Offline conversion tracking

Offline Conversion Imports allow advertisers to track conversions that happen offline as a result of online interactions, such as an ad click or a phone call. These conversions might not lead to an immediate online sale but could result in a transaction offline, such as in-store or over the phone. Importing offline conversions helps you better understand which ads, keywords, and targeting criteria drive cost-effective offline sales and conversions.

While Offline Conversion Import remains available for use, Google recommends transitioning to Enhanced Conversions for Leads for better accuracy, durability, and cross-device reporting. Enhanced conversions use Google tags to capture first-party data, improving the overall measurement and optimization of conversions.

Key Features and Benefits of Offline Conversion Imports:

• Comprehensive Tracking: Offline conversion imports allow advertisers to see the entire customer journey, from an online click or call to an offline conversion.
• Improved Optimization: By tracking offline sales, you gain a better understanding of which keywords, locations, and times are most effective at driving profitable conversions. This data can optimize campaigns for better return on investment (ROI).
• Types of Offline Conversions: The tool is useful for situations like closing a sale offline, tracking sales made to new or repeat customers, and monitoring purchases made after 30 days of an online sale.

Methods of Importing Offline Conversions:

Google Ads offers several options to track offline conversions:

1. Direct Import via Google Ads:
   • For Click Conversions: Use either Enhanced Conversions for Leads or Google Click ID (GCLID) to track conversions from clicks on your ads.
   • For Phone Call Conversions: Track phone call conversions initiated by ad interactions.
2. Google Ads Conversion Import for Salesforce®:
   • This option allows automatic tracking of sales events in Salesforce, providing seamless integration for users of Salesforce Sales Cloud®.
3. Zapier Offline Conversion Tracking:
   • Automate the import of offline conversion data from a variety of customer relationship management (CRM) systems into Google Ads.
4. HubSpot Google Ads Optimization Events Tool:
   • Sync your HubSpot CRM data with Google Ads to track offline sales and optimize campaigns.

How Offline Conversion Imports Work:

• Conversions from Clicks:
  • Enhanced Conversions for Leads: This is the recommended method, where first-party data from the customer is captured and sent to Google Ads for improved reporting.
  • Conversions Using GCLID: Google Ads assigns a unique identifier (GCLID) to each click, allowing you to track offline conversions by matching the GCLID when a lead converts into a sale offline.
  Example: If you sell custom boardroom tables, you might use Google Ads to drive prospective customers to your site. When they submit their contact information, you capture the GCLID. Later, when they convert into a paying customer offline, you upload this data back to Google Ads to see which keywords led to the sale.
• Conversions from Calls:
  • Track phone calls that lead to sales or other valuable customer actions. By importing call conversion data into Google Ads, you can associate phone call conversions with the ads and keywords that generated them.

Automated Bidding with Offline Conversions:

• You can use automated bidding strategies like Target ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) with offline conversions to optimize bids based on both online and offline actions. By tracking both types of conversions and assigning different values to each (e.g., a lead worth $10 and a sale worth $500), Google Ads can better understand your sales funnel and optimize bids more effectively.

Best Practices:

• Import offline conversions frequently (ideally daily).
• Wait until your conversion window is complete before enabling automated bidding.
• Use the Target ROAS strategy to optimize for both online and offline conversions by assigning distinct values for each conversion action.

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