How to Setup Conversion Tracking for a Google Ads Account

So, you've crafted the perfect Google Ads campaign, targeting the right audience with compelling messaging. But how do you know if your ads are actually paying off? That's where conversion tracking comes in – your secret weapon for understanding what users do after clicking your ad.

Think of it like planting a magical money tree in your campaign. Every time someone takes a desired action (like making a purchase or signing up for your newsletter), a golden coin drops into your virtual bucket. Conversion tracking lets you count those coins, showing you exactly how effective your ads are at achieving your business goals.

Ready to unlock this treasure trove of insights? Here's your step-by-step guide to setting up conversion tracking for your Google Ads campaign:

Step 1

Define your Conversions

First, decide what actions you consider "success." Is it a completed purchase? A newsletter signup? Downloaded ebook? Clearly define these conversion actions as they'll be the stars of your tracking show.

Step 2

reate Conversion Actions in Google Ads

Head to the Tools & Settings section in your Google Ads account, then navigate to Conversions and action the following steps:

  • Click the + New Conversion Action button, Image

  • Select the kind of conversion you want (e.g., Website, App, Phone call or Import). Image

  • If you had selected “website”, enter the URL for the website where you want to measure your conversion and click scan. Image

Step 3

Choose your Tracking Method

Now, the fun part – implementing the tracking itself! Google offers two options:

  • Option 1: Create conversion actions from website events
    You can create conversion actions from website events such as checkouts or signup without having to make changes to your website code. All you need to do is to enter the URL to your website page you would like to track. For example, let's say we want to track signups for a website called mushroom.ng, we will have to set the conversion goal as “Sign-up”, select “form submission” event type and lastly enter the URL: https://www.mushrooms.ng/signup/.

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  • Option 2: Google Ads Tracking Code
    Simply click on +Add a conversion action manually button. Once you are done entering the conversion detail click done, then save and continue

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On the next page, you will see two options to manually apply a code snippet to track conversions for your website.

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  1. Google Tag Manager: A more advanced tool for managing multiple tags, including conversions. Great for complex websites.
  2. Measure Individual Conversions with event snippets: Simply click on the See event snippet button and you will see a snippet of code appear on a modal, copy and paste this snippet into your website's header code.

Step 4

Verify and Celebrate

Once the code is deployed, test it! Use Google Tag Manager's Preview and Debug mode or Google Analytics' Real Time reports to confirm conversions are firing correctly. Now, sit back, relax, and watch those beautiful conversions trickle in – a testament to your well-oiled ad campaign!

Bonus Tips:

  • Track multiple conversion actions to understand different user journeys.
  • Set conversion values to measure the true ROI of your ads.
  • Use Smart Bidding in Google Ads to automatically optimize bids based on your conversions.
  • Regularly analyze your conversion data to identify trends and optimize your campaigns.
  • Make sure to set your conversion goals to "Use contact as an account-default goal". This is because the “account-default” setting lets you choose whether or not to include the conversion action data related to your conversion goal in your conversions reporting by default across your campaigns. To edit your conversion goal, click on the "edit goal" button on the same table where you would find your conversion actions.

Remember, effective conversion tracking is an ongoing process. Experiment, tweak, and learn – with each golden coin, you'll get closer to your advertising goals and unlock the full potential of your Google Ads campaigns.

Happy tracking!

Login to your AdPay dashboard to set up conversion for your Google Ads Account.open in new window