How to Track Conversions Across Platforms (Meta, TikTok, Google Ads) Using GA4

In today’s multi-platform world, your customers are everywhere — scrolling TikTok, clicking Meta ads, or searching on Google. That’s why having a centralized, unified view of conversions across all platforms is crucial for smarter marketing decisions.

With Google Analytics 4 (GA4), you can streamline conversion tracking across platforms like Meta (Facebook/Instagram), TikTok, and Google Ads into a single reporting framework. Here’s how to do it.

Why Use GA4 for Cross-Platform Conversion Tracking?

GA4’s event-based model makes it flexible and future-proof. Unlike Universal Analytics, GA4 tracks everything as events, making it easier to compare user actions across different ad platforms — whether it's a form fill, purchase, or video view.

Benefits:

• Unified view of all conversions in one place
• Improved cross-channel attribution
• Better audience insights and retargeting opportunities
• Easier performance comparison across platforms

Step-by-Step: Tracking Conversions in GA4

1. Set Up GA4 and Google Tag Manager (GTM)

Make sure GA4 is properly implemented on your site or app, ideally through Google Tag Manager for easier customization.

2. Define Conversions in GA4

In GA4, every important user action should be set as an event and marked as a conversion.

• Go to Admin > Events
• Choose the events from the list.
• Toggle Mark as conversion on

Note: Use GTM to create custom events in case any default events are not relevant.

3. Integrate Google Ads with GA4

• Go to Admin > Product Links > Google Ads
• Link your Google Ads account
• Import GA4 conversions directly into Google Ads

Result: You’ll be able to track performance, optimize for conversions, and build retargeting audiences natively.

4. Track Meta (Facebook/Instagram) Conversions

Since Meta doesn't integrate directly with GA4, use these workarounds:

a) Use UTM Parameters on Meta Ads

• Add UTMs like utm_source=facebook, utm_medium=paid, utm_campaign=spring_sale
• GA4 will pick this up under Traffic Source > Source/Medium

b) Track Events via GTM

• Set up Meta Pixel and GA4 tags side by side in GTM
• Ensure the same user actions (e.g., purchase, form_submit) trigger both

Bonus: You can then compare conversions reported by Meta vs GA4.

5. Track TikTok Conversions

TikTok Ads also don’t integrate directly with GA4 yet, but you can:

a) Use UTM Parameters

Similar to Meta, add UTM tags to TikTok ad URLs.

b) Use TikTok Pixel + GTM

• Add TikTok Pixel through GTM
• Trigger TikTok and GA4 events on the same user actions

Pro Tip: Label TikTok UTMs clearly for easy filtering in GA4.

Viewing Cross-Platform Performance in GA4

Navigate to:

Reports > Acquisition > Traffic Acquisition
 Search by required Source/Medium to see:

• Meta / Paid
• TikTok / Paid
• Google / CPC
  Compare conversion counts, engagement, bounce rate, etc.

Also, use Explorations in GA4 for custom funnel analysis across sources.

Things to Keep in Mind

• Attribution Differences: GA4 uses a data-driven model, while ad platforms often over-credit their own performance.
• Time Lag: Conversions may appear at different times in GA4 vs native platforms.
• Cross-Device Tracking: GA4 does better with logged-in users or sites with proper consent tracking.

Final Thoughts

While GA4 may not natively integrate with every platform (yet), it’s still your best bet for a centralized, transparent view of performance. Using UTMs, GTM, and event-based tracking, you can connect the dots across Meta, TikTok, and Google Ads — giving you a holistic view of what’s really working.

Ready to unify your data? Start by reviewing your current conversion setup and align it with these best practices.