What is Google Ads conversion tracking?
Without it, Google Ads shows clicks and costs but not sales. Where this sits in the ecommerce marketing technology stack is on the technologies index.
What does it do?
A conversion in Google Ads is a click on or interaction with an ad that leads to an action you value. A purchase is the usual one for a shop.
Two pieces of code do the work. The Google tag goes on every page. The event snippet goes on the conversion page itself and tells the Google tag when to record a conversion1. A tag is code from a vendor that you set up in a tool rather than in the site itself. The Google tag is Google's own, and it is not the same thing as Google Tag Manager, which is the tool that holds tags.
When you create a conversion action, Google's help page on web conversions lists three routes: from a URL without code, by adding code yourself, or through Google Tag Manager. The data source can be the Google tag or events from Google Analytics2. Code is the route when you need dynamic values, such as the order amount, or transaction IDs2.
Why do e-commerce brands use it?
Because Smart Bidding works from the conversions you give it. Google's help says actions set as Primary are used for bidding, Secondary ones are for observation only, and getting this wrong can stop Smart Bidding from optimising well2. Our view: if the count is wrong, Google gets better at the wrong thing.
It also makes your reporting readable. Without conversion actions you cannot see which campaigns led to orders.
One more point. Google uses two words for similar things. In Google Ads, "conversion" is an action you measure and bid on. In Analytics, a key event is an event you mark as important. Only events marked as key events can be imported into Google Ads as conversions2.
How do we implement it?
Choose the route
Pick a URL, your own code or Google Tag Manager. The Google tag goes on every page, the event snippet on the conversion page.
Keep the list short
Decide which actions count as conversions and which are Primary. Send the order value with each purchase.
Test an order
Place a test order and check it appears once. Look for double tagging from plugins or a second set-up.
Compare with the shop
Check Google's count against your shop's orders, and review the Primary list in every audit.
When should you not use it?
Do not worry about it if you run no Google Ads and do not plan to.
Do not trust it blindly if it is the only number you have. A conversion in Google Ads is what Google credits to its ads. Check it against your shop's orders.
If you are unsure, our tracking audit is free. See Analytics & tracking. To see which checks change a budget decision, read about an ecommerce tracking audit.
What does it cost in effort?
No figures. The effort is:
- Set-up. Choose a route, and put the Google tag and event snippets in the right places.
- Choosing actions. Decide what counts: purchases, and maybe a few earlier steps. Our view: keep the list short and deliberate.
- Values. Send the order value, so Google can see how much each sale was worth.
- Testing. Place a test order and check it appears.
- Upkeep. Site changes and new apps can break the tag quietly.
Pitfalls
Counting too much
Actions set as Primary feed bidding2. If minor actions are Primary, bidding may chase them. Our view: review the Primary list in every audit.
Counting the same sale twice
Google warns that shop-platform plugins can lead to double tagging and duplicate conversions2. Two set-ups, for example a tag and an import, can also both record one order.
Missing values
A purchase with no value tells Google a sale happened, not what it was worth.
Event in the wrong place
Google says the event snippet belongs on the conversion page itself1. If it fires elsewhere, you count something else.
Consent
Whether the tag may fire, and what it may send, depends on a visitor's consent choice. That is a decision for your lawyer and your consent platform. We do not give legal advice.
Returns
Our view: a recorded sale is not a kept sale. If many orders come back, Google is optimising for revenue you will not keep.
Weak matching
Enhanced conversions send hashed first-party customer data, such as an email address, to Google to improve conversion matching. Whether to use them is a question for you and your lawyer.
Our take: Core
In our view, Google Ads conversion tracking is Core. That is our rating, not a market fact.
Our reasoning: if you run Google Ads, nothing else in the account works properly without it. It is not new and not exciting. It is the base of every decision made on that account.
For ZFD: We treat it as the first thing to audit, before any talk of scaling.
FAQ
What is the Google tag?
It is Google's code that you put on your site for Google Ads tracking, alongside event snippets for specific actions1. It is not the same as Google Tag Manager.
How do I create a conversion action?
Google's help lists three routes: a URL without code, your own code, or Google Tag Manager2. Use code if you need the order value or a transaction ID.
Can Google Ads use Google Analytics as the source?
Yes. Google's help says the data source can be the Google tag or Google Analytics events, and only key events can be imported2. Our view: pick one source per sale, so you do not count it twice.
Why do Google Ads and my shop show different sales?
Google counts what it credits to its ads, not every order. Tracking gaps and double counting add to the difference. Start by testing the tag.
Sources
Let’s find what’s actually working.
Next step. Want your conversion actions reviewed against real orders? Talk to us about your setup. See also our Analytics & tracking service.