Setting up conversions in Google Ads

Accuracy and measurability are among the most important data requirements for effective advertising management. High-quality conversion rate setup forms the foundation for this. Let's walk through conversion rate setup in a Google Ads account from A to Z.

Before you begin setting up conversions in Google Ads, you need to decide what will be the source of conversion tracking:

• Google Tag from your Google Ads account;
• Google Analytics 4.

If conversion is tracked via Google Tag, you will need to implement Google Tag via Google Tag Manager and receive data from the site via DataLayer or embed it directly into the code using GTAG technology.

If the conversion is tracked through Google Analytics 4, you import it into Google Ads, and set up the tracking itself similarly through Google Tag Manager and receive data from the site through DataLayer or embed it directly into the code using GTAG technology.

That's the basic information we need. And now for practice.

➊ Go to “Goals” ➔ “Conversions” in Google Ads.

➋ We launch the “create-action conversion”.

Next, the system will suggest a conversion tracking type. We'll select "Website Conversion Tracking." Next, enter your website, and the system will scan it for tags.

As mentioned above, the conversion source can be either Google Tag or GA4.

2.1 If the conversion source is Google Tag, then:

👉 Select “Google Tag” from the sources, after which the system will prompt you to select a goal type. We'll choose “Purchase”.

👉 Next, the system will offer its recommendations. You choose to “create a conversion”.

👉 Then, the system will offer a method for tracking the conversion, namely, using a code or a URL. We'll choose the “code”, as we want to track the purchase, which typically requires a value that should be recorded at the time of order.

👉 Next, the system will offer you conversion settings.

👉 Select the required parameters and click "Done." Then save, and the system will proceed to the final implementation step.

If we previously simply clicked checkboxes, then next we need to think about how to organize the implementation for tracking.

👉 Using a Google tag (via the GTAG system). Then you will need to activate the code when the value pull event occurs.

<!-- Event snippet for Покупка conversion page -->
<script>
  gtag('event', 'conversion', {
      'send_to': 'AW-692738981/4GbOCI-Y-I8cEKW3qcoC',
      'value': 1.0,
      'currency': 'UAH',
      'transaction_id': ''
      // 'new_customer': true /* calculate dynamically, populate with true/false */,
  });
</script>

👉 Use the tag manager to create a tag and retrieve data via the DataLayer.

In this case you need to:

👉 Create a conversion tag in Google Tag Manager with a variable pull-in based on conversion value.

After creating a tag, you need to get this data into the DataLayer protocol.

👉 Create a conversion linker tag.

This is an automatic tag that the system itself suggests.

👉 Enable advanced conversion tracking (optional).

Enable the “Google Ads User-provided Data Event” tag by pulling in the Google tag ID and tag launch trigger.

Inside the tag, it is necessary to pull in the data provided by users.

With the enhanced conversion mode enabled, the code for capturing conversions with value and user data will be as follows:

<script>
window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];
window.dataLayer.push({
  'event': 'Google_Ads_Purchase',
  'transaction_id': '1' 
  'value': '1.0',
  'currency': 'UAH',
  'email': This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.', 
  'phone': '111111' 
});

</script>

This is the implementation of value-based conversion settings in Google Ads.

Above was an example of advanced conversion tracking using Google Tag conversion settings from your Google Ads dashboard. Below, you can learn more about the theory behind advanced conversion tracking and an example using conversion import from Google Analytics 4.

2.2 If the conversion source is Google Analytics 4, then:

Select GA4 as a source. Subsequently, the system will give you all configured conversions that can be imported.

Tick ​​the desired box and the required conversion will be imported into Google Ads.

That's all for now. There's still a lot of theoretical information that could be written: about rechecking conversions, GCLID, etc. But, on our topic, the material has been covered.

See you again on our blog.