Without conversion tracking, Google Ads shows you clicks, but not whether those clicks became customers. For a local business, a click is not the goal; a phone call, a form submission or a booking is. Conversion tracking connects your ad spend to those real actions.
What should you track?
- Calls from ads: people tapping the call button in your ad.
- Calls from your website: clicks on your number on the landing page.
- Form submissions and quote requests.
- Bookings or chat starts, where you use them.
Pick the actions that matter to the business and mark only those as primary conversions, so optimisation focuses on genuine leads.
How do you set up conversion tracking?
Google’s help centre explains the options: add the Google tag to your site, create each conversion action in Google Ads, and fire it on the confirmation page or button click. Many sites use Google Tag Manager to do this without editing code. Test every action yourself before relying on the data.
What mistakes are common?
- Counting page views or tiny actions as conversions, which inflates results.
- Tracking nothing for phone calls, though many local leads call.
- Leaving the tracking untested after a site redesign.
- Ignoring lead quality: a form fill is not always a good lead.
What do you do with the data?
Review which keywords and ads bring real enquiries, pause the ones that do not, and tighten your targeting with negative keywords. A good landing page helps those numbers improve.
If you want conversion tracking set up properly, our SEM and paid ads service includes it from day one, and you can see the options on the packages page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a conversion in Google Ads?
A valuable action a visitor takes after clicking your ad, such as a call, form submission or booking.
Can Google Ads track phone calls?
Yes. It offers call reporting options for calls from ads and from your website. Check Google’s help pages for the current setup steps.
How do I know tracking is working?
Test each action yourself and confirm it appears in Google Ads. Recheck after any website change.
How many conversion actions should I use?
Only as many as match real business goals. Too many low-value actions can muddy the data.