Introduction
This article explains how to set up the Google Ads Integration with Sonar to automatically send enriched Triple Pixel data to Google Ads as conversion actions. By following this guide, you’ll be able to track relevant conversions from your store and optimize your Google Ads campaigns based on real-time data.
Key Benefits
Automates sending Triple Pixel events directly to Google Ads.
Lets you create or map to existing Google Ads conversion actions without leaving the Triple Whale UI.
Helps refine and optimize ad spend with more accurate conversion tracking.
Prerequisites
Triple Pixel Installation: You’ll need an active Triple Pixel on your store.
Google Ads Account: Ensure you have access (login permissions) to the Google Ads account you want to connect.
Sonar Access: Verify you have access to the Sonar integration settings within your Triple Whale dashboard.
If you are running a headless storefront, please refer to the Headless Setup for Sonar article to ensure your pixel is installed properly for capturing and sending Sonar events.
Step-by-Step Setup
Navigate to the Sonar Homepage to begin the setup process.
In your Triple Whale account, navigate to Settings > Sonar Settings
Click “Setup” on the Google Ads Integration Tile
Follow the Setup Wizard Steps
Once you enter the Setup Wizard, you’ll be guided through the stages of configuring Sonar.
Validating Your Triple Pixel Installation
The wizard checks if your Triple Pixel is properly installed.
If not validated, follow the on-screen instructions or refer to our Triple Pixel Troubleshooting Guide.
Connect or Verify Connection to Google Ads
If you have not previously connected a Google Ads account, you will be prompted to authorize Sonar to access your Google Ads data.
Select the appropriate Google Ads Account from the drop-down.
If already connected, verify the account details are correct.
Click Continue.
Selecting Events to Send
Choose which Triple Pixel events you want to send to Google Ads as conversions (e.g., Purchase, Add to Cart, etc.).
You can map each event to an existing conversion action in Google Ads or create a new Conversion Action from within the TW UI.
It is recommended that you create a new Conversion Action for each Sonar event you wish to sync.
!! It is recommended that you configure your Sonar actions as Secondary actions initially and collect data before switching to Primary Actions !!
If you wish to use Sonar events for ad bidding optimization, you must set your Sonar Conversion Action to Primary. However, we recommend initially that you set up your Sonar actions as Secondary, and allow them to collect data for some time (2-3 weeks depending on the volume of conversions) before switching them to Primary.
Once you set any of your new Sonar Conversions Actions as Primary, any live campaigns that are optimizing against the relevant Goal category will adjust their bidding strategy for this new primary action. Allowing these actions to collect data for some time before switching to Primary actions will ensure that Google has enough information to effectively optimize your ads.
When you are ready to switch to optimizing against your Sonar data, in most cases, you will only want to have one Primary action enabled for each Goal category, so you will want to convert your other Primary actions as Secondary.
Configuring Exclusions
By default, Sonar will exclude sending conversions for Purchases that don’t have a web-based journey. This ensures that your Google Ads are only optimizing for outcomes they can drive.Sonar will not send conversion data for Purchases that occur without a web-based journey. This ensures that your Google Ads are only optimizing for outcomes that can be driven by web-based interactions.
You may choose to configure additional exclusions for conversions that you do not wish to optimize for (ex. $0 orders, recurring subscription payments, etc)
In the Wizard you will have th option to configure exclusions using:
Order Tags (e.g., exclude test orders)
Subscription Order Tags
Shopify Sales Sources (e.g., exclude POS orders)
Save Configuration & Enable the integration
• Review your settings.
• Click Save and Enable to set the integration live.
Validating your Setup
Once you have completed the integration, you should follow the process below to validate that things are working as intended.
Verify Sonar is sending data
Once you have enabled Sonar, you can visit the Delivery Overview tab to monitor the events being sent.
Verify Conversions in Google Ads
Log in to your Google Ads account.
Go to Goals → Conversions → Summary.
Check that new conversions are showing up under the conversion action you created or mapped.
Keep in mind that Google Ads often has a delay in reporting conversions (up to a few hours).
If properly configured, your Sonar Conversion Actions should be displayed in the relevant goal categories with a status of Active with value in the All Conversions column.
Enable your Sonar Events for Bidding Optimization
If you set your new conversion actions as Secondary during your initial setup:
To allow Google to use the new conversion actions you created for your Sonar events for bidding optimization, you will need to update their optimization settings to make them Primary actions.
Navigate to Goals > Conversions > Summary in your Google Ads account
For each Sonar conversion action you created: locate it in the table and click on the Conversion Action name to go to the edit screen for the conversion action.
Click Edit and Select “Primary action used for bidding optimization” in the Action Optimization menu. Click Save.
Note - Typically, you should only have one Primary Action configured for each Goal category in your Google Ads account. To ensure that you don’t optimize for duplicate conversions, it is important to disable your existing Primary Action. For some Goal categories like "
When completed, your Sonar action should be labeled as Primary and any other actions as Secondary.