There have been quite a lot of changes in marketing analytics over the past couple of years, and the main goal of most of them has been protecting the privacy of users’ data.
The GDPR, restrictions on third-party cookies in Safari (and announced restrictions in Chrome in 2024), and the release of GA4 make campaign monitoring and conversion tracking for marketers much more complicated.
To help marketers improve their conversion tracking accuracy in a privacy-friendly way, Google has added a new feature called enhanced conversion tracking, which ensures accurate conversion data.
Conversion measurement is crucial in digital marketing as it improves the accuracy of tracking campaign performance.
In this article, updated in April 2025, we explain what enhanced conversion data is, the advantages of this feature, and different ways to set it up.
What are enhanced conversions in Google Ads
Google's enhanced tracking in the ad platform improves conversion accuracy while protecting and maintaining user privacy. This feature encrypts first-party data (name, phone, email) from your site, ensuring accurate measurement, attribution, and privacy compliance.
Using SHA-256 hashing, Google links this data to users' accounts to associate conversions with specific ad clicks, also enabling offline conversion tracking to evaluate the impact of online ads on offline sales. Introduced by Google in May 2021, enhanced tracking supplements existing conversion tags with first-party, user-provided data.
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How Enhanced Conversions Work
Let’s consider two practical scenarios. For both examples, we’ll assume that you have an online shop that sells, say… musical instruments.
Example 1:
Alex searches for a guitar on Google under his account.
He sees your ad on the Google search results page, clicks on it, and goes to your online shop.
Your enhanced conversions trackingtag captures Alex’s email address from signed-in Google accounts, hashes it as hashed customer data, and sends it to Google Ads.
On your site, Alex studies guitar, watches video reviews, and adds the guitar he likes to the cart, but then Carol comes home and distracts Alex from completing the purchase.
A few days later, Alex returns to the site and completes the purchase.
The email address that Alex provides when confirming the order is hashed again and sent to Google Ads.
With this email address, Google Ads can now link all conversions (pageview, video view, add to cart, and purchase) to the original ad that Alex clicked on.
Example 2:
Carol is on her lunch break, looking through her Google work account for a guitar to give Alex as a gift.
She sees your ad on the search results page, clicks on it, and goes to your site.
The implemented enhanced conversions tracking tag hashes Carol’s work email and sends it to Google Ads.
On your website, Carol studies your guitars, but then the break ends — she needs to get back to work.
After work, Carol returns to the site from her smartphone and makes a purchase, indicating her personal email address, phone number, and delivery address.
This data is hashed and transmitted to Google Ads.
Since Carol always uses two-factor authentication, Google Ads can use her phone number to link her work and personal emails. This allows Google Ads to understand that the same user clicked on the ad and made the purchase. If it weren’t for enhanced conversions, the system might not link these actions and would see two users.
What Makes Enabling the Enhanced Conversions Feature Essential
It is essential for accurate conversion tracking campaign conversions, data privacy, and adapting to the modern digital advertising landscape. Key benefits include:
Improved Conversion Tracking Accuracy
Supplements Conversion Tag: It adds first-party hashed data to existing tags, improving tracking precision.
Captures User Actions: Tracks post-click actions like form submissions, sign-ups, or purchases for better insight.
Privacy-Compliant Data Handling
Hashes Sensitive Data: Uses SHA-256 hashing to securely encrypt customer data before sending it to Google.
Matches with Google Accounts: Safely matches encrypted data to user accounts for privacy-respecting conversion attribution.
Adapting to Data Privacy Regulations
Compliance with GDPR/CCPA: Meets data privacy requirements, ensuring transparency and control.
Works with Browser Privacy Updates: Provides a compliant solution to browser restrictions (e.g., Safari’s ITP, Firefox’s ETP).
Creating Custom Audiences with Privacy
Enables Targeted Advertising: Uses hashed data to create privacy-respecting custom audiences.
Supports Privacy-Friendly Targeting: Enables relevant ads while protecting user information.
Necessity in Today’s Landscape
Addresses Tracking Challenges: Adapts to modern privacy standards, filling gaps in traditional tracking methods.
Balances Accuracy and Privacy: Delivers comprehensive tracking while respecting user privacy.
By implementing Google's advanced tracking, advertisers gain a clearer view of conversion data, comply with privacy laws, adapt to browser updates, and engage audiences responsibly, optimizing campaigns with accurate data-driven insights.
You can set up two types of advanced conversion tracking setup: Enhanced conversions for web and for leads.
Implementing Enhanced conversions for web allows tracking of online conversions by sending encrypted first-party data (name, email, phone, address) when a user makes a purchase.
Implementing Enhanced Conversions for leads enables offline conversion tracking by uploading encrypted first-party CRM data, which links conversions to the relevant ad campaigns.
Benefits of Using for Enhanced Conversion Tracking for Conversion Measurement
Use first-party data without violating privacy. With third-party data limitations, hashed site data offers a privacy-safe alternative, enabling more enhanced conversion tracking.
Get more conversion data. Avoid data loss from cookie restrictions and privacy laws. Google reports a 17% average conversion lift for advertisers.
Improve the accuracy of your conversion data. Align conversion data between the ad platform and analytics tools (such as Google Analytics), improving ROAS accuracy by matching user data to ads.
Improve your bid and budget management. Advanced tracking combined with Smart Bidding and data-driven attribution will help you make much better campaign optimization decisions.
How to Set Up Enhanced Conversions for Web in Google Ads Account
Automatic setup (suitable for both GTM and gtag.js - now Google tag)
Manual setup using Google Tag Manager
Manual setup with the Google Tag
Set up with the Google Ads API
Since setting up with the Google tag and the Google Ads API may require developers' input, in this article, we'll take a closer look at the first two methods that you can implement yourself.
1. Automatic Enhanced Conversion Tracking Setup
Using the automatic method, you can set up without changing the conversion tracking code that is already on your page.
The automatic method may not be available when:
There is no user data on the conversion page
The conversion is triggered on several different pages where user data is stored in various unique ways
There is insufficient conversion data for auto-configuration
What you need to set up:
The URL of the conversion page on which the conversion tag fires (for example, the URL of the confirmation page) and the trigger for the conversion event (for example, a button click or page view)
The page on which the conversion tag fires must have first-party customer data available
1. Sign in to your ads account. In the upper right corner, click on Tools and Settings, and in the Measurement section, select Conversions.
2. Select the conversion action you want to set up enhanced tracking for.
3. Click on the Enhanced Conversions section and check the box next to Turn on enhanced conversions.
4. Click Agree to the compliance statement. Then select Google Tag or GTM and click Next.
5. Check your site for the Global site tag. To do this, enter the landing page URL and click Check URL.
6. The Tag type field will display the tracking method you use on your site. If it's a Google tag, you should be able to complete the setup at this point. If you are using GTM, click the Open Google Tag Manager link, click Save, and continue with your GTM account.
7. To complete automatic setup in GTM, wait five days after signing the Terms of Use in your account. Once this period has passed, open the Tags tab in GTM and select the conversion tracking tag for Google Ads.
Make sure the Conversion ID and Conversion Label for the tag and for the Google Ads conversion tracking match.
8. Check the box next to Include user-provided data from your website and select New Variable… from the drop-down list.
9. Select Automatic collection. Click Save for the variable, then save the tag.
These steps must be repeated for each conversion action.
2. Manual Setup Using Google Tag Manager
In this way, you can set up enhanced conversion tracking with minimal or no changes to your website tag configuration.
Then follow the steps mentioned in Automatic Enhanced Conversions Setup.
There are three manual configuration options in GTM:
With CSS selectors. This option is the easiest since you do not need to change the code on the site. It is enough that the client's first-party data is available on the conversion page.
With a data layer variable. With this option, you'll need to make small changes to the data layer. This option is suitable for those who often change the site code, such as formatting or CSS selectors.
Using the Code method. You can transfer all data as a single object. To do this, you need to add JavaScript variables to the conversion page in which the client's first-party data will be defined. This option is relevant if customer data is not available on the conversion page (for example, if you need to transfer it from the previous page).
Next, let's consider the setup option using CSS selectors.
Turn on Enhanced Conversions in Google Ads
1. Sign in to your Google Ads account. In the upper right corner, click on Tools and Settings, and in the Measurement section, select Conversions.
2. Select the conversion action you want to set up enhanced tracking for.
3. Click on the Enhanced Conversions section and check the box next to Turn on Enhanced Conversions.
4. Click Agree to the compliance statement. Then select Google Tag or GTM and click Next.
5. Check your site for the Google tag. To do this, enter the landing page URL and click Check URL.
6. In the Tag type field, a tracking method should appear: GTM. Click Save and continue with the setup in your GTM account.
To complete automatic setup in GTM, you must wait five days after signing the Terms of Use in your account.
Find the CSS variables and selectors you want to use for enhanced conversion tracking
1. Open the conversion page in the Chrome browser. It should already have a conversion tracking tag on it. If you aren't sure about this, check with your developers. To set up enhanced conversions, this page must contain the user's email address or physical address along with the first name, last name, zip code, and country. The rest of the fields are optional.
2. Copy the CSS selectors that you will need to specify in GTM. To do this, on the conversion page, click on the field with the data you want to send — for example, the email field. Then right-click and select View Code. The source code of the site will appear in DevTools, and part of the code will be highlighted. Hover over the highlighted code, right-click, and select Copy, then choose Copy selector.
Finish setting up enhanced conversions in Google Tag Manager
1. Sign in to your GTM account. Open the Tags tab and select the Google Ads Conversion Tracking tag for which you want to implement.
Make sure the Conversion ID and Conversion Label for the tag and for the Google Ads conversion match.
2. Check the box next to Include user-provided data from your website and select New Variable… from the drop-down list.
3. Select Manual Configuration.
4. For each user data field that you want to track, select New Variable… from the drop-down menu.
5. On the Variable Configuration screen, click the Choose a variable type link and select DOM Element.
6. On the Variable Configuration screen, in the Selection Method field, select CSS Selector and enter the selector you copied from the conversion page.
7. Give the variable a name and save it.
These steps must be repeated for each conversion action for which you want to set up.
Important! What should I do if the conversion for which I want to set enhanced conversions has been imported from Google Analytics 4, and this option is not available?
In this case, you need to create a similar conversion with Conversions source=Website.
To avoid duplication, for identical purposes, you can select the Secondary conversion type; in this case, these conversions will not affect the optimization (they will be used for observation and reporting) and will also allow you to receive additional signals. Once the conversion has collected enough data, you can optionally switch to optimization for Website conversion.
How to Check if Enhanced Conversions are Set Up Correctly
If you set up enhanced conversions with GTM, check if the tag works correctly when a conversion action is performed.
To do this, open Tag Assistant and enable debug mode for the conversion page. In the Tags tab, select the desired event.
By clicking on a tag, you will see detailed information about it:
If the tag works correctly, information about conversions should appear in Google Ads within 48 hours.
You can check the conversion status in your account. To do this, in the upper right corner, click on Tools and settings, and in the Measurement section, select Conversions. Select a conversion and go to the Diagnostics tab. If everything is configured and working correctly, you'll see the following message:
If you see a similar status on the screen, it can serve as an indicator of a lowered Match Rate.
Such a status does not always indicate that you need to change the way you trace conversions. We ran into a similar issue while setting up for one of our clients. In that case, the Match Rate was influenced by the type of emails that were sent along with the conversions.
Since our client was a B2B web developer, a significant part of the transmitted emails were not tied to Google Workspace accounts, and, as a result, there was no match. The incremental impact of implementation can be estimated within two to four weeks.
Benefits for Leads
Easy Setup: Lead tracking in the ad platform offers an easy setup, avoiding complex technical steps. This user-friendly approach integrates smoothly with campaigns and is supported by clear guidelines from Google.
Better Campaign Performance: This feature enhances the accuracy of tracking offline conversions from online leads, leading to more effective ad spend and improved ROI. It provides valuable insights into campaign performance, allowing for targeted optimization.
Flexibility: Offering multiple implementation options, including the Google tag and Tag Manager, advanced lead tracking accommodates various technical setups and business models. Its adaptability across industries and conversion actions make it a versatile tool for advertisers.
3 Ways to Set Up Enhanced Conversions for Leads
You can set up this feature in three ways:
Tag Manager: If you're already using Google Tag Manager for conversion tracking, you can set up enhanced conversion for leads with slight changes to your configuration.
The Google Tag: For those who have implemented enhanced conversion tracking using the Google tag directly on their page, enhanced conversion for leads can be set up by making minor adjustments to the configuration.
Lead Form Ads: If you're using lead form ads, you can set up enhanced conversion leads without changing your tagging setup, as user-provided data is captured in a Google-hosted lead form.
How to Set Up for Leads
Setting up Enhanced Conversion for leads is like playing a strategic game, where you connect your online ads to the real-world actions they lead to. Here's a step-by-step process.
Setting up Enhanced Conversion for Leads using GTM
1. Identify your lead forms
Find the Forms: Look at your website and find the forms where people enter their information, like their email or phone number. These are your lead forms.
2. Choose a unique identifier
Pick an Identifier: On your lead forms, identify a unique piece of information that people enter, like their email address or phone number. This will be used to track who fills out the form.
3. Configure in Google Ads
Go to Google Ads: Log into your Ads account.
Create a New Conversion: Go to the 'Conversions' section and click on 'New conversion action.'
Select 'Import': Select 'Import,' then click on 'other data sources or CRMs,' followed by 'Track conversions from clicks.' This allows you to monitor actions occurring after a user clicks on your advertisement.
Continue with Setup: Click 'Continue,' choose 'Converted lead,' and name your conversion (e.g., 'Enhanced Conversion Imported'). Set the conversion window to 90 days for a broader tracking range.
4. Check conversion settings
Settings Verification: Ensure 'Enhanced conversions for leads' is turned on in the conversion action settings.
Select Google Tag Manager: Choose 'Google Tag Manager' as your setup method.
5. Enable enhanced conversions
Choose Enhanced Conversions: You'll see an option for Enhanced Conversions during the setup. Check this box.
Select Implementation Method: Choose how you want to set it up, like using Google Tag Manager, which is a tool that helps manage your website tags without editing code.
6. Create a CSS selector
Inspect Email Field: On your website, right-click the email field in the form and select 'Inspect'.
Copy CSS Selector: Right-click the highlighted code in the developer tools and select 'Copy' and then 'Copy selector.'
7. Adjust tag settings (if using Google Tag Manager)
Open Google Tag Manager: If you're using Google Tag Manager, log in to it.
Create New Variable: Go to 'Variables' > 'New' > 'DOM Element'. Paste the copied CSS selector. Set the attribute name to 'value'.
Name the Variable: Name it (e.g., 'CSS Selector Email') and save.
8. Create a new tag
New Tag in GTM: Go to 'Tags' > 'New' > 'Tag Configuration' and click on 'Google Ads User-Provided Data Event.'
Enter Conversion ID: Find your Google Ads Conversion ID (without 'AW-') and enter it.
Configure User-Provided Data: Under 'User-provided data,' select the variable you created for the email CSS selector.
Name and Save Tag: Name your tag (e.g., 'Google User Provided Data') and save without a trigger for now.
There are three methods available to deploy through Google Tag Manager. You only need to select one option for gathering user-provided data. Here, we have used the manual method.
9. Identify and set up trigger
Find the Correct Trigger: Use GTM's preview mode to submit a test form on your site. Identify the correct Data Layer event that triggers when the form is submitted.
Configure Trigger: In GTM, go to your 'Google User Provided Data' tag and add the identified trigger (e.g., 'Form Submission').
10. Test and publish in GTM
Preview and Test: Use GTM's preview mode to test the setup by submitting the form again.
Check Tag Fires Correctly: Ensure the tag fires and captures the email address.
Publish Changes: Once confirmed, publish the changes in GTM.
11. Prepare and upload offline conversion data
Prepare Data: Collect email addresses from your CRM system and hash them using a tool like Google Sheets.
Upload to Google Ads: In Google Ads, go to 'Conversions' > 'Uploads' and upload the hashed email addresses and conversion details.
By following these steps, you'll set up Enhanced Conversions for Leads using GTM. This setup allows you to track offline conversions (like phone calls or in-person visits) that originated from online leads, providing a much more accurate and comprehensive data view of your ad performance. Remember, the key is to ensure that the email field is correctly identified and that the tag fires at the right moment when the form is submitted.
Setting up Enhanced Conversions for Leads using Google Tag
To establish enhanced conversions for leads using Google Tag, ensure that auto-tagging is enabled, as it is essential for importing non-online conversions.
1. Create a new conversion action
Access Google Ads: Log in to your account.
Navigate to Conversions: Click on 'Tools & Settings' > 'Conversions'.
Start New Conversion Action: Click 'New conversion action'.
Select Import Method: Choose 'Import,' then 'Other data sources or CRMs' and 'Track conversions from clicks.'
Configure Conversion Action: Enter the necessary settings for your conversion action.
Enable Enhanced Conversions for Leads: Check the option for 'Enhanced conversions for leads'.
2. Accept customer data terms
Review Terms: Click 'View Terms' next to 'Customer data terms.'
Agree to Terms: After reviewing, check the box to accept the terms and click 'Agree.'
3. Configure Google Tag
Choose Setup Method: Select either 'Google Tag' or 'Google Tag Manager.'
Google Tag: If the data provided is inaccurate, an error message and guidance for tag configuration will be given. A success message is received when the tag is configured correctly.
Google Tag Manager: Notifications are sent, providing links to both instructions and the Google Tag Manager page.
Initiate Google Tag Configuration: Click "Configure tag" next to "Google Tag Configuration."
Confirm Tag Installation: Ensure the Google tag is correctly installed on your website in the "Your Google tag" section.
Automated Event Detection: Under "Settings," toggle on "Automatically detect events," specifically for "Form interactions." In the ensuing "Configuration" section, make sure "Form interactions" is enabled, then save the changes.
Include User-Provided Data: Choose how to include user data (Automatic collection, Manual configuration, or Image code).
Save Settings: After configuring, save your settings in the Google tag menu.
4. Set enhanced conversions for leads
Identify Form Fields: On your website, locate the lead form and identify fields for Enhanced Conversions (like email).
Choose Setup Method: Decide between using JavaScript variables or CSS Selectors.
Implement Code: For custom JavaScript implementation, add the necessary code to call the Google tag directly.
5. Import conversions
Import Data: Finally, import conversions from ad clicks into Google Ads as per your setup.
This process allows you to track non-digital conversions that originate from online leads from Google Ads campaigns, enhancing your ability to measure the efficiency of your campaigns.
Setting up Enhanced Conversion for Lead Form Ads
1. Create your lead form ad
Create Ad: Start by creating a lead form ad in Google Ads.
Automatic Conversion Action Creation: Once the form receives its first submission, a lead form conversion action named “Lead form submission” will automatically be created in your Ads account.
2. Enable enhanced conversions for leads
Access Account: Log into your Ads account.
Navigate to Conversions Settings: Click on the Goals icon, then select 'Conversions' from the dropdown menu.
Enhanced Conversions Settings: Go to 'Settings' and expand the 'Enhanced conversions for leads' section.
Enable-Feature: Check the option to 'Turn on enhanced conversions for leads'.
Choose Setup Method: Select your preferred method for setting up and managing user-provided data.
Save Changes: Click 'Save' to apply your settings.
3. Set up an offline conversion action
Open Conversions Summary: In Google Ads, go to the Conversions Summary.
Create New Conversion Action: Click 'New conversion action'.
Configure Conversion Type: Set the conversion type to 'Import'. Choose 'Other data resources or CRMs' and 'Track conversions from clicks'.
Continue with Setup: Click 'Continue' and enter the settings for your conversion action.
Finalize Conversion Action: Click 'Create and Continue' to confirm your new conversion action.
4. Import conversions into Google Ads
Import Conversion Data: Finally, import the conversions from ad clicks into Google Ads. This step involves uploading data about the offline conversions that resulted from your ads.
By following these steps, you'll be able to track online interactions with your ads and the offline conversions they lead to, giving you a more comprehensive view of your ad campaign's effectiveness.
Key Takeaways
Enhanced conversions help advertisers and marketers use first-party data without violating privacy requirements. You can use enhanced conversions to get more data and improve its accuracy, improve bid and budget management, and optimize your advertising campaigns in general.
There are many ways to set up other tracking technologies to enhance conversions, depending on how tracking is implemented on your site.
If you need help setting up enhanced conversions, sign up for a demo. OWOX specialists will help you set up enhanced conversion tracking in a way that is relevant to your website.
FAQ
How do you do lead conversion in Google Ads?
How do you describe enhanced conversions for leads?
How does Google ad conversion work?
How do I set up enhanced conversions in Google Ads?
