Setting Up Google Ads Conversion Tracking for Your Store

Conversion tracking in Google Ads allows you to measure the effectiveness of your advertising campaigns by recording key user actions such as purchases, sign-ups, form submissions, or other meaningful interactions on your website. When the required tracking code is configured correctly, Google Ads can attribute these actions to your ads, helping you evaluate return on investment (ROI), optimize bidding, and improve campaign performance.

This article introduces Google Ads conversion tracking and explains how to set it up for your SHOPLINE store.

Introduction to Google Ads

Google Ads is an online advertising platform that enables businesses to display ads across Google Search results, partner websites, mobile apps, and YouTube. It offers a wide range of tools for delivering, managing, and optimizing ads to help you reach potential customers more effectively.

Advertisers can choose from various ad formats—such as Search, Display, Video, and Shopping—and tailor their targeting using factors like keywords, location, interests, and user behavior.

Google Ads also provides comprehensive reporting on key performance metrics, including impressions, clicks, and conversions. These insights allow you to refine your campaigns, improve ad performance, and maximize your return on investment.

Conversion Tracking Overview

Conversion tracking is essential for measuring the effectiveness of your Google Ads campaigns. By recording key actions that users take after clicking an ad—such as purchases, sign-ups, or form submissions—it helps you understand campaign ROI and optimize your advertising strategy.

Google Ads supports two main methods for reporting conversion data:

Client-Side Tracking

Client-side tracking uses the Google Ads conversion tag (Google tag) installed on your website. When a user completes a conversion action, the tag is triggered in the browser and sends the data back to Google Ads. This is the most common method for conversion tracking.

Server-Side Tracking

Server-side tracking allows your server to send conversion events directly to Google Ads. This approach offers improved accuracy, better resilience against browser limitations, and stronger data privacy control. To enable server-side tracking, you must authorize your Google Ads account and provide the associated conversion action ID.

SHOPLINE supports both client-side and server-side conversion tracking, allowing you to choose the method that best matches your data accuracy and privacy needs.

Setting Up Client-Side Conversion Tracking

To track conversions directly from a shopper’s browser, you first need to create a website conversion action in Google Ads and then connect it to your SHOPLINE store. Follow the steps below to complete the setup.

Creating a Website Conversion Action

To create a website conversion action in Google Ads, follow these steps:

1. Log in to your Google Ads account.

2. In the left sidebar, go to Goals > Conversions > Summary, locate the All your goals section, then click + Create conversion action.

   

3. Under Where do you want to measure conversions?, select Conversions on a website, then click Save and continue.

   

4. Under What's important for you to measure?, select Purchase and click Save and continue.

   

5. In the Purchase section, click + Add conversion actions and select the website URL for the target conversion source.

   

6. In the pop-up, select Set up manually using code, adjust the Conversion settings as needed (optional), then click Done.

   

7. Back on the Purchase settings page, verify that the action was created successfully, then click Save and continue.

   

8. Review your settings, then click Finish.

Retrieving Your Conversion ID and Label

1. Go to the Summary page, locate the All your goals section, and click View all conversion actions.

   

2. Find and select the conversion action you want to use for your store.

   

3. Expand the Tag setup section, then click Use Google Tag Manager.

   

4. Copy the generated Conversion ID and Conversion label, then proceed to the next section to connect them with your SHOPLINE store.

   

Linking Client-Side Tracking with SHOPLINE

To connect Google Ads conversion tracking to your SHOPLINE store, follow these steps:

1. In your SHOPLINE admin panel, go to Channels > Google > Data tracking and click Manage (or Start tracking if no data tracking has been configured yet).

   

2. Under the Google Ads section, find Client-side and click Add.

   

3. In the pop-up window, configure the following: 
   • Select the tracking event and ensure it matches the event type set in Google Ads.
   • Paste the Conversion ID into the Conversion ID field.
   • Paste the Conversion label into the Conversion tag field.

4. Click Complete to save the settings.

Setting Up Server-Side Conversion Tracking

Server-side conversion tracking allows your server to send conversion events directly to Google Ads, offering improved data accuracy and better resilience against browser limitations. To set up server-side tracking, follow the steps below. 

Create a Server-Side Conversion Action in Google Ads

To create a server-side conversion action in Google Ads, follow these steps:

1. Log in to your Google Ads account.

2. In the left sidebar, go to Goals > Conversions > Summary, locate the All your goals section, then click + Create conversion action.

   

3. Under Where do you want to measure conversions?, select Conversions on a website, Conversions from phone calls, and Conversions offline, then click Save and continue.

   

4. Under What's important for you to measure?, select Purchase and click Save and continue.

   

5. In the Purchase section, click + Add conversion actions and select Connect data source later.

   

6. Confirm that the conversion event has been successfully created, then click Save and continue.

   

7. Review and set up your data source, then click Finish. 

Linking Server-Side Tracking with SHOPLINE

To connect server-side conversion tracking to your SHOPLINE store, follow these steps:

1. In your SHOPLINE admin panel, go to Channels > Google > Data tracking, then click Manage (or Start tracking if no data tracking has been configured yet).

   

2. Under the Google Ads section, locate Server-side and click Add.

   

3. The system will automatically retrieve conversion actions with the Website (Import from clicks) status. If multiple options appear, select the one you want to use.

   

4. Click Complete to save your settings.

Frequently Asked Questions and Troubleshooting

1. Why are my conversion data missing or inaccurate?
   • Check tracking code installation: Ensure your client-side tag is added to the correct pages and that your server-side setup is transmitting data properly.
   • Allow time for data syncing: Conversion data may take several hours to appear in Google Ads.
   • Verify GCLID transmission: Confirm that the Google Click Identifier (GCLID) is being passed correctly during ad clicks and included in the conversion event.
2. Can I use both client-side and server-side conversion tracking?

Yes. You can enable both client-side and server-side tracking to improve data accuracy and reliability. These two methods work independently and do not conflict with each other.

3. What permissions are required for server-side conversion tracking?

To configure server-side tracking, you need access to the Google Ads API, along with your Google Ads account ID and conversion action ID. You may need assistance from your Google Ads account administrator or development team to complete the setup.

4. How can I improve conversion tracking accuracy?
   • Ensure correct code placement: Verify that both client-side and server-side configurations are installed properly and functioning as expected.
   • Use HTTPS: A secure HTTPS environment enhances data integrity and improves tracking reliability.

   • Review data regularly: Periodically audit your conversion performance to identify and fix any discrepancies or implementation issues.