How to Setup Conversion Event in Google Ads

How to Setup Conversion Event in Google Ads

Maximize Your StoreHippo Sales with Google Ads Conversion Tracking

Before proceeding with this guide, ensure you have Google Tag Manager set up on your StoreHippo site. If you haven't already, please refer to our comprehensive guide on setting up Google Tag Manager for StoreHippo.

In today's competitive e-commerce landscape, accurately tracking conversions is crucial for optimizing your Google Ads campaigns. For StoreHippo users, leveraging Google Tag Manager (GTM) and the data layer offers a powerful and flexible way to capture valuable conversion data, specifically for "Add to Cart" and "Item Purchase" events.

Prerequisites:

• A Google Ads account.
• A Google Tag Manager account connected to your StoreHippo website.
• A Google Merchant Center account (for purchase conversions).

Step 1: Setting Up Google Conversion Linker

Before implementing any conversion tracking, ensure the Google Conversion Linker tag is configured in your GTM container. This tag ensures accurate conversion tracking by storing information about ad clicks in first-party cookies.

1. In your Google Tag Manager workspace, navigate to "Tags" and click "New."
2. Name your tag "Google Ads Conversion Linker."
3. Choose "Google Ads Conversion Linker" as the tag type.
4. Set the trigger to "All Pages" (or a trigger that fires on all pages where conversions might occur).
5. Save the tag.

Step 2: Creating Conversion Actions in Google Ads

1. Log in to your Google Ads account.
2. Click "Tools & Settings" (wrench icon) and select "Conversions" under "Measurement."
3. Click the "+" button to create a new conversion action.
4. Select "Website" as the conversion source.
5. Choose the category that best describes your conversion (e.g., "Add to cart" or "Purchase").
6. Name your conversion action (e.g., "Add to Cart Conversion" or "Purchase Conversion").
7. Set the value for each conversion. For purchases, you can use dynamic values from your website. For "Add to cart," you might choose to assign a fixed value or not assign a value.
8. Configure the count, click-through conversion window, view-through conversion window, and attribution model as desired.
9. On the "Tag setup" page, select "Use Google Tag Manager."
10. You will be provided with a "Conversion ID" and "Conversion Label." Keep these values handy.

Step 3: Creating Data Layer Variables in Google Tag Manager

StoreHippo’s data layer provides access to crucial event information. To capture this data, create the following data layer variables in GTM:

1. In your Google Tag Manager workspace, navigate to "Variables" and click "New."
2. Name the first variable "eventModel.items."
3. Choose "Data Layer Variable" as the variable type.
4. In the "Data Layer Variable Name" field, enter eventModel.items.
5. Save the variable.
6. Repeat steps 1-5 to create a second variable named "eventModel.value," with the "Data Layer Variable Name" set to eventModel.value.

Step 4: Setting Up Google Ads Conversion Tracking Tags in Google Tag Manager

For "Add to Cart" Conversion:

1. In your Google Tag Manager workspace, navigate to "Tags" and click "New."
2. Name your tag "Google Ads - Add to Cart Conversion."
3. Choose "Google Ads Conversion Tracking" as the tag type.
4. Enter the "Conversion ID" and "Conversion Label" obtained from Google Ads.
5. In the "Conversion Value" field, add the previously created data layer variable {{eventModel.value}}.
6. In the "Items" field, add the previously created data layer variable {{eventModel.items}}.
7. Create a new trigger by clicking the "+" icon.
8. Name the trigger "Add to Cart Trigger."
9. Choose "Custom Event" as the trigger type.
10. Enter add_to_cart as the "Event name."
11. Save the trigger and attach it to the tag.
12. Save the tag.

For "Item Purchase" Conversion:

1. Repeat steps 1-6 from the "Add to Cart" instructions.
2. In the “Merchant ID” field enter your Google Merchant Center ID.
3. Create a new trigger named "Purchase Trigger."
4. Choose "Custom Event" as the trigger type.
5. Enter purchase as the "Event name."
6. Save the trigger and attach it to the tag.
7. Save the tag.

Step 5: Preview and Publish

1. Click "Preview" in the top right corner of your Google Tag Manager workspace.
2. Navigate your StoreHippo website and perform the actions you are tracking (add an item to the cart and complete a purchase).
3. Verify that the tags are firing correctly in the GTM preview window.
4. Once you are satisfied, click "Submit" in your Google Tag Manager workspace to publish the changes.

Conclusion:

By following these steps, you can effectively track "Add to Cart" and "Item Purchase" conversions from your StoreHippo website using Google Tag Manager and the data layer. This precise tracking allows you to optimize your Google Ads campaigns, improve your return on ad spend, and drive more sales.