Google Analytics 4 now supports importing cost data from Meta Ads and TikTok Ads. This means you can finally see all your advertising spend in one place, alongside your Google Ads data.
Here’s how to set it up and why it matters.
Why This Matters
Before this feature, comparing ad performance across platforms meant switching between dashboards. You’d check Meta Ads Manager for Facebook costs, TikTok Ads Manager for TikTok costs, and GA4 for Google Ads—then try to piece together the full picture in a spreadsheet.
Now you can import Meta and TikTok campaign data directly into GA4. See cost, clicks, and impressions from all your paid channels in a single view. Compare true cost per acquisition across platforms. Make budget decisions with complete data.
What Data Gets Imported
The Campaign data import feature (previously called “Cost data import”) brings in:
- Cost – How much you spent
- Clicks – Click volume from ads
- Impressions – How many times ads were shown
- Campaign attributes – Campaign names, source, medium
This data joins your existing GA4 metrics, so you can see how Meta and TikTok traffic behaves on your site alongside what you paid to get it there.
Requirements Before You Start
Before setting up the import, make sure you have:
GA4 access:
- Editor or Administrator role on your GA4 property
- Access to the Admin section
Ad platform access:
- Admin access to Meta Business Manager (for Facebook/Instagram ads)
- Admin access to TikTok Ads Manager
Proper UTM tagging:
- Your Meta and TikTok ads must use UTM parameters
- The UTM values need to match how you’ll map data in GA4
- Example:
utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=winter_sale
If your ads aren’t tagged with UTMs, GA4 can’t connect the cost data to the right traffic. Fix your tagging first.
How to Set Up Meta Ads Import
Step 1: Go to Data Import
In GA4, navigate to Admin → Data Import (under Property settings).
Step 2: Create a new data source
Click “Create data source” and select “Cost data” as the type.
Step 3: Connect to Meta
Choose Meta as your data source. You’ll need to authenticate with your Meta Business account and grant GA4 permission to access your ad data.
Step 4: Map your fields
Match the Meta data fields to GA4 dimensions:
- Campaign name → Campaign
- Cost → Cost
- Clicks → Clicks
- Impressions → Impressions
Make sure your UTM parameters align with how campaigns are named in Meta.
Step 5: Set import schedule
Choose how often GA4 pulls data from Meta. Daily imports work for most businesses.
Step 6: Activate the import
Save and enable the data source. GA4 will start importing data on your schedule.
How to Set Up TikTok Ads Import
The process mirrors Meta setup:
- Go to Admin → Data Import
- Create a new cost data source
- Select TikTok as the platform
- Authenticate with your TikTok Ads account
- Map fields (campaign, cost, clicks, impressions)
- Set your import schedule
- Activate
TikTok’s field mapping is similar to Meta. The key is ensuring your UTM parameters match between your TikTok ad URLs and your GA4 configuration.
Viewing Your Combined Data
Once imports are running, you’ll find the data in several places:
Acquisition reports:
Traffic acquisition and User acquisition reports now show cost metrics for imported sources.
Custom reports:
Build explorations that include cost, clicks, and impressions alongside conversion data. Calculate cost per acquisition across all channels.
Advertising snapshot:
The Advertising section shows a unified view of your paid performance.
Common Setup Mistakes
Mismatched UTM parameters:
If your Meta ads use utm_source=fb but your import expects utm_source=facebook, the data won’t connect. Audit your tagging before importing.
Missing campaign IDs:
Some imports require campaign IDs to match correctly. Check that your mapping includes all necessary identifiers.
Timezone misalignment:
If your ad platform and GA4 use different timezones, daily data might not align perfectly. Use the same timezone across platforms when possible.
Delayed data:
Imports aren’t instant. Expect 24-48 hours before data appears in GA4, especially for the first import.
Troubleshooting
Data not appearing:
- Check that the import is active (not paused)
- Verify authentication hasn’t expired
- Confirm UTM parameters match your mapping
- Wait 48 hours for initial data to populate
Numbers don’t match ad platforms:
- Attribution models differ between platforms
- GA4 may deduplicate differently than Meta or TikTok
- Check date ranges are aligned
- Currency conversions can cause small discrepancies
Import errors:
- Re-authenticate your ad platform connection
- Check for changes in campaign naming conventions
- Review GA4’s import logs for specific error messages
Alternative Approaches
If GA4’s native import doesn’t meet your needs, third-party tools offer more automation:
- Supermetrics – Automates data imports from 100+ sources
- Funnel.io – Marketing data hub with advanced transformation
- Windsor.ai – Connects ad platforms to GA4 and other destinations
These tools cost money but save time if you’re managing many campaigns or need more sophisticated data handling.
The Practical Benefit
Having all your ad data in one place changes how you make decisions. Instead of guessing which platform performs better, you can see actual cost per acquisition side by side.
You might discover that TikTok costs more per click but drives higher-value customers. Or that Meta’s cheaper traffic doesn’t convert as well as it appears in their dashboard.
This visibility is worth the setup effort.
GA4’s Campaign data import feature supports Meta Ads and TikTok Ads as of December 2025.
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