Google Ads is making parallel tracking available for video campaigns, which is optional for now but will soon become mandatory.
Parallel tracking is designed to improve mobile site speed by bringing visitors directly to the landing page while measuring the ad click in the background.
Due to the importance Google places on site speed, parallel tracking is already mandatory for Search, Shopping, and Display campaigns. As of March 30th it will also be mandatory for all video campaigns.
Google emphasizes the benefits of parallel tracking:
“Your mobile site speed matters now more than ever. In fact, retail advertisers saw that a one-second delay in mobile load times can impact conversion rates by up to 20%… On average, we’ve seen that advertisers who adopt parallel tracking have reduced page load time by up to 5 seconds.“
How to Turn on Parallel Tracking
Advertisers can turn on parallel tracking by following the steps below:
- Sign in to your Google Ads account.
- In the navigation menu, click All campaigns.
- In the page menu on the left, click Settings.
- Click Account Settings.
- Click Tracking.
- Click the switch next to “Parallel tracking” to turn it on.
Before turning on parallel tracking, Google advises advertisers working with a click measurement provider to make sure their system is compatible with it.
Compatibility with parallel tracking will vary based on which features are enabled. A click measurement provider will be able to advise on what to do if there is an incompatibility.