Running Google Ads without conversion tracking is like flying blind. You might be driving hundreds of clicks, but if you do not know which of those clicks turn into customers, you cannot optimize your campaigns effectively. In this guide, we will cover everything you need to set up conversion tracking in Google Ads properly, so you can measure what matters and make data-driven decisions.
What Is Conversion Tracking in Google Ads?
Conversion tracking is a free Google Ads tool that shows you what happens after a customer clicks on your ad. It tracks valuable actions like purchases, sign-ups, phone calls, and app downloads. This data feeds back into Google Ads, allowing the platform to optimize your campaigns for the actions that matter most to your business.
Why Conversion Tracking Matters:
- Measure ROI: See exactly how much revenue your ad spend generates
- Enable Smart Bidding: Strategies like Target CPA and Target ROAS require conversion data
- Identify Winners: Understand which keywords, ads, and audiences drive results
- Optimize Budgets: Shift spend toward what converts, not just what clicks
Without conversion tracking, you are limited to metrics like clicks and impressions. With it, you unlock the data needed to understand your true cost per acquisition and return on ad spend.
Types of Conversions You Can Track
Google Ads supports tracking different types of conversions depending on where the action happens:
Website Actions
Track when visitors complete valuable actions on your site, such as:
- Purchases and transactions
- Form submissions and sign-ups
- Add to cart events
- Page views of key content
Phone Calls
Track calls that come from your ads or website:
- Calls from call extensions or call-only ads
- Calls to a number on your website
- Clicks on a phone number on mobile sites
App Conversions
Track mobile app actions:
- App installs from the Google Play Store
- In-app purchases
- First opens and specific in-app actions
Imported Conversions
Import conversion data from external sources:
- Offline conversions from your CRM
- Salesforce and HubSpot integrations
- Google Analytics 4 conversions
Pro Tip: Most businesses should start with website conversion tracking. Once that is working, add phone call tracking if calls are important to your business, and consider offline imports if you have a long sales cycle.
Step 1: Create a Conversion Action
Start by creating a conversion action in your Google Ads account. Here is how:
Navigate to Goals
Sign in to Google Ads and click on "Goals" in the left navigation menu
Go to Conversions Summary
Click on "Conversions" then "Summary" to see your existing conversions
Create New Conversion Action
Click the blue "+" button and select "New conversion action"
Select Conversion Source
Choose Website, App, Phone calls, or Import based on what you want to track
For this guide, we will focus on website conversions since they are the most common. If you select "Website," Google will ask you to enter your domain and scan it for existing tags.
Step 2: Configure Your Conversion Settings
After selecting your conversion source, you need to configure several important settings:
Conversion Name and Category
Give your conversion a clear, descriptive name like "Purchase" or "Lead Form Submit." Select the category that best describes the action (Purchase, Lead, Sign-up, etc.). This helps Google understand the type of conversion for optimization purposes.
Conversion Value
You have three options for conversion values:
- Use the same value: Set a fixed value for every conversion (good for leads)
- Use different values: Pass dynamic values from your website (required for e-commerce)
- Don't use a value: Track conversions without monetary value
Count Setting
| Setting | Best For | Example |
|---|---|---|
| One | Lead generation | Form submissions, sign-ups |
| Every | E-commerce | Purchases, transactions |
Conversion Window
The conversion window determines how long after a click or view Google will attribute a conversion to your ad. The default is 30 days for click-through conversions and 1 day for view-through conversions.
Recommended Conversion Windows:
- E-commerce (low consideration): 7-14 days
- E-commerce (high consideration): 30-60 days
- B2B Lead Gen: 30-90 days
- SaaS Free Trials: 30-60 days
Step 3: Choose an Attribution Model
The attribution model determines how credit for conversions is assigned across the touchpoints in a customer's journey. Google Ads offers several options:
| Model | How It Works | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Data-driven | Uses machine learning to credit based on your actual data | Most accounts (Google's default) |
| Last click | 100% credit to the last clicked ad | Short sales cycles, direct response |
| First click | 100% credit to the first clicked ad | Brand awareness campaigns |
| Linear | Equal credit across all touchpoints | Understanding full journey |
| Time decay | More credit to touchpoints closer to conversion | Longer consideration cycles |
| Position-based | 40% first, 40% last, 20% middle | Valuing discovery and closing |
Recommendation: Start with data-driven attribution if your account has enough conversion volume (typically 300+ conversions in 30 days). If not, use last click and switch to data-driven once you have more data. For a deeper dive into attribution, see our guide to marketing attribution models.
Step 4: Install the Google Tag
The Google tag (formerly known as gtag.js) is a snippet of code that needs to be added to every page of your website. It handles the base tracking functionality.
Option 1: Install Manually
Copy the Google tag from your conversion action setup and paste it into the <head> section of every page on your site. The tag looks something like this:
<!-- Google tag (gtag.js) -->
<script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=AW-XXXXXXXXX"></script>
<script>
window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];
function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);}
gtag('js', new Date());
gtag('config', 'AW-XXXXXXXXX');
</script>Option 2: Use Google Tag Manager
If you use Google Tag Manager, you can add the Google Ads conversion tag without editing your website code:
- In GTM, create a new tag and select "Google Ads Conversion Tracking"
- Enter your Conversion ID and Conversion Label from Google Ads
- Set the trigger to fire on your conversion page (thank-you page, order confirmation, etc.)
- Publish your container to deploy the changes
Adding the Event Snippet
In addition to the Google tag on all pages, you need an event snippet on the specific page where the conversion happens (like a thank-you page):
<!-- Event snippet for conversion page -->
<script>
gtag('event', 'conversion', {
'send_to': 'AW-XXXXXXXXX/AbC-D_efG-h12_34-567',
'value': 1.0,
'currency': 'USD'
});
</script>For tracking conversions with UTM parameters, make sure your Google Analytics and Google Ads accounts are linked so you can see the full picture of how users arrive and convert.
Step 5: Set Up Enhanced Conversions
Enhanced conversions improve the accuracy of your conversion measurement by sending hashed first-party customer data (like email addresses) to Google. This helps match conversions even when cookies are blocked or users switch devices.
Why Enhanced Conversions Matter:
- Privacy-Safe: Data is hashed before leaving your site using SHA256
- Better Accuracy: Recovers conversions lost to cookie restrictions
- Improved Bidding: More complete data means smarter automated bidding
How to Enable Enhanced Conversions
Go to Your Conversion Action
In Google Ads, navigate to Goals > Conversions > Summary and click on your conversion action
Turn On Enhanced Conversions
Scroll to "Enhanced conversions" and toggle it on
Choose Your Implementation
Select Google tag, Google Tag Manager, or Google Ads API based on your setup
Configure Data Collection
Either let Google auto-detect fields or manually specify which customer data to send
Step 6: Verify Your Conversion Tracking
After setting up your conversion tracking, you need to verify it is working correctly. There are several ways to do this:
Using Google Tag Assistant
- Install the Google Tag Assistant Chrome extension
- Visit your website and click the extension icon
- Complete a test conversion and verify the event fires
- Check for any errors or warnings in the tag status
Check Conversion Status in Google Ads
In Google Ads, go to Goals > Conversions > Summary. Your conversion action will show one of these statuses:
Verification Checklist:
- Google tag fires on all pages
- Event snippet fires only on conversion pages
- Conversion value passes correctly (if using dynamic values)
- No duplicate conversion tags on the same page
- Conversion status shows "Recording conversions"
Managing Multiple Conversion Actions
As your Google Ads account grows, you will likely track multiple conversion actions. Here is how to manage them effectively:
Primary vs. Secondary Conversions
Not all conversions should be used for bidding optimization. Google Ads lets you designate conversions as:
- Primary (Include in Conversions): Used for automated bidding and optimization
- Secondary (Observation only): Tracked for reporting but not used in bidding
Best Practice: Set your most valuable bottom-funnel action (like Purchase or Qualified Lead) as primary. Upper-funnel actions (like Add to Cart or Page View) should be secondary to avoid inflating your conversion count.
Managing multiple pixels and conversion events across different ad platforms can get complex quickly. Tools like marketingOS Pixel Organizer help you keep track of all your conversion tracking across Google Ads, Meta, LinkedIn, and other platforms in one place, alerting you to any issues before they impact your data.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Conversions Not Recording
- Verify the Google tag is on all pages (not just conversion pages)
- Check that the event snippet fires after the base tag
- Ensure the Conversion ID and Label match what is in Google Ads
- Wait 24 hours, as there can be a reporting delay
Conversion Values Missing or Incorrect
- Verify the value parameter is being passed dynamically
- Check that the currency code is correct
- Ensure values are numbers, not strings with currency symbols
- Test with Tag Assistant to see actual values being sent
Duplicate Conversions
- Check for multiple conversion tags on the same page
- Verify you are not tracking the same action as both primary and imported
- If using GTM, ensure triggers fire only once per conversion
- Consider using a transaction ID to deduplicate
Attribution Discrepancies with GA4
- Google Ads and GA4 use different attribution windows by default
- GA4 may attribute to organic if the last click was not a paid ad
- Consider linking accounts and using GA4 conversions as the source of truth
- Read more about optimizing your conversion setup
Frequently Asked Questions
What is conversion tracking in Google Ads?
Conversion tracking is a free tool that shows what happens after a customer interacts with your ads. It tracks actions like purchases, sign-ups, phone calls, and app downloads, allowing you to measure ROI and optimize campaigns for the actions that matter most to your business.
How long does it take for conversions to appear in Google Ads?
Most conversions appear within 3 hours, but it can take up to 24 hours for all conversions to be reported. The conversion status will show "Recording conversions" once Google verifies your tag is working correctly.
What is the difference between Google Tag and gtag.js?
The Google tag is Google's unified tagging solution that replaces the older gtag.js implementation. While gtag.js still works, Google recommends using the Google tag for new installations as it provides better integration across Google products and simplifies tag management.
Should I use one conversion per ad interaction or every conversion?
Use "One" for lead generation where each unique lead matters (like form submissions). Use "Every" for e-commerce where each transaction has value (like purchases). This setting affects how Google counts and optimizes for your conversions.
What attribution model should I use for Google Ads conversions?
Google recommends data-driven attribution as the default, which uses machine learning to credit conversions based on your actual data. If you do not have enough conversion data, last click is a good starting point. For brand awareness campaigns, consider first click or linear attribution.
How do I track conversions from phone calls?
Google Ads offers three phone call tracking options: calls from ads using call extensions, calls to a phone number on your website using a Google forwarding number, and clicks on a phone number on your mobile website. Each requires different setup but all can be configured in the conversion actions section.
Conclusion
Setting up conversion tracking in Google Ads is one of the most important steps you can take to improve your advertising results. Without it, you are making decisions based on incomplete data. With proper tracking in place, you unlock the ability to measure true ROI, use automated bidding strategies, and continuously optimize toward the actions that matter.
Remember to verify your setup thoroughly, enable enhanced conversions for better accuracy, and review your conversion settings periodically as your business evolves. If you are tracking conversions across multiple platforms, consider using tools like marketingOS to maintain visibility across all your tracking implementations.
With your conversion tracking properly configured, you are ready to start optimizing your campaigns for real business results. For next steps, check out our guide on optimizing Google Ads for conversions to learn how to put this data to work.