Google Analytics vs Google PPC how accurate

Why such a large variation in numbers?

[moehits]

I'm trying to figure out a fairly large variation in Google PPC reports vs Google analytics referer numbers.

GA shows roughly 8000 hits from Google PPC
Google PPC shows roughly 9000 clicks

I doubt that large percentage of people had javascript turned off. And I can't find any records of the tracking code not being on the site during this time

Is this common?

[ogletree]

I think what might be happening is that adwords data might show clicks from other days. Is this consistent? Google will sometimes not count clicks one day and the count them the next instead and it is not consistent. They might not do it every day like that.

[buckworks]

One thing to check: Are any of your ads using any sort of redirect. or does the click lead directly to the final landing page?

In my experience, Analytics sometimes has trouble tracking Adwords clicks if there are too many redirects between the click and the landing page.

[brandmantra]

I am facing the same problem. There is no redirect "between the click and the landing page" in my site. though.

[cgrantski]

Possibly you could look at all the other answers to this question over the past year or two, here in webmasterworld. You might get faster old answers than waiting for a new one. Also, I believe Google's Help (either in AdWords or Analytics) goes into this issue, which is very common. Try searching there.

[simple007]

for me Google Analytics report is not accurate as to Google PPC.... I see difference

Regards,
Simple

[edited by: encyclo at 5:16 pm (utc) on Mar. 1, 2009]
[edit reason] no links to personal sites please [/edit]

[rogerd]

I find that clicks measured on the originating site often exceed the recorded referrals on the second site.

Particularly if the page is large and the Analytics code is at the end of the page (as Google recommends), a visitor who clicks on the ad and then clicks the back button or anything else will record as a click but won't move the needle on Analytics.

[deadstar32]

"a visitor who clicks on the ad and then clicks the back button or anything else will record as a click but won't move the needle on Analytics."

wow, so the click is good enough for google to charge me money, but not good enough to record? that's silly....