google-ads-enhanced-conversions-setup

Enhanced Conversions Setup

Complete guide for implementing Enhanced Conversions for better conversion attribution in a privacy-first world with first-party data and consent management.

GAQL: Check Enhanced Conversion Status

Use google_ads_run_gaql to verify conversion actions and enhanced conversion setup:

SELECT conversion_action.name, conversion_action.status,
    conversion_action.type, conversion_action.category,
    conversion_action.attribution_model_settings.attribution_model,
    conversion_action.tag_snippets
FROM conversion_action
WHERE conversion_action.status = 'ENABLED'
ORDER BY conversion_action.name

-- Check conversion volume (to see if EC is capturing data)
SELECT conversion_action.name, metrics.conversions,
    metrics.all_conversions, metrics.all_conversions_value
FROM conversion_action
WHERE segments.date DURING LAST_30_DAYS
AND conversion_action.status = 'ENABLED'
ORDER BY metrics.all_conversions DESC

Enhanced Conversions Overview

What Are Enhanced Conversions?

ENHANCED CONVERSIONS FUNDAMENTALS
═════════════════════════════════

TRADITIONAL CONVERSION TRACKING:
────────────────────────────────
User clicks ad → Cookie stored → Converts → Cookie matched
├── Problem 1: Cookie blocking (ITP, browsers)
├── Problem 2: Cross-device gaps
├── Problem 3: Privacy regulations
└── Result: ~40-60% conversion loss

ENHANCED CONVERSIONS:
─────────────────────
User clicks ad → Cookie stored → Converts → First-party data hashed & sent
├── Email (SHA256 hashed)
├── Phone (SHA256 hashed)
├── Name + Address (SHA256 hashed)
└── Google matches with signed-in users

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  ENHANCED CONVERSIONS FLOW                                      │
│                                                                 │
│  1. User clicks ad                                              │
│     └─► GCLID stored in cookie                                 │
│                                                                 │
│  2. User converts (fills form/buys)                             │
│     └─► First-party data collected (email, phone, etc.)        │
│                                                                 │
│  3. Data hashed on client/server                                │
│     └─► SHA256 one-way hash (irreversible)                     │
│                                                                 │
│  4. Hashed data sent to Google                                  │
│     └─► Matched with Google account data                       │
│                                                                 │
│  5. Conversion attributed                                       │
│     └─► Even without cookies!                                  │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘