Are your Google Ads actually driving results? Without conversion tracking, you’re just guessing. If you want to know what’s working (and what’s not), tracking conversions is essential—and surprisingly easy to set up.
Let’s walk through how to do it, step by step.
What Is a Conversion in Google Ads?
In Google Ads, a conversion is any action you want users to take after clicking on your ad. That could be:
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Making a purchase
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Filling out a contact form
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Signing up for a newsletter
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Calling your business
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Downloading a file or app
By setting up conversion tracking, you can measure which ads, keywords, and audiences are actually delivering value—and then optimize accordingly.
Why Is Conversion Tracking Important?
Here’s what you unlock when you set up Google Ads conversion tracking:
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Better ROI insights – Know exactly which ads are profitable.
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Smarter bidding – Enable Google’s automated bidding strategies like Target CPA or Maximize Conversions.
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Audience refinement – Focus on what actually drives user action.
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Campaign optimization – Improve ads based on real outcomes, not just clicks.
Without it, you're flying blind.
Step 1: Set Up Google Tag Manager or Install the Global Site Tag (gtag.js)
To track conversions on your website, you need to install Google’s Global Site Tag (gtag.js) or use Google Tag Manager.
Option 1: Using Global Site Tag
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Sign in to your Google Ads account.
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Go to Tools & Settings > Conversions.
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Click + New conversion action > Website.
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Enter your website and configure the conversion details.
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Google will generate a code snippet.
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Paste this code in the
<head>section of every page on your website.
Option 2: Using Google Tag Manager
If you're using GTM:
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In your Google Ads account, create a new conversion action as above.
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Instead of pasting code manually, copy the Conversion ID and Conversion Label.
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In Google Tag Manager:
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Create a new tag.
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Select Google Ads Conversion Tracking.
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Enter your Conversion ID and Label.
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Set the trigger (e.g., page view, form submission).
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Save and publish the container.
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Step 2: Define Your Conversion Action
While creating your conversion action, Google Ads will ask you for key settings:
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Category (e.g., Purchase, Sign-up, Lead)
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Value (You can assign a fixed value or different values per conversion)
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Count (Choose whether to count one or every conversion per click)
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Conversion window (How long after a click a conversion can still be counted)
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Attribution model (e.g., Last Click, Data-driven)
💡 Tip: For e-commerce, use dynamic conversion values by passing transaction-specific data via the tag.
Step 3: Verify Conversion Tracking Is Working
After you’ve installed the tag or published your GTM container, you should:
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Use the Google Tag Assistant browser extension to verify the tag is firing.
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Go to Tools & Settings > Conversions, find your conversion action, and check the "Status".
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After the tag fires at least once, the status will change from "Unverified" to "Recording conversions."
Don’t panic if it takes a few hours for conversions to start appearing in your dashboard.
Step 4: View Conversions in Google Ads
Once data starts coming in, you can view your conversions:
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In your campaign dashboard, customize the columns to include:
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Conversions
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Cost/Conversion
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Conversion Rate
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Segment by device, keyword, or audience to find performance trends.
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Use the "All conversions" metric to include imported actions (like phone calls or offline data).
🔍 Pro Tip: Use conversion tracking in conjunction with Smart Bidding to let Google optimize your bids for high-value actions.
Bonus: Track Phone Calls and Offline Conversions
Track Calls from Ads
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Go to Conversions > New Conversion Action > Phone calls.
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Choose Calls from ads using call extensions.
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Google will automatically track the duration and time of calls from your ads.
Import Offline Conversions
If your sales happen after a form submission or lead qualification:
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Enable auto-tagging in Google Ads.
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Capture the GCLID (Google Click Identifier) in your form.
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Match it to your CRM data.
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Import conversions manually or via API.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
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Not using value-based conversions – Assign values to actions to optimize for revenue, not just leads.
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Installing duplicate tags – This can lead to double counting.
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Forgetting to test – Always verify tags with Tag Assistant or Google Analytics debug tools.
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Ignoring attribution models – Choose one that matches your customer journey (e.g., First Click, Data-Driven).
Conclusion
Tracking conversions in Google Ads isn’t just a technical step—it’s a strategic advantage. With accurate conversion tracking, you can make smarter decisions, optimize your ad spend, and drive real business outcomes.
Set it up right, and your ads will do more than generate clicks—they’ll generate results.