How to Connect Google Ads to AffPixel (Step-by-Step, 2026)

This guide walks you through connecting your Google Ads account to AffPixel so that confirmed affiliate conversions get pushed back to Google via the Click Conversions API (GCLID). Google still supports and recommends this method in 2026 — nothing here is deprecated.

You'll need six values, entered on /settings → Google Ads Enhanced Conversions: Developer Token, Customer ID, Conversion Action ID, OAuth Client ID, OAuth Client Secret, OAuth Refresh Token. Grab a coffee — the whole thing takes ~15 minutes.

1. Developer Token

1. Log in to Google Ads using a Manager Account (MCC). If you don't have one, create it at ads.google.com/home/tools/manager-accounts.
2. Open Tools & Settings → API Center.
3. Copy the Developer Token.

Access levels: Test only works with test accounts. Basic works with real accounts and is free — approval typically takes 1–3 business days. Basic is enough for AffPixel.

2. Customer ID (10 digits)

Shown at the top-right of the Google Ads UI as 123-456-7890. Enter it into AffPixel without dashes: 1234567890. This must be the account that actually runs ads, not the MCC.

3. Conversion Action ID

1. Open Goals → Conversions → Summary in Google Ads.
2. Click New conversion action → Import → Other data sources or CRM → Track conversions from clicks.
3. Name it (e.g. "AffPixel Postback"), pick a value setting, save it.
4. Open the new conversion. The URL will contain ctId=987654321. That number is your Conversion Action ID.

4. OAuth Client ID + Secret

1. Go to Google Cloud Console and create (or select) a project.
2. APIs & Services → Library, search "Google Ads API", click Enable.
3. APIs & Services → OAuth consent screen: User Type External, add an app name and support email, add the scope https://www.googleapis.com/auth/adwords, and add your Google Ads email as a test user.
4. APIs & Services → Credentials → Create Credentials → OAuth client ID: application type Desktop app. Copy the Client ID and Client Secret.

5. Refresh Token (via OAuth Playground)

1. Open Google OAuth 2.0 Playground.
2. Top-right gear icon → tick Use your own OAuth credentials → paste the Client ID and Client Secret from step 4.
3. In the left panel, in the "Input your own scopes" box, paste:

https://www.googleapis.com/auth/adwords

1. Click Authorize APIs, sign in with the Google account that has access to Google Ads, click Allow.
2. In step 2 of the Playground, click Exchange authorization code for tokens.
3. Copy the Refresh token (starts with 1//).

6. Save and test in AffPixel

1. Go to /settings, paste all six values into the Google Ads card.
2. Turn on Enabled and, for the first run, Test mode.
3. Click Save Google Ads Enhanced Conversions.
4. Click Send test conversion. Leave validateOnly ON — this dry-runs the request without recording a real conversion.
5. If you see the toast "Google Ads OK (HTTP 200)", credentials are valid. Turn validateOnly OFF and send once with a real GCLID to record a real conversion.

7. Wire it into your campaigns

• Create a campaign in /campaigns with the Google Ads platform selected.
• Copy the postback URL from /settings and hand it to your affiliate network.
• Capture gclid on your landing page and forward it as the network's SubID — or use AffPixel short links to do it automatically.

Common errors and fixes

• PERMISSION_DENIED — Developer Token isn't approved for that account, or the Customer ID is not linked to your MCC.
• AUTHENTICATION_ERROR — Refresh Token is wrong or revoked. Redo step 5.
• INVALID_CUSTOMER_ID — you kept the dashes. Enter digits only.
• CONVERSION_ACTION_NOT_FOUND — the ctId is wrong, or the action isn't the "Import → Clicks" type.
• UNPARSEABLE_GCLID — GCLID was truncated or not URL-encoded on the way through your affiliate link.

What's next

For a deeper dive into how Click Conversions work under the hood, read Tracking Affiliate Conversions in Google Ads with Offline Conversion Upload. For the full postback flow from click to ad platform, see How to Set Up a Postback URL.