourage you to adopt best practices in the management of your Merchant Center feed, which in turn will improve your natural search engine optimization and therefore your visibility.
We also show you how to FINALLY analyze sales and conversions linked to your search engine optimization on Google Shopping (Warning: GA4 prerequisite).
								
				
					
				
		
				
				
					How to improve the visibility of your products on Google Shopping Free
				
				
		
				
				
					Good practice means taking particular care with
				
				
				
				
									Although ROAS and ROI (Return on Investment) are often used interchangeably, they differ.
ROI takes into account overall costs, while ROAS focuses solely on advertising investments. ROAS is therefore better suited to evaluating the effectiveness of Google Ads campaigns. 
								
				
				
		
				
				
					Practical examples to better understand its application
				
				
				
				
									How your feed works
It’s essential to ensure that your Merchant Center indexes your catalog correctly to maximize the visibility of your products.
In fact, even if it’s accepted that a certain percentage of your products will not be visible, a high percentage of rejected products is still an indication of a malfunction in your flow settings.
Choosing your keywords
Depending on your references and products, you can choose different positioning strategies.
Focus on generic, highly competitive keywords, or work on the long tail with more specific keywords.
The choice of one or other method will also be determined by the time and budget you can devote to this activity.
The care you take with your titles and descriptions
Indeed, even if it’s advisable to include your keywords in titles and descriptions, it’s better to write for web users before writing for the robot.
In fact, use descriptions to provide more information about your product. Descriptions will be used by Google Shopping to position you on “long tail” search terms. 
Adding reinsurance elements
This will help you stand out from the competition.
Don’t forget that your free listings won’t necessarily appear among the first. You’ll be able to catch the eye of web surfers with your free listings on sites such as Avis Vérifiés or Trustpilot. 
All these tips should help you improve your visibility on Google Shopping, the spearhead of free product listing.
Google Shopping : Improve the performance of product listings on Google Shopping
								
				
				
				
		
				
				
					What would be the point of tracking the conversions of your naturally listed products on Google Shopping?
				
				
		
				
				
					Analysing the performance and sales of your search engine optimisation products on Google Shopping has four advantages for you
				
				
				
				
									Improve your customer knowledge
Having the most comprehensive and up-to-date understanding of your market will enable you to spot future trends and plan your strategies accordingly.
Enrich your database
Indeed, what could be more important than the intention of a customer who lands on your site by dint of research and without having been influenced by a paid shopping ad?
Discover high-potential products
These analyses will enable you to include the same products in your paid campaigns.
Give your products free visibility
Whether you’re just starting out in e-commerce or you’re a seasoned pro, search engine optimisation on Google Shopping lets you test your hypotheses in real life without fear of incurring a loss, whatever the performance of your paid shopping ads.
And if you feel like retorting that the customer journey is long and impenetrable, we’ll tell you that it’s all the more reason to track down those conversions that often fly under the radar, and which could enrich your knowledge of the paths your customers take to get to you.
As you can see, not worrying about these conversions would be like being satisfied with the tip of the iceberg, thinking you’ve seen the whole thing.
								
				
				
				
		
				
				
					How to activate free Google Shopping conversion tracking in 5 clicks
				
				
				
				
									Now it’s time to set up your tracking system to follow the evolution of your search engine optimisation on Google Shopping Gratuit and track the evolution of your sales.
It’s important to note that using Google Analytics 4 is a prerequisite for this tracking. If this is your case, this tutorial is for you! 
Link your Merchant Center account to a Google Analytics property
Google Merchant Center integration with GA4
A new Merchant Center feature will enable you to unlock the full potential of your catalog. To set it up, follow these steps. 
Rendezvous :
In the tools and settings section, then in conversion settings
You can now activate automatic tagging.
The final url will then be assigned a tag as in the following example:
www.example.com/?srsltid=123xyz
Merchant Center – Conversion settings
Secondly, you’ll need to view your conversions in Google Analytics 4.
After logging in, go to :
in the Administration section.
In the list of products to associate, select Merchant Center.
All you have to do is link the two accounts.
For even more effective tracking and performance monitoring, build your own customized tool with Adenlab. With our Catalogue straker solution, create a more relevant reporting hub that meets your objectives. Thanks to our data-driven vision, quickly identify products in immediate need of attention, and anticipate increases in competition.  
Read also:
Conversion tracking with Google Ads
How to optimize product listing performance on Google Shopping and improve free search engine optimization?
Google Analytics 4 (GA4): what you need to know and what new features GA4 offers
 
 
								
				
				
				
			


	
		Posted in TrendsTagged Analytics, Shopping	




	
		How can you make the most of your Google Ads search campaigns?
			
				Posted on June 9, 2025August 1, 2025 by Adenlab Adenlab			

			


	
			
							

			
	
				
				
					
				
				
									Over the past few years, bid management on Google Ads has evolved considerably.
								
				
					
				
		
					
				
				
									Indeed, Machine Learning technologies and campaign objectives have changed the game, and manual bid management is no longer relevant.
Assigning a bid for each of your keywords used to be the norm and also best practice: this is no longer the case.
So how can you control your bids and reduce your cost per click, which has a direct impact on the cost of your campaigns and your profitability?
Here are a few tips
 

 

Cutting costs and saving money never hurt anyone.
Especially when you spend a regular budget on Google Ads.
Your level of profitability on Google Ads is controlled above all by the Return on Advertising Investment(ROAS) and your cost of acquiring a sale or customer(CAC).
However, if you start at the beginning, you also need to control your Cost Per Click (CPC).
Here are a few tips for reducing the cost per click (CPC) of Google Search ads.
								
				
					
				
		
				
				
					Be selective when choosing your keywords
				
				
				
				
									Once you’ve launched your text campaigns on Google Ads, you’ll need to analyze the search terms that have brought you conversions.
Therefore, quickly identify the keywords that convert and focus on those same keywords.
Its keywords won’t necessarily be the cheapest in terms of CPC, but if you remove the terms that earn you nothing, you’ll save money.
You therefore need to reduce your list of keywords for your campaign.
								
				
				
		
				
				
					Improve your quality score
				
				
				
				
									The quality of your ads plays an essential role in yourAd Rank.
Your ad must meet the needs of the Internet users who are looking for you. What’s more, your ad won’t be the only one in Google’s search results, so be relevant and make your future customers want to click on your ad! 
It’s all about taking the time to update your ads regularly
A high-quality ad is likely to get a click at a lower cost.
I understand that it’s sometimes difficult to find the right words and phrases for your catchphrase.
So tell yourself one thing:

My first sentence should make you want to read the second sentence 😉
								
				
				
		
				
				
					AB Test your bidding strategies
				
				
				
				
									As explained in the introduction, bids are no longer managed on a granular, keyword-by-keyword basis. Bids on Google Ads are now managed at campaign level, according to the objectives you’ve set for your campaign. 
It’s Google’s Machine Learning algorithms that assign the bid to your keyword and ad.
A method for optimizing your costs per click and your bids can be tested.
You’ll then need to use the AB test tools of your Googel Ads campaigns to see which bidding strategy is best suited to lowering your CPCs and achieving your conversion and acquisition objectives.
In fact, with Google Ads tools, you can test 2 bidding strategies for the same campaign. This can sometimes produce excellent results. Stay consistent with your objectives.  
 
To manage your campaigns and ensure your profitability on Google Ads, don’t forget to monitor your conversions and conversion tracking.
Read also:
Conversion tracking with Google Ads

Increase your sales without spending a thing! By improving your search engine optimisation on Google Shopping! 
								
				
				
				
			


	
		Posted in TrendsTagged Search	



	
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