Google Ads and Google Tag Manager

How to Integrate Google Ads and Google Tag Manager with PodPlay

This guide shows you how to connect Google Ads and Google Tag Manager (GTM) to PodPlay, so Customer data captured by your Google ad campaigns flows into your PodPlay environment via Segment. It also walks through the Google Ads conversion-tracking setup that lives outside PodPlay.

What is Google Tag Manager (GTM)?

Google is a search engine servicing billions of people, and Google Ads lets your Club appear higher in search results. Google Tag Manager is the tool that wires conversion tracking from those ads into other systems — including PodPlay, via Segment.

Prerequisites

• A Google Ads account
• A Google Tag Manager account with a container set up
• Your Production environment URL (for the Website Domain field)
• Your PodPlay Customer Success Manager (CSM) contact

Part 1: Connect GTM to PodPlay

1. Locate Your GTM Container ID

Sign in to your Google Tag Manager account and copy the Container ID for your Club's container.

2. Send the Container ID to Your CSM

Email or message your PodPlay CSM with the Container ID and your Club name.

3. PodPlay Connects the Container via Segment

The PodPlay team connects the Google Ads Container ID to your GTM via Segment. Once connected, you can create connections and triggers in GTM so your Google ads collect Customer data.

4. Conversion Events Available from PodPlay

PodPlay can send the following events to GTM as Conversion Actions:

• Product Added
• Checkout Started
• Order Completed

Note: The Website Domain in GTM must be your Production environment URL — not a staging or preview URL.

Part 2: Set Up Conversion Tracking in Google Ads

The steps below happen entirely inside your Google Ads account and are not connected to PodPlay. They are required for Google Ads to receive and report on conversions.

1. Create a Campaign with a Conversion Goal

In Google Ads, create a new Campaign and define a Conversion Goal for it.

2. Add a Conversion Action Manually

Choose Add a Conversion Action Manually, then enter your Production URL into the Website Domain field.

3. Fill Out the Conversion Action Details

• Goal and Action optimization: Purchase
• Name: A descriptive name for your Conversion Action
• Value: Choose a value appropriate to the action
• Count: Every
• Conversion windows: Choose your preferred attribution windows

4. Save and Choose GTM

Click Save and Continue, then choose Use Google Tag Manager.

Note these two values from the next screen — you'll need them in Part 3:

• Conversion ID
• Conversion Label (the name you chose)

The Campaign Goal will now appear in the Summary section of your Google Ads account.

Part 3: Create the Tag and Trigger in GTM

1. Open the Tags Section

In your Google Tag Manager account, click into the Tags section on the left side panel.

2. Configure the Tag

• Click New to create a new Tag.

• Under Tag Configuration, choose Google Ads, then Conversion Tracking.

• Fill in the Conversion ID and Label from the Conversion Action you set up in Part 2.
• Add the Conversion Value, Transaction ID, and Currency Code using a variable.

3. Create the Trigger

• Click the + button at the top right to create a new trigger.
• Set the trigger type to Custom Event.
• Name the event Order Completed.
• Click Save.

4. Preview and Test

• Click Preview to open the GTM debug window.
• Run a test purchase against your Production environment.
• Confirm the tag fires in the Preview window.

5. Submit and Publish

After naming both the Tag and Trigger, click Submit to finalize and publish.

Verify It Worked

1. Run a real or test purchase and confirm the Conversion Action fires in GTM Preview.
2. Confirm the conversion is reported back in Google Ads (this can take a few hours).
3. Confirm with your CSM that PodPlay is receiving the corresponding Segment events.

Common Issues

• Tag doesn't fire in Preview: Double-check the Custom Event name — Order Completed is case-sensitive and must match exactly.
• Conversions show in GTM but not Google Ads: Confirm the Conversion ID and Label match exactly between GTM and Google Ads.
• Wrong Website Domain: Confirm you used your Production URL, not a staging or preview URL.
• Variables not populating: Confirm the Conversion Value, Transaction ID, and Currency Code variables are configured in GTM and pulling from the dataLayer.

Mobile App Tracking

Google Ads typically pushes new Customers to the PodPlay Web App. To track installs and conversions in the iOS or Android app, your Club will need to partner with a 3rd party for attribution.

Need Help from Google?

You can book a free consultation with the Google Ads team by clicking the blue highlighted pop-up in the bottom-right corner of your Google Ads screen.

PodPlay and PingPod are not affiliated with Google. The Club may purchase Google Ads and GTM services at its discretion.