Conversion tracking is the single most important setup task in Google Ads. Running ads without conversion tracking is like driving blindfolded — you might move, but you have no idea if you are going in the right direction or at what cost.
What to Track as Conversions
Form submissions, phone calls (from ads and website), purchases with revenue value, app installs, chat initiations, email link clicks, and critical micro-conversions (add-to-cart, pricing page visit). Track primary conversion that directly drives revenue.
Three Setup Methods
Google Ads Tag (JavaScript on site — simplest), Google Tag Manager (recommended — manages all tags without code changes), or Google Analytics 4 import (best if GA4 is already deployed — single source of truth for all conversion data).
Conversion Windows
How long after a click can a conversion still be attributed to that ad? Default is 30 days for actions, 90 days for purchases. Match your conversion window to your typical sales cycle length — B2B with 60-day cycles needs a 90-day window.
Attribution Models
How conversion credit is distributed across multiple ad touchpoints. Last Click (default) gives all credit to the final click. Data-Driven attribution (recommended when available) uses Google's ML to distribute credit based on actual conversion path data from your account.
Enhanced Conversions
Advanced feature that sends hashed first-party data (email, phone) to Google to improve measurement accuracy in a privacy-safe way. Typically recovers 10–20% of conversions lost to cookie blocking and iOS privacy changes.
Micro-Conversions
Track softer actions (pricing page view, video watched, scroll depth) as secondary conversions without using them for Smart Bidding optimization. They provide insight into the funnel even if they are not the primary goal.