How to track conversions and leads from Google Ads

Tracking conversions and leads from Google Ads is crucial for evaluating the effectiveness of your advertising campaigns and optimizing your marketing efforts. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to set up conversion tracking:

1. Set Up a Google Ads Account: If you haven’t already, create an account on Google Ads (formerly known as Google AdWords).
2. Create Conversion Actions:
   • Sign in to your Google Ads account.
   • Go to the “Tools & Settings” menu and select “Conversions” under the Measurement section.
   • Click on the blue plus button to create a new conversion action.
   • Choose the type of conversion you want to track (website, app, phone calls, etc.).
   • Fill in the details of your conversion action, including its name, value, counting method (e.g., one conversion per click or many), and any additional parameters.
   • Click “Create and Continue” to generate the tracking code.
3. Install Conversion Tracking Code:
   • Once you’ve created a conversion action, Google Ads will provide you with a tracking code snippet.
   • Place this code on the page that customers land on after completing the desired action (e.g., thank you page after a purchase, sign-up confirmation page).
   • Ensure that the tracking code is placed correctly and fires when the conversion occurs.
4. Test the Conversion Tracking:
   • After installing the tracking code, perform a test conversion to ensure that the tracking is working correctly.
   • Go through the conversion process yourself (e.g., complete a purchase, submit a lead form) and verify that the conversion registers in your Google Ads account.
5. View Conversion Data:
   • Once the tracking code is set up and verified, you can view conversion data in your Google Ads account.
   • Navigate to the “Tools & Settings” menu and select “Conversions” to see an overview of your conversion actions, their status, and the number of conversions recorded.
6. Optimize Campaigns Based on Conversion Data:
   • Use the conversion data to optimize your Google Ads campaigns.
   • Identify which keywords, ads, and targeting options are driving the most conversions.
   • Adjust your bidding strategy, ad copy, and targeting settings to maximize your ROI.
7. Utilize Conversion Attribution Models:
   • Google Ads offers various attribution models to assign credit to different touchpoints along the conversion path.
   • Experiment with different attribution models (e.g., last-click, first-click, time decay) to understand how various channels contribute to conversions.
8. Monitor and Adjust Regularly:
   • Continuously monitor your conversion data and make adjustments to your campaigns as needed.
   • Test different ad creatives, landing pages, and targeting options to improve conversion rates over time.

By following these steps, you can effectively track conversions and leads from your Google Ads campaigns and optimize your advertising efforts for better results.