# Google Ads, what it is and how websites use it.

Google Ads conversion tracking pixel: measures campaign success (clicks, conversions, ROAS). Integrates with Google Analytics 4 and Tag Manager. Standard for measuring digital advertising ROI.

- **Status:** Modern. Key tool for the Google Ads ecosystem, actively developed.
- **Category:** [Analytics & Marketing](https://be1st.ai/technologies/analytics)
- **First release:** 2000
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Official website:** https://ads.google.com
- **Documentation:** https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/1722022
- **Page:** https://be1st.ai/technologies/analytics/google-ads

## Google Ads on audited websites

2,503 of the 16,845 websites audited by be1st run Google Ads (15%). That ranks it #3 of the 18 technologies in Analytics & Marketing we have seen in audits.

### Websites running Google Ads vs all websites

- **Web score:** 73 (all websites 72)
- **SEO:** 85 (all websites 79)
- **Security:** 58 (all websites 59)
- **Performance:** 59 (all websites 72)
- **AI Readiness:** 35 (all websites 31)

### Most used in Analytics & Marketing

1. [Google Analytics](https://be1st.ai/technologies/analytics/google-analytics): 42% (7,016)
2. [Google Tag Manager](https://be1st.ai/technologies/analytics/google-tag-manager): 24% (4,101)
3. [Google Ads](https://be1st.ai/technologies/analytics/google-ads): 15% (2,503)
4. [Facebook Pixel (Meta Pixel)](https://be1st.ai/technologies/analytics/facebook-pixel): 15% (2,455)
5. [Heureka](https://be1st.ai/technologies/analytics/heureka): 3.3% (550)
6. [Sklik](https://be1st.ai/technologies/analytics/sklik): 3.0% (505)
7. [Hotjar](https://be1st.ai/technologies/analytics/hotjar): 2.4% (397)
8. [SmartSupp](https://be1st.ai/technologies/analytics/smartsupp): 2.2% (376)
9. [Matomo](https://be1st.ai/technologies/analytics/matomo): 2.0% (342)
10. [CookieYes](https://be1st.ai/technologies/analytics/cookieyes): 2.0% (331)

## Google searches for “google ads”

About 4,090,000 searches a month worldwide (Google Ads estimate). The bars show the 12 months from Oct 2025 to Sep 2026.

- 2025-10: 5,000,000
- 2025-11: 4,090,000
- 2025-12: 4,090,000
- 2026-01: 4,090,000
- 2026-02: 4,090,000
- 2026-03: 5,000,000
- 2026-04: 4,090,000
- 2026-05: 4,090,000
- 2026-06: 4,090,000
- 2026-07: 4,090,000
- 2026-08: 4,090,000
- 2026-09: 5,000,000

Open in search trends: https://be1st.ai/analytics/trends?kw=google%20ads&direction=all

## Other technologies in Analytics & Marketing

- [Umami](https://be1st.ai/technologies/analytics/umami): 1.3% of websites
- [Plausible](https://be1st.ai/technologies/analytics/plausible): 1.3% of websites
- [PostHog](https://be1st.ai/technologies/analytics/posthog): 1.3% of websites
- [Luigi's Box](https://be1st.ai/technologies/analytics/luigis-box): 1.2% of websites
- [Biano](https://be1st.ai/technologies/analytics/biano): <1% of websites
- [Fathom Analytics](https://be1st.ai/technologies/analytics/fathom): <1% of websites
- [Criteo](https://be1st.ai/technologies/analytics/criteo): <1% of websites
- [DataFast](https://be1st.ai/technologies/analytics/datafast): <1% of websites

[All 18 in Analytics & Marketing](https://be1st.ai/technologies/analytics)

## Questions about Google Ads

### What is Google Ads?

Google Ads conversion tracking pixel: measures campaign success (clicks, conversions, ROAS). Integrates with Google Analytics 4 and Tag Manager. Standard for measuring digital advertising ROI. The be1st catalog lists Google Ads under Analytics & Marketing. License of Google Ads: Proprietary.

### How many websites use Google Ads?

2,503 of the 16,845 websites audited by be1st run Google Ads (15%), as of 8 Nov 2026.

### When was Google Ads first released?

Google Ads was first released in 2000.

### Is Google Ads still a modern choice?

Yes. Google Ads counts as a modern technology. Key tool for the Google Ads ecosystem, actively developed.

### What are the alternatives to Google Ads?

Technologies that do the same job as Google Ads include Sklik.

Numbers: latest audit of each of 16,845 websites audited by be1st, as of 8 Nov 2026.