While we previously covered the classic methods of setting up conversions in Google Ads via Google Tag or importing from Google Analytics 4, there's also a third way to set up conversions: importing offline conversions into Google Ads. The term "offline" is often used because these are actions that occurred after a click outside of the website. Let's take a look at how this works.
Importing offline conversions to Google Ads is the process of uploading data to your Google Ads account about conversions that occurred after a click outside of a website visit.
Offline conversion can be:
- Purchasing through alternative channels (phone calls, Viber messages);
- Delaying a purchase after a certain period of time;
- Repeat purchase not through the website;
- Purchasing in-store after visiting the website.
Tracking offline conversions is especially important when:
- A large percentage of sales are not made through the shopping cart;
- There is a long delay between a website visit and the transaction;
- In service businesses, when orders are not made through the website shopping cart.
Tracking offline conversions is especially important for marketers and PPC specialists, as offline conversion data is a key performance indicator for effective contextual advertising management.
So let's get started!
To set up offline conversion import in Google Ads, we need to:
- Organize GCLID transfer;
- Prepare conversion in your Google Ads account;
- Prepare a file with offline conversion data.
➊ Organization of GCLID transfer
The GCLID is transmitted by capturing the user's first touch on the site by writing it to a cookie and retrieving it when the event occurs. When a call or request containing user data is received, the GCLID must be present. This data can be sent to a call tracking system, CRM, or emailed with a service request.
The GCLID is the most important characteristic of data uploading, as it encrypts all click data and stores information about who clicked on the ad, where, and under what conditions.
Each site has a unique way of transmitting the GCLID parameter, so we do not provide any general recommendations.
Once you have organized the transfer of GCLID, you will essentially have a database for data transfer, since adding the rest of the data is a matter of technique.
➋ Preparing a conversion in your Google Ads account
Once you've organized your data collection, the question of where and how to send offline conversion data becomes relevant.
You can import offline conversion data from a file only into a specially prepared conversion, which will have a specific data update source specified.
Go to “Goals” ➔ “Conversions” ➔ “Create Conversion Action” ➔ select “Offline Conversions”.
Next, “Change data sources” and select “Add source later”.
We don't select the source right away, as the system doesn't offer a template for importing data in this window. We'll do that in step 3 of this article.
Then, save and select the “purchase” conversion type.
Next, the system will prompt you to add a source. Select "Add source later".
In the next window, you can configure the future offline conversion: name, accounting, value, secondary importance, attribution, accounting period, and so on, according to your business algorithms.
After you save the conversion, the system will prompt you to select a source through which to import conversion data.
If you skip this step, you can always return to the “goals” section, to this conversion, and set up the import.
Click "Configure Import" and specify the source. In our case, it's Google Sheets.
Next, follow the import and synchronization instructions.
Select a file to import (we'll show you where to get a template a little later).
Correct the field mapping.
Check and save.
After this, there will be a message about the configuration results.
Now, if you go to the custom conversion, you'll notice some important differences from a standard conversion:
👉 Event (the import file will be specified);
👉 Source (Click import).
Once the conversion is complete, the data is ready, and the file is synchronized with the future file, all that remains is to obtain a template according to which the file must be packaged for import.
➌ Prepare a file with offline conversion data
To prepare a conversion data download file, go to “Goals” ➔ “Downloads” ➔ select a data template.
Fill it with the required parameters and try uploading the data.
Next, it's a matter of testing, data accumulation, templates, and so on. This system is definitely working. This material wasn't written by copywriters from other articles; everything was tested before writing.
Good luck to everyone, see you again!
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