Conversion tracking tells Google Ads which clicks turned into leads. Without it, Google can only see clicks, so that is what its bidding chases. With it, you can see what each lead cost and Google can look for more people like the ones who enquired. It is free, and it is the first thing I check in any account.
Step 1: Decide what counts as a conversion
Pick the actions that mean a real person wants to do business with you. Google lets you track several kinds, including website actions, phone calls and conversions that happen offline and are imported later. For most lead generation businesses the list is short:
- An enquiry or quote form sent
- A phone call from an ad or from your website
- A booking made
Leave out weak signals such as page views and time on site. If you count them as conversions, Google will happily find you more people who only browse.
Step 2: Create the conversion action in Google Ads
In your Google Ads account, open the Goals section, go to Conversions and create a new conversion action. Choose Website for form submissions, or Phone calls for calls. Give it a clear name such as “Quote form sent”. Google moves its menus around from time to time, so the labels may differ slightly from what you see.
Two settings matter here:
- Count. For leads, choose “One”. If one person sends your form three times, that is still one lead.
- Value. If you know roughly what a lead is worth, enter it. If not, leave it and come back later.
Step 3: Install the Google tag on every page
Google’s recommended method is the Google tag, a small piece of code that goes on every page of your site. You can add it directly, through a WordPress plugin, or through Google Tag Manager. If you use Tag Manager, also add the Conversion Linker tag on all pages, which Google’s instructions call for so that conversions are measured across browsers.
Google also advises turning on auto-tagging in your account, so each ad click carries the identifier that links the click to the later conversion.
Step 4: Tell the tag when a lead has happened
The simplest and most reliable way is a thank-you page. After the form is sent, the visitor lands on a page such as /thank-you/, and the conversion fires when that page loads. If your form shows a message without changing page, fire the conversion on the form’s successful submission instead.
Step 5: Track phone calls
Many service businesses get more calls than forms. Set up call conversions for calls made directly from your ads, and for calls to the phone number on your website after an ad click. Set a minimum call length, such as 60 seconds, so that wrong numbers do not count as leads.
Step 6: Test it
- Open Google Tag Assistant, load your site and send a test enquiry.
- Confirm the conversion fires once, at the right moment.
- Back in Google Ads, check the conversion action’s status. After a real conversion it should read “Recording conversions”.
Mistakes that make the numbers wrong
- Counting twice. Importing the same form from Google Analytics and tracking it with the Google tag doubles your leads on paper.
- A thank-you page anyone can reach. If the page loads from a bookmark or a refresh, it counts again. Keep it out of your menus.
- Tracking the button click. A click on “Send” is not a sent form. Track the successful submission.
- No call tracking. If half your leads phone you and calls are not counted, your cost per lead looks twice as high as it is.
You can check your own site with the free tracking checker.
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Written by Gregory
20 years building websites and running lead generation, mostly with my own money on the line. Based in Sydney, working with clients worldwide. How I work →