Maximize Google Ads Impact with Offline Conversion Tracking

Understanding Offline Conversion Tracking for Google Ads

Offline conversion tracking serves as a method to inform advertising platforms, like Google Ads, that a customer has converted through a channel other than the website. These conversions include actions such as purchasing in-store, booking a call that leads to a sale, or buying through third-party marketplaces. By measuring these offline conversions, businesses can connect ad spend to actual results, offering a complete picture of campaign effectiveness.

For instance, a customer might click on an ad and later make a purchase in-store. Without tracking this offline conversion, the business might undervalue a highly effective campaign. Google’s Google Click ID (GCLID) is a pivotal tool in this process, allowing businesses to track offline conversions effectively.

How Offline Conversion Tracking Works with Google Ads

There are several methods to track offline conversions in Google Ads:

• Enhanced Conversions: This method uses first-party data, such as email addresses, to match ad conversions with user accounts, without the need for GCLID.
• Call Tracking: Unique contact numbers are displayed to site visitors based on their traffic source, allowing for precise tracking of phone conversions.
• Google Click ID (GCLID): A unique identifier added to landing page URLs when an ad is clicked, facilitating detailed conversion tracking.

While there are alternative methods using platforms like Salesforce or HubSpot, uploading GCLIDs directly to Google Ads is recommended and supported by Google.

Setting Up Offline Conversion Tracking with Google Ads

Enhanced Conversions via Google Tag Manager (GTM)

Enhanced conversions are particularly useful for businesses capturing leads through form submissions. By using GTM, businesses can securely send anonymized data to Google Ads, matching it with ad clicks without needing a GCLID.

Steps to Set Up Enhanced Conversions:

1. Create a conversion action in Google Ads, enabling enhanced conversions for leads.
2. Create a DOM Element variable in GTM to capture form field data.
3. Develop a User-Provided Data variable to package the data for Google Ads.
4. Set up a Google Ads User-Provided Data event tag to connect and send data.
5. Configure a form submission trigger to activate the tag upon form completion.

Direct Tracking with Google Click ID (GCLID)

When a user clicks an ad, a GCLID is added to the URL, which is stored by the site. This ID can be used to track conversions when the lead converts offline.

Steps to Import Conversions:

1. Set up a conversion action in Google Ads.
2. Capture the GCLID from the website visitor into your CRM.
3. Determine the offline conversion action, like an in-store purchase, and log it.
4. Send conversion data back to Google Ads, either manually or through automation tools like Zapier.

Call Tracking

Call tracking allows businesses to log conversions from phone interactions, even without a GCLID. Using services like Twilio, businesses can track call origins and forward calls to business numbers, logging conversions in CRMs.

Setting Up Call Tracking in Google Ads:

• Create a new conversion action for phone calls in Google Ads.
• Assign a value and minimum call length to qualify as a conversion.
• Use Google forwarding numbers for automatic tracking.

In-store Purchase Tracking

Tracking in-store purchases requires creativity and data alignment. At the point of sale, businesses can capture customer information to match with online interactions, using GCLIDs or enhanced conversion methods.

Steps for In-store Tracking:

1. Ask customers how they found you and capture their information at checkout.
2. Match this data with the original ad interaction.
3. Send the conversion to Google Ads using GCLID or enhanced methods.

Offline Conversion Tracking FAQ

What is offline conversion tracking?
Offline conversion tracking indicates to Google Ads that a customer converted through a channel other than the website after seeing an ad.

How does Facebook track offline conversions?
Facebook uses its version of offline conversion tracking, allowing businesses to upload offline sales data to see how ads influenced these sales.

How do you set up offline conversion tracking in Google Ads?
Set up involves creating a conversion action, capturing GCLIDs, logging offline conversion actions, and sending data to Google Ads.

In conclusion, leveraging offline conversion tracking in Google Ads provides a more comprehensive understanding of campaign performance, allowing businesses to optimize their strategies and maximize return on investment. By integrating both online and offline data, businesses can ensure they are making informed decisions based on a complete view of their sales funnel.

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