Google Ads Conversion Secrets: Turn Your Clicks into Customers

Hello, all you small business superstars! 

Welcome to Bubblegum Search’s guide to the sometimes confounding, always exciting world of Google Ads Conversion Tracking.

Conversion Tracking: A Vital Tool in Your Marketing Toolbox

Think of conversion tracking as your personal digital Sherlock Holmes, tirelessly investigating the actions your customers take after clicking on your ads. The intel gathered is indispensable in optimising your campaign for maximum return on investment.

Ready to transform into a conversion tracking guru?

Prepare to deep dive into the step-by-step process, perfect for beginners and first-time marketers.

Part 1: Getting Started with Google Tag Manager

Before we sprint towards Google Ads (formerly known as Google AdWords), let’s break the ice with Google Tag Manager, the Swiss army knife of digital marketing tools.

Step 1: Create a Google Tag Manager Account and Container

1. To start, visit the Google Tag Manager website.
2. Click on the “Create Account” button if you don’t have one yet, or sign in if you do.
3. You will be asked to create a new account. Enter your account name, typically your business name.
4. Click “Continue” and then you’ll need to set up a new ‘container’. This container will hold all your website tags. Name it after your website. Think of this container like an envelope that contains all of your additional code that you need to implement for tracking purposes. The best thing is that your website will get faster because only one piece of GTM code needs to load rather than all those individual code integrations.
5. Select ‘Web’ from the ‘Where to Use Container’ options and hit ‘Create’.
6. After accepting the GTM Terms of Service Agreement, you’ll be given a unique GTM code. This code needs to be added to every page of your website. It’s the ‘open sesame’ of the tag world, so handle it with care!

Step 2: Create Your First Tag in GTM

In the world of GTM, every action needs a tag. Let’s create your first one.

1. In your GTM dashboard, find and click on the ‘Tags’ option in the left-hand side menu.
2. Click on the ‘New’ button to create a new tag.
3. A new window will open. Click on ‘Tag Configuration’. From the list of tag types that appear, select ‘Google Ads Conversion Tracking’.
4. You’ll notice there are ‘Conversion ID’ and ‘Conversion Label’ fields. Keep those blank for now. We’ll fill these in later when we hop over to Google Ads.

Step 3: Set Up a Trigger for Your Tag

Triggers are the doormen of GTM, deciding when and where to allow your tag to spring into action. Let’s set up a trigger for your tag.

1. Underneath the ‘Tag Configuration’ section, you’ll see ‘Triggering’. Click on it.
2. Click on the ‘+’ button in the top-right corner to add a new trigger.
3. Click on ‘Trigger Configuration’ and then select the trigger type that corresponds to the action you want to track. For instance, if you’re tracking form submissions, select the ‘Form Submission’ event.
4. Once done, save your trigger, and it will be automatically added to your tag.

That wraps up the warm-up. Now that GTM is prepped, it’s time for the main event: Google Ads.

Part 2: Setting Up Conversion Actions in Google Ads

The spotlight now turns to Google Ads, where we will set up conversion actions.

Step 1: Locate ‘Conversions’ in Google Ads

1. Sign in to your Google Ads account.
2. Once you’re in, locate the wrench icon in the top-right corner of the dashboard. Click it.
3. A dropdown menu will appear. Look under the ‘Measurement’ section and select ‘Conversions’.

Step 2: Create a New Conversion Action

1. On the ‘Conversions’ page, spot the blue plus (+) button. Click it to start creating a new conversion action.
2. A selection of conversion categories will be displayed. Choose the one that matches the type of conversion you wish to track. If you’re unsure, ‘Website’ is a good start for most.
3. Now, fill out the information about your conversion. Here’s where you provide details like name, value, and count. The name should clearly reflect the action being tracked, such as ‘Newsletter Sign-Up’ or ‘Product Purchase’. The value is a number that represents how much each conversion is worth to your business. The count option lets you choose whether to count every single conversion (for actions like purchases) or just one (useful for leads).

Step 3: Note Down Your Conversion ID and Conversion Label

When you finish setting up your conversion action, Google Ads will give you a conversion ID and conversion label. Treat these like precious gems – you’ll need them in a jiffy!

Part 3: Back to Google Tag Manager – Filling in the Blanks

Remember the blanks we left in our Google Tag Manager tag? It’s time to fill them.

1. Head back to your GTM account and open up your tag.
2. Plug the conversion ID and conversion label you got from Google Ads into the respective fields.
3. Click ‘Save’. Breathe a sigh of relief – you’re almost there!

Part 4: Checking that Your Conversion Tracking is Working

You’ve done the hard work, and now it’s time to make sure everything is running smoothly.

1. Install the Google Tag Assistant, a Chrome extension that can inform you if your tags are working correctly. It’s like a backstage pass to your tags’ performance.
2. With the Google Tag Assistant running, visit your website and perform the action that you’ve set up to track.
3. After doing so, check the Google Tag Assistant. It should show that your Google Ads Conversion Tracking tag has fired. If it has, crack open a virtual bottle of bubbly – you’ve done it!
4. Additionally, keep an eye on the ‘Conversions’ column in your Google Ads account. It may take a little while to update, but you should start seeing conversions appearing there. If they’re showing up, it means you’ve correctly set up your tracking.

Part 5: Diving Deeper – Conversion Tracking for E-commerce and Lead Generation Sites

Google Ads Conversion Tracking can be tailored to suit the specific needs of e-commerce and lead generation websites.

Let’s discuss how you can set it up for these types of businesses.

For E-commerce Sites

E-commerce sites may want to track a range of actions like transactions, revenue, and shopping cart abandonment.

1. Transactions: To track when a user completes a purchase, create a conversion action in Google Ads called ‘Purchase’. In GTM, set up a trigger to fire on a ‘Transaction Complete’ or ‘Thank You’ page after a successful purchase.
2. Revenue: To track the revenue generated from each purchase, modify your ‘Purchase’ conversion action to track ‘conversion value’. This involves adding a JavaScript code to your checkout page that can capture the purchase amount dynamically. This way, you’ll be able to see the total revenue your ads are generating right in your Google Ads account.
3. Shopping Cart Abandonment: To see how many potential customers add items to their cart but don’t complete the purchase, set up two separate conversion actions: one for ‘Add to Cart’, and another for ‘Purchase’. By comparing these two, you can gain valuable insights into shopping cart abandonment and work on strategies to reduce it.

Pro Tip: For e-commerce websites that are running WooCommerce with WordPress. There is a plug-in called GTM for WordPress.

You do not have to work with a developer. You can simply install this plugin and make necessary configurations then boom. Data layer will push everything to GTM and analytics, saving you from a whole bunch of hassle.

For Lead Generation Sites

Lead generation sites typically track different types of form submissions, downloads, and even appointment bookings.

1. Form Submissions: To track when a visitor submits a form on your site (like a contact form or a newsletter sign-up), create a conversion action called ‘Form Submission’. In GTM, set up a trigger to fire on a ‘Form Submission’ event.
2. Downloads: If you offer downloadable content like ebooks or whitepapers, you’ll want to know when a visitor downloads them. Set up a conversion action called ‘Download’, and a corresponding trigger in GTM that fires when the download link is clicked.
3. Call Requests: If your site has a ‘Click to Call’ button, it’s crucial to track how many visitors use it. Create a ‘Click to Call’ conversion action, and set up a trigger in GTM to fire when a visitor clicks on ‘tel:’ links.
4. Appointment Bookings: If you allow visitors to book appointments or consultations online, you should track this too. Set up a ‘Book Appointment’ conversion action, with a corresponding GTM trigger that fires on a ‘Thank You’ or ‘Booking Confirmation’ page.

Remember to give each conversion action a distinct name so you can easily identify it in your Google Ads account.

Part 6: Conclusion

Congratulations! 

You’ve made it to the end of this in-depth guide. You are now equipped with the knowledge to set up and use Google Ads Conversion Tracking for your small business.

Of course, mastering this takes practice. It’s like learning to ride a bike – you might wobble a bit at first, but once you get the hang of it, there’s no stopping you.

Pro tip: If the Google Ads conversion tag is configured correctly, it will show “no recent conversions” when you trigger the event on GTM.

If you set it up incorrectly and try to fire the tag, it will show “tag inactive” or “unverified”. So, you have to check ıf everything is correct.

Your Google Ads Experts Are Here

Here at Bubblegum Search, we’re always here to lend a hand. We want to help you turn those clicks into loyal customers. If you need more help, don’t hesitate to give us a shout.

We’re all about blowing bubbles, not bursting them.

Remember, every click could be a potential customer. By effectively tracking your conversions, you’ll be able to understand better what’s working for your business and what’s not.

So go ahead, set up your conversion tracking and start making the most of your Google Ads. We’re rooting for you!

Before we say goodbye, just a reminder: it might take up to 24 hours for conversions to start showing in your Google Ads account, so don’t worry if you don’t see immediate results.

Remember, the tortoise won the race, not the hare. Stay patient, and soon you’ll be reaping the rewards of your hard work.

So, here’s to your success in conversion tracking, and remember, the world of Google Ads is your oyster. Go ahead and find those pearls!