What is Google actually learning from your conversions?
I got involved in a Google Ads conversion tracking problem.
The client runs a taxi service. They've got a fairly typical setup. Someone clicks on an ad, books a taxi through a widget on the site and then pays by card.
The booking ends up in Hubspot. And the widget reports it as a conversion via Google Tag Manager.
The problem was that the booking count and value in Google Ads was very different to what's in Hubspot.
Matching leads in a CRM to conversions in Google Ads is always difficult. (More here if you're interested.) In this case there are a few more challenges:
-
Patchy mobile internet means that sometimes successful bookings don't get recorded as conversions.
-
Cancellations or changes don't update the conversion count or value.
-
The widget validates the card and confirms the booking but the customer's bank still has to complete the transaction. Most of the time that's fine, but occasionally a card is declined a few minutes later. Again this doesn't change the conversion count or value.
In this past these discrepancies weren't a big deal, because Google used keywords as its main signal. Today with smart bidding conversion signals like leads or bookings take priority over whether someone typed in "taxi near me" or "airport taxi service".
That makes the quality of the conversion signal as important as anything else in the ad account. You don't want Google learning from incomplete or incorrect signals.
I think this is where browser-based conversion tracking starts to show its limitations. Google learns from what the browser sent at that moment. That's not always what ultimately happened.
You want Google Ads optimising for conversion signals that are:
- Right. They should reflect what actually happened in the business, not what a browser thought happened.
- Reliable. A temporary network problem shouldn't permanently change what Google learns about your business.
- Auditable. You should be able to see exactly what data Google is optimising from and verify that it matches reality
Why I've standardised on offline conversions
Using offline conversions makes it possible to tick these boxes.
- You can trigger conversions from actual business events in your CRM, booking system or lead management system.
- If there's a temporary problem, you can upload them again.
- And, depending on how you set things up, you can see exactly what data Google is learning from and verify that it matches what happened in the business.
For example, here's a screenshot (from a different client) which shows which conversion was uploaded and what was data was sent to Google. If something looks wrong, I have somewhere to start investigating.
Traditionally, offline conversions were used for down-funnel events like qualified leads, booked appointments and sales.
I take a slightly different approach. I use them for everything, including first-contact events like form submissions, phone calls and WhatsApp messages.
Having one system accountable for all conversions makes monitoring easier and saves me looking for answers in three different places if something goes wrong.
Going back to the taxi company. Google and HubSpot showing different numbers is annoying. But the real problem is that Google was learning from a version of events that isn't always true.
I think this is becoming more of a factor in ad profitability than most people realise.
We put a lot of effort into monitoring things like budget pacing, landing page uptime and so on. I think conversion signals deserve the same degree of care.
Related articles
Contact method as a lead quality signal Different ways of contacting your business often attract different types of prospects. Here's how to measure it and use it to improve lead quality.
Offline conversion tracking with Contact Form 7 Contact Form 7 is one of the most popular form plugins for WordPress. But, if you're running Google Ads, there is a problem. Contact Form 7 can tell you that somebody submitted a form. It can't tell Google Ads if that person became a customer.
The Google Ads WhatsApp conversion tracking guide Optimising your Google Ads campaigns for a click on a WhatsApp button on your website is a waste of money. You can't sell to a click. That's why I built Convertista to track WhatsApp leads and sales as Google Ads conversions. Since building it I've spoken with hundreds of business owners and PPC professionals about conversion tracking. The same questions keep coming up. I put the answers in this guide.
Why agencies struggle to improve Google Ads lead quality These days optimising Google Ads for raw leads - someone filling in a form or calling - eventually fills your inbox with the kind of leads nobody wants. Spam, wrong numbers and so on. Most agencies know this by now. They also know the solution: upload qualified leads as offline conversions. The real problem is getting clients to tell us which leads are qualified.
Testing Google Ads for an RV Campground The goal was to spend a small amount, gather data, and see what actually happens. We got bookings, but the value distribution surprised me and changed how I'm going to structure this account.
Why your Google Ads leads suddenly turn to junk I helped with two struggling Google Ads accounts. The problems had different symptoms, but the root cause was the same.
The data gap between advertising and sales Many businesses can’t answer a basic question: Did this ad actually make us money? Why is something so important invisible inside the software that runs the business? The reason is simple. Advertising systems are designed to measure marketing activity. Business systems are designed to manage operations and finances. Neither system was designed to understand the full journey from ad click to revenue.
Why many RCICs don’t know if their Google Ads are profitable Google Ads can be a reliable source of new clients for Canadian immigration lawyers and consultants. The ads bring enquiries. But there is one question many firms can't answer: Are those leads actually turning into paying clients?
Why negative keywords are becoming less effective in Google Ads Adding negative keywords from the search terms report has always been part of diligent Google Ads management. But while it's still important, it's becoming less and less effective. Here's what's working for me today.
Offline Conversion Tracking with Fluent Forms Fluent Forms is a great way to capture leads from a WordPress website. But if you run Google Ads there is a gap in the system. Google can see the click and it can see the form submission. But it can't see what happens after the lead arrives. Here's how I helped a client close that gap.
The invisible Google Ads problem: zero-second calls There is an invisible problem that could be draining your ad budget or causing you to miss sales. If you use a call tracking platform for call assets or landing page numbers, you might be at risk.
Why the phone rings but the workshop stays empty I spoke recently with my friend Liam Lezra, who knows more about marketing for auto repair shops than anyone I know. Our conversation turned to a problem he runs into often.
What’s the right bidding strategy for a brand new Google Ads account? Some say you should start by focusing on clicks to build up data, others say that you should use a conversion-based bidding strategy from day one. Here are the exact settings and performance data from a recent launch
You can't run profitable Google Ads if your pipes are leaking You can't run profitable Google Ads without working plumbing - the systems that carry data from the website, to the business and back to Google. The problem is that the plumbing is invisible.
Computer code rusts It decays when people change things without understanding how systems are connected. And this makes life very difficult for anyone managing Google Ads. You end up basing important decisions on distorted data.
The campaign looks good but the ads aren't profitable The root cause is a data-gap. Ad data lives in Google. Business data lives in the office. I’m stuck in the middle, with no way of combining the data in a way that supports better decisions. I think we can change that.
Ignore the AI hype. Watch the engineering. Discussions about the future of Google Ads usually start with what’s announced: new features, calling everything Max-this or AI-that. But often this is PR hype. I prefer to look at where Google continues to invest engineering effort over many years. It gives a clue to what the system will depend on in the future.
Banging your head against the right problems Google Ads always has problems, but they’re not all the same: Some problems are cheap, some are expensive.Some affect one click, some affect every click. Some problems are in our control, some are in Google’s control.
My lead count doesn't match my conversion count The lead count from Google in your CRM almost never matches the number of conversions in your ad account. Trying to reconcile the difference is a shortcut to madness. Here's why.
Google Ads conversion tracking for WhatsApp orders If you accept WhatsApp orders on your e-commerce site, you face two problems: knowing where the orders came from, and tracking them as Google Ads conversions.
Google Ads conversion tracking for WhatsApp bookings If you accept WhatsApp bookings on your site, you face two problems: knowing where the bookings came from, and tracking them as Google Ads conversions.
50% more leads… and still fired I delivered 50% more leads for a client—then got fired. Here’s why I won’t take responsibility for results without control of the landing pages.
Can Performance Max campaigns work for lead generation? Can Performance Max campaigns work for lead generation? In this article, I share how I tested PMax for a client whose search campaigns had reached their limits.
How to Keep Google Ads Feeling Local When You Serve a Wide Area A friend runs Google Ads for a plumbing firm that services a large area containing several smaller towns. He asked: How do I keep my ads and landing pages feeling local so they convert well when the business serves a wide area?
61 leads. 3 sales. What went wrong? One morning, just after sunrise, I was out in the water when I saw a pair of sharks between me and the beach. This morning wasn’t quite so dramatic. I had time to think between waves. I was replaying a conversation I’d had with a grumpy client.
How to Track Which Google Ads Bring Paying SAAS Users If you're running Google Ads for your SaaS, it's not enough to track free trial signups — you need to know which ads are actually bringing in paying users.
How Many WhatsApp Clicks Turn Into Leads? You can track clicks on the WhatsApp button as conversions in Google Ads but you can't track leads. This results in overcounting how many clicks turn into leads. Inflated conversion numbers lead to overvaluing advertising and other problems. Here is some data...
How Adding Pricing to Google Ads Headlines Increased B2B Lead Qualification by 27% B2B advertisers often waste money on B2C leads. The thinking was that adding the price to the ad would deter individuals without scaring off B2B buyers.
Tracking Google Ads Without the Google Tag or Tag Manager Occasionally, I need to track Google Ads conversions without using the Google Tag or Google Tag Manager. Here’s a simple, non-technical explanation of how I do it.
Does broad match work for lead generation? A better question is When does broad match work for lead generation campaigns?
How I helped a client reduce their risk while scaling up a Google Ads campaign. Scaling up a successful Google Ads campaign by targeting new locations can risk your lead flow. Here's how I helped a client reduce this risk.
Why Ads and Landing Pages That Work on Facebook Don't Convert on Google Search My client was hoping that their social media ads would get more leads from Google search.
Why I Took a Google Ads Writing Course After Years of Practice I've generated more than 2 000 000 leads using Google Ads. So, why would someone like me buy a course on writing Google Ads?
Tracking WhatsApp leads as conversions in Google Ads. There’s currently no built-in way to track WhatsApp leads as conversions in Google Ads. I've fixed this.
"Help. I'm Getting Calls For Competitors From My Google Ads." You're paying Google because you want lots of high-quality leads, not because you want a bunch of wrong-number calls.
Can you improve B2B lead quality by blocking free email addresses? Some say blocking free email addresses from B2B enquiry forms improves lead quality. Here's why I disagree.
Some ideas for improving B2B Google Ads. B2B Google Ads usually faces one of 2 problems: very little traffic, or lots of traffic - but most of it B2C. Here are some ideas to improve B2B Google Ads campaigns.
How I stop Spanish job-seeker leads from Google Ads Most Spanish job-seeker spam comes from click fraud. Here's how I stop it.
Data from launching a brand new campaign using Target CPA bidding. Normally you wouldn't launch a new campaign using a conversion-based bid strategy. I did, here's what happened.
A new Google Ads campaign needs deep data, not wide data. 100 clicks on 100 adverts tells you nothing. 100 clicks on 1 advert and a picture starts to emerge.
How I track WhatsApp conversations as conversions in Google Ads At the time of writing Google has no way of tracking WhatsApp leads as conversions. I've used a couple of work arounds to solve this.
Most Google Ads advice is wrong for small businesses A small account needs a different setup and different management. You see, something that improves a $50 000 a month account might tank a $500 a month account.
Modernising a Legacy Google Ads Account Without Breaking It A successful restructure leaves the account easier to understand, easier to optimise and better positioned for the future. Understanding why the account looks like it does is key to getting from sticky mess to well-oiled machine.
How I reduce wrong-business leads from Google Ads This is for you if you advertise on Google Ads and get leads who think they're contacting a different business. They call or fill in a form looking for someone else.
How I improve lead quality by telling Google which leads are good. By default Google Ads believes every lead is good. But that's not true. You can give Google feedback on lead quality and use that feedback to get better leads.
How's your Chinese? Google shows English adverts to people who searched in Chinese even though the campaign language is set to English. Here's how you can stop this and why you might want to.
Is it safe to use broad match keywords for lead generation campaigns? Google is pushing broad match hard and, some people are reporting good results. But, is it actually best practice now? Or are broad match keywords a waste of money?
Should I split a massive multi-country Google Ads account into separate accounts? At first glance it seems like splitting a big account into smaller accounts will make it easier to manage. But, there are downsides and, there are ways to make big accounts easier to manage.
Why did Google charge me $300 for a $20 click? Every now and again Google would charge an outrageous amount for one click. As much as 15 to 20 times what they normally paid. Here's how to prevent that.
Why I don't just delete fake leads from my inbox If the only thing you do with fake leads from Google Ads is delete the lead delivery email you risk getting swamped by fake leads. Here's why and what to do to improve lead quality.
Getting a lot of junk leads from Google Ads? You can spot conversion fraud because the leads have genuine email addresses and phone numbers but when you call them they don't remember filling in your form.
How to increase the bid for a specific keyword when using the Maximise Clicks bidding strategy How do you make the most of a high-converting keyword in a campaign where you're using the Maximise Clicks bidding strategy?
3 things you must do before you advertise on top of funnel keywords. Top of funnel keywords can be cheaper to advertise on. But there are 3 things you must do before you enable them.
Google Ads: Can I use capital letters in the Display URL? AdWords question: Can I use capital letters in the Display URL? Is it ok to write it like example.com/ExampleLink ? Will Google allow this? Here is the answer with links to the relevant Google Ads policies.
How many keywords should I have in an ad group? Grouping keywords into ad groups trips people up. This is one of the most confusing parts of building your first AdWords campaign. Getting it right almost always leads to higher CTR , better QS and a lower cost per click.
How to build a pilot campaign. I know nothing when I take on a new client who’s never used Google Ads for lead generation. The only way to know for sure if Google Ads will work and if the relationship with the client will be comfortable is to test it. Here's how...
Rules for Writing Google Ads Expanded Text Adverts Here are the rules we use for writing Google Ads expanded text ads at MarketingMotor. Feel free to copy them.
What is the lowest amount of traffic needed for a campaign? The smallest estimated search volume I'd be comfortable with depends on if the campaign is for a new or existing client.
Writing Callout Extensions Coming up with callout extensions has always been hard. No more...
A love letter to statistics This is for you if you’re interested in making data-driven decisions about your Google Ads. Amy Hebdon, founder at Paid Search Magic, wrote a fantastic article she described a love letter disguised as a how to about PPC data interpretation.
Allocating budget How do you know the best way to split your ad budget between search and display, between Facebook and Google, between one keyword and another?
Does Google rip advertisers off? I'm not saying that everyone who's paid for Google ads has turned a profit. That's definitely not the case. But, when people lose money on Google ads its likely to be because Google Ads was a poor fit for their business, or because of the way they did Google Ads. I can't see Google risking their future to steal your advertising budget
Don’t believe every recommendation from Google. The optimisation score is Google’s newest way of telling you how to run your Google Ads account. Read on to see how following it blindly can hurt your business.
Don't believe my writing I'm not trying to bamboozle you, it's just that my - and everyone else's - writing isn't always right for your circumstances. Read on to find out more...
Google showed your ads to the wrong people today. Google showed your some of your adverts to the wrong people today. You (or someone you hire) must deal with this or your ads are going to start costing more and generating fewer leads. Here's how.
Has Google jumped the gun on mobile? How much commercial activity happens on mobile phones? Is it enough to justify a mobile-first approach to development? Case study with mobile vs desktop AdWords generated leads across 7 industries.
How do you get more leads from Google Ads when you’ve maxed out impression share? How do you get more leads from Google Ads when you’ve maxed out impression share? Here's how we solved this problem...
How to get fast traction on a brand new Google Ads campaign. I worked out a process for getting fast results from new AdWords campaigns so I didn't have to worry as much. You're welcome to copy (and improve) my process.
I’m getting too many B2C leads. I want only B2B. I’ve bumped into this problem with almost every client who sells to other businesses (B2B) not to consumers (B2C). Here are some options ..
I'm scared I'll break my campaign If you don't feel confident making changes to Google Ads campaigns this might help...
Improve conversion rates by adding extra calls to action. Need to improve your conversion rate? Here's a tested approach that takes only a few minutes.
Putting a little science into AdWords In the past I relied on a combination of the change history in AdWords, some rough notes and my memory to keep track of my testing. It worked but it wasn't great. It became more difficult as my business grew. I started to feel like I was losing control. I couldn't answer questions about an account without having to root around in Google docs, AdWords and email. Read on to see how I fixed this.
Should you advertise on Search Partners? We check the campaigns we manage regularly to see how much it costs to generate an enquiry on Google search versus search partners. Most of the time it costs more or less the same. Sometimes the difference is huge.
Should you show ads to people on their phones? It is a fact that more people use the internet on their phones than they do on computers these days. But are these glued-to-their-phone types going to buy from you?
The hidden trade-offs of automated bidding I like automated bidding. But, there are some trade offs with automated bidding that are not well documented.
Using the Search Terms Report to find negative keywords. The Search Terms Report is a great place to find negative keywords to add to your AdWords campaign. It shows (some of) the actual words and phrases that triggered your ads.
You don't have enough data to be confident that you're making the right decisions. Here are 3 rules of thumb I use to to help me make more of the right decisions when data is scarce.