How to Set Up Conversion Tracking in Google Ads

Are you running Google Ads campaigns but not seeing the results you want? It could be because you’re not tracking your conversions properly.

Conversion tracking is a crucial aspect of any successful Google Ads campaign. It allows you to see which ads and keywords are driving the most conversions, giving you valuable insights to optimize your campaigns and increase your return on investment (ROI).

In this article, we’ll walk you through the steps of setting up conversion tracking in Google Ads and explain why it’s essential for your advertising success.

What is Conversion Tracking?

Before we dive into the how-to, let’s first define what conversion tracking is.

Conversion tracking is the process of measuring and tracking the actions that users take on your website after clicking on your Google Ads. These actions can include purchases, form submissions, phone calls, or any other desired action that you want your website visitors to take.

By tracking these actions, you can see which ads and keywords are driving the most conversions and make data-driven decisions to optimize your campaigns for better results.

Why is Conversion Tracking Important?

Without conversion tracking, you’re essentially flying blind with your Google Ads campaigns. You may be spending money on ads that are not driving any conversions, resulting in wasted ad spend and a low ROI.

Conversion tracking allows you to see which ads and keywords are driving the most conversions, giving you valuable insights to optimize your campaigns and increase your ROI.

It also helps you understand your audience better by showing you which demographics, devices, and locations are converting the most. This information can help you tailor your campaigns to target the most profitable audience.

What Conversion Metrics Should You Track?

When setting up conversion tracking, it’s essential to track the right metrics to get a clear understanding of your campaign’s performance. Here are some of the most important conversion metrics to track:

• Conversions: This is the total number of conversions that have occurred on your website after clicking on your Google Ads.
• Conversion Rate: This is the percentage of clicks that resulted in a conversion.
• Cost per Conversion: This is the average amount you’re spending on each conversion.
• Conversion Value: This is the total value of all conversions that have occurred on your website.
• Conversion Value/Cost: This is the return on investment (ROI) metric that shows you how much revenue you’re generating for every dollar spent on ads.

How to Set Up Conversion Tracking in Google Ads

Now that you understand the importance of conversion tracking let’s dive into the steps of setting it up in Google Ads.

Step 1: Create a Conversion Action

The first step is to create a conversion action in your Google Ads account. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Log into your Google Ads account and click on the “Tools & Settings” icon in the top right corner.
2. Under the “Measurement” section, click on “Conversions.”
3. Click on the blue plus button to create a new conversion action.
4. Choose the type of conversion you want to track (e.g., purchase, form submission, phone call).
5. Fill in the necessary details for your conversion action, such as the conversion name, value, and category.
6. Click “Create and Continue.”

Step 2: Install the Conversion Tracking Tag

After creating your conversion action, you’ll need to install the conversion tracking tag on your website. This tag is a small snippet of code that tracks when a user completes the desired action on your website.

To install the conversion tracking tag, follow these steps:

1. Click on “Install the tag yourself.”
2. Copy the conversion tracking tag code.
3. Paste the code on the page where you want to track conversions (e.g., thank you page after a purchase or form submission).
4. Save the changes to your website.

Step 3: Test the Conversion Tracking Tag

Before you start tracking conversions, it’s essential to test the conversion tracking tag to ensure it’s working correctly. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Click on “Test” in the conversion tracking tag installation window.
2. Enter the URL of the page where you installed the tag.
3. Click “Test” and wait for the tag to be verified.
4. If the tag is working correctly, you’ll see a green checkmark next to “Tag is active and working.”
5. Click “Done.”

Step 4: Set Up Conversion Tracking in Google Ads

Now that your conversion tracking tag is installed and working correctly, it’s time to set up conversion tracking in Google Ads. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Click on “Continue” in the conversion tracking tag installation window.
2. Choose the conversion action you want to track from the drop-down menu.
3. Click “Create and Continue.”

Step 5: Set Up Conversion Tracking for Phone Calls

If you want to track phone calls as conversions, you’ll need to set up call conversion tracking. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Click on “Set up call conversion tracking.”
2. Choose the type of call conversion you want to track (e.g., calls from ads, calls to a phone number on your website).
3. Fill in the necessary details for your call conversion action, such as the conversion name, value, and category.
4. Click “Create and Continue.”

Step 6: Set Up Conversion Tracking for App Installs

If you want to track app installs as conversions, you’ll need to set up app conversion tracking. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Click on “Set up app conversion tracking.”
2. Choose the type of app conversion you want to track (e.g., Android app install, iOS app install).
3. Fill in the necessary details for your app conversion action, such as the conversion name, value, and category.
4. Click “Create and Continue.”

Tips for Successful Conversion Tracking

Now that you’ve set up conversion tracking in Google Ads, here are some tips to ensure its success:

• Track all conversions: Don’t just track purchases or form submissions. Track all desired actions on your website to get a complete picture of your campaign’s performance.
• Set a conversion value: Assign a value to each conversion to understand the ROI of your campaigns better.
• Use Google Analytics: Link your Google Ads account to Google Analytics to get more detailed insights into your conversions.
• Track cross-device conversions: Enable cross-device conversion tracking to see when a user clicks on your ad on one device and converts on another.
• Regularly review and optimize: Review your conversion data regularly and make data-driven decisions to optimize your campaigns for better results.

Conclusion

Conversion tracking is a crucial aspect of any successful Google Ads campaign. By tracking your conversions, you can see which ads and keywords are driving the most conversions and make data-driven decisions to optimize your campaigns for better results.

Follow the steps outlined in this article to set up conversion tracking in Google Ads and start seeing the full potential of your advertising efforts and contact a Google Ads agency like ours, if you need help!