How to Set Up Offline Conversions in Google Ads

Conversion tracking continues to play a pivotal role in digital marketing today for the optimization of advertising efforts. Though Google Ads offers very powerful tools for monitoring online conversions, many businesses have significant interactions offline, such as phone calls, visits to the store, or direct sales.

To get a complete picture of how your campaign is performing and driving business results, it’s important to bring these offline conversions into your Google Ads account.

What Are Offline Conversions?

It is a customer action that takes place outside the digital realm but is influenced by your online advertising. Some examples:

• Sales resulting from phone inquiries
• Purchases made at a physical store location
• Contracts or agreements signed after an online inquiry
• Appointments are scheduled as a result of an ad
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The interactions start online but eventually happen offline and hence are not automatically tracked by Google Ads.

Why Import Offline Conversions into Google Ads?

Integrating offline conversion data into your Google Ads account can provide several benefits:

Improved Performance Tracking: By taking all conversions into account, you can get a more accurate picture of how your campaigns are performing.

Improved ROI Analysis: Understanding the entire customer journey, including offline touchpoints, allows for better ROI assessment.

Optimized Bidding Strategies: With comprehensive conversion data, Google Smart Bidding can make more informed decisions to reduce costs and increase conversions.
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Informed Decisions: Access to complete data allows you to more strategically adjust your marketing efforts.

How Does Offline Conversion Tracking Work?

Offline conversion tracking captures a unique identifier when a user interacts with your ad and links it to the offline action. The most common methods include:

Google Click ID (GCLID)

A unique Google Click ID (GCLID) is generated every time a user clicks on your Google ad. You can capture and store this ID along with the user’s lead information (such as a form submission). If the conversion occurs later offline, upload the GCLID back to Google Ads, and Google will attribute the offline conversion to the corresponding ad click.

Advanced conversions for leads

This method uses hashed customer data (such as an email address or phone number) instead of a GCLID to attribute conversions. Google then assigns the conversion to the corresponding ad click.

CRM integrations

Google Ads can be integrated into CRM systems such as Salesforce, HubSpot, or Zapier. These integrations automatically capture and import offline conversions.

Step-by-Step: How to Set Up Offline Conversions in Google Ads

Here’s a detailed walkthrough on how to set up offline conversion tracking using both GCLID and enhanced conversion methods.

Step 1: Enable Auto-Tagging in Google Ads

Before you can capture GCLIDs, you need to ensure auto-tagging is enabled.

• Sign in to your Google Ads account
• Click the wrench icon for “Tools & Settings.”
• Under “Setup,” select “Account Settings.”
• Check the box for “Tag the URL that people click through from my ad” (Auto-tagging)

Step 2: Create a Conversion Action in Google Ads

• Go to “Tools & Settings” > “Measurement” > “Conversions”
• Click the “+” button to create a new conversion
• Select “Import” > Choose “Other data sources or CRMs”
• Configure the conversion details (name, value, count, conversion window)

Step 3: Capture GCLID on Your Website

Use a hidden field in your lead forms to capture and store the GCLID. This will usually require a developer to set up JavaScript that grabs the GCLID from the URL and saves it to your CRM or database.

Step 4: Record Offline Conversions

When the lead converts offline (buys in-store, signs a contract, etc.), retrieve the stored GCLID and associate it with the conversion details.

Prepare a CSV file with the following headers:

• GCLID
• Conversion Name
• Conversion Time (in YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM: SS format)
• Conversion Value (optional)

Step 5: Upload the File to Google Ads

• Go to “Tools & Settings” > “Measurement” > “Conversions”
• Click “Uploads.”
• Choose the file and upload it

Google will then process the data and attribute the conversions to the corresponding ad clicks.

Tips for Effective Offline Conversion Tracking

1. Maintain Data Privacy: Always hash customer data to comply with data protection laws (e.g., GDPR, CCPA).
2. Use consistent naming conventions: This greatly simplifies organization and reporting.
3. Regular Uploads: Set up a routine (daily, weekly) for importing new conversion data.
4. Monitor Conversion Match Rates: Check Google Ads to ensure conversions are being attributed correctly.
5. Align Sales and Marketing: Make sure your sales team understands the importance of collecting data that aligns with Google Ads identifiers.

Partner with Ak Badhak LLC for Expert PPC Management

At Ak Badhak LLC, we understand the complexities of tracking and optimizing online and offline conversions. Our team specializes in building comprehensive conversion tracking systems to ensure you capture the full context of your customer interactions.

With over four years of experience executing successful PPC campaigns, we offer:

Personalized Tracking Solutions: Tailor-made strategies to monitor all conversion types relevant to your business.

Data-Driven Optimization: Use complete conversion data to optimize your advertising strategy and maximize ROI.

Professional Technical Support: Dedicated customer service representatives are with you every step of the way.

Are you ready to optimize your advertising performance? Contact Ak Badhak LLC today to learn how we can help you realize the full potential of your Google Ads campaigns.

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