How To Setup Conversion Tracking With Woocommerce And Adwords

How to Set Up Conversion Tracking with WooCommerce and Google Ads for Maximum ROI

Introduction:

Understanding how your Google Ads campaigns are performing is crucial for maximizing your return on investment (ROI). While clicks and impressions are important, ultimately, you want to track conversions – the valuable actions users take on your website after clicking your ads, such as making a purchase. WooCommerce, being a popular e-commerce platform, makes it relatively straightforward to track these conversions. This article will guide you through the process of setting up conversion tracking between your WooCommerce store and Google Ads, empowering you to optimize your campaigns and drive more sales. By the end, you’ll be equipped to measure the true impact of your ad spend and make informed decisions to boost your bottom line.

Why is Conversion Tracking Important for WooCommerce Stores?

Conversion tracking is essential for any online business using Google Ads. Here’s why:

Measure ROI: See exactly which keywords, ads, and campaigns are driving sales and generating revenue.
Optimize Campaigns: Identify underperforming elements and focus your budget on what’s working best.
Improve Ad Relevance: Use conversion data to refine your targeting and create more relevant ads.
Make Data-Driven Decisions: Base your marketing strategies on concrete data rather than guesswork.
Understand Customer Behavior: Gain insights into the customer journey from ad click to purchase.

Without conversion tracking, you’re essentially flying blind, spending money without knowing what’s truly effective.

Setting Up Conversion Tracking: A Step-by-Step Guide

Here’s a breakdown of the different methods you can use to set up conversion tracking between WooCommerce and Google Ads:

1. Google Ads Conversion Tracking Tag (Manual Method)

This method involves manually adding the Google Ads conversion tracking tag to your WooCommerce thank you page. It’s a bit more technical but offers greater control.

Steps:

1. Create a Conversion Action in Google Ads:

In your Google Ads account, go to Tools & Settings > Measurement > Conversions.
Click the “+” button to create a new conversion action.
Choose “Website” as the conversion source.
Select “Purchase” as the category.
Name your conversion action (e.g., “WooCommerce Purchase”).
Set a value for each conversion (either the same value for all conversions or use different values based on transaction). Choose your counting method (“Every” if you want to count every purchase or “One” if you only want to count unique conversions).
Set your click-through conversion window and view-through conversion window (e.g., 30 days and 1 day, respectively).
Choose your attribution model (e.g., “Last click”).
Click “Create and Continue.”

2. Get the Conversion Tracking Tag:

On the next screen, select “Use Google Tag Manager” or “Install the tag yourself”. If you select “Install the tag yourself,” you’ll see two code snippets: the global site tag and the event snippet. Note both of these down. You’ll need them later. If you selected “Use Google Tag Manager”, you’ll need the conversion ID and conversion label.

3. Add the Global Site Tag to Your Website:

The global site tag needs to be placed on every page of your website. The best place for this is in the “ section of your site’s HTML. You can typically achieve this by editing your theme’s `header.php` file. Alternatively, you can use a plugin like “Insert Headers and Footers” to easily inject the code.




window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];
function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);}
gtag('js', new Date());

gtag(‘config’, ‘AW-YOUR_CONVERSION_ID’);

4. Add the Event Snippet to the Order Confirmation/Thank You Page:

This tag is fired only when a conversion happens, ideally on your “Thank You” page after checkout. You need to dynamically populate this tag with the order value.

Edit Your Theme’s `functions.php` File (or use a plugin): This requires some PHP coding knowledge.

Find a suitable hook to add your code to the thank you page. `woocommerce_thankyou` is a common choice.

Add the following code to your `functions.php` file, replacing placeholders with your actual values and conversion ID and label. This code retrieves the order total and order ID and uses those in the conversion tag.

add_action( 'woocommerce_thankyou', 'add_google_ads_conversion_tracking' );

function add_google_ads_conversion_tracking( $order_id ) {

$order = wc_get_order( $order_id );

if ( $order ) {

$order_total = $order->get_total();

$order_currency = $order->get_currency();

gtag(‘event’, ‘conversion’, {

‘send_to’: ‘AW-YOUR_CONVERSION_ID/YOUR_CONVERSION_LABEL’,

‘value’: ,

‘currency’: ”,

‘transaction_id’: ”

});

<?php

}

Important:

Replace `YOUR_CONVERSION_ID` and `YOUR_CONVERSION_LABEL` with the values from your Google Ads account.
Adjust the hook if `woocommerce_thankyou` doesn’t work with your theme.
Ensure your theme is updated, otherwise your functions.php change could be overriden.

2. Using a Google Ads Conversion Tracking Plugin

This is the easiest and most recommended method for most users. Several WooCommerce plugins simplify the process of integrating Google Ads conversion tracking. Some popular options include:

Google Listings & Ads: Google’s official plugin. It directly connects your WooCommerce store to Google Merchant Center and enables conversion tracking. (Often the easiest option)
PixelYourSite: A versatile plugin that supports Google Ads, Facebook Pixel, and other tracking platforms.
Tracking Code Manager: Allows you to easily insert custom code, including Google Ads conversion tracking tags, into your website.
GTM4WP (Google Tag Manager for WordPress): If you are using Google Tag Manager, this plugin can ease that connection with WooCommerce.

Steps (Using Google Listings & Ads as an example):

1. Install and Activate the Plugin: Install the chosen plugin from the WordPress plugin repository.

2. Connect to Google: Follow the plugin’s instructions to connect your WooCommerce store to your Google account. This usually involves authenticating with your Google account and granting the plugin necessary permissions.

3. Enable Conversion Tracking: The plugin typically provides a dedicated section to enable and configure Google Ads conversion tracking. Follow the plugin’s instructions to set up your conversion action. Google Listings & Ads typically handles the tag placement and value population automatically.

4. Configure Conversion Settings: Some plugins may allow you to customize conversion settings, such as the conversion value and currency.

5. Verify the Setup: After configuring the plugin, place a test order on your store. Then, check your Google Ads account to see if the conversion is tracked. You can often see real-time conversion data within the Google Ads interface.

3. Using Google Tag Manager (Advanced)

Google Tag Manager (GTM) is a powerful tool that allows you to manage all your website tracking tags in one place. This method requires a bit more technical knowledge but offers flexibility and control.

Steps:

1. Set up a Google Tag Manager Account and Install the GTM Snippet:

If you don’t already have one, create a Google Tag Manager account at [https://tagmanager.google.com/](https://tagmanager.google.com/).
Install the GTM code snippets (both the “ and “ snippets) on all pages of your website. As with the global site tag, you can edit your theme’s `header.php` and `footer.php` files, or use a plugin like “Insert Headers and Footers.”

2. Create a Data Layer Event for WooCommerce Order Completion:

You need to push data about the completed order (order ID, total, currency) into the data layer when the user reaches the thank you page. This is the trickiest part and often requires custom code. Add the following to your `functions.php` file, adjusted for your needs:

add_action( 'woocommerce_thankyou', 'add_woocommerce_order_data_to_datalayer' );

function add_woocommerce_order_data_to_datalayer( $order_id ) {

$order = wc_get_order( $order_id );

if ( $order ) {

$order_total = $order->get_total();

$order_currency = $order->get_currency();

dataLayer.push({

‘event’: ‘woocommerce_purchase’,

‘transaction_id’: ”,

‘transaction_total’: ,

‘transaction_currency’: ”

});

<?php

}

3. Create Variables in Google Tag Manager:

In GTM, create the following data layer variables to capture the WooCommerce order data:
`transaction_id` (Data Layer Variable Name: `transaction_id`)
`transaction_total` (Data Layer Variable Name: `transaction_total`)
`transaction_currency` (Data Layer Variable Name: `transaction_currency`)

4. Create a Google Ads Conversion Tag in Google Tag Manager:

Create a new tag in GTM.
Choose “Google Ads Conversion Tracking” as the tag type.
Enter your Conversion ID and Conversion Label from your Google Ads account.
Set the Conversion Value to the `transaction_total` variable.
Set the Currency Code to the `transaction_currency` variable.
Set the Order ID to the `transaction_id` variable.

5. Create a Trigger in Google Tag Manager:

Create a new trigger in GTM.
Choose “Custom Event” as the trigger type.
Set the Event name to `woocommerce_purchase` (the event name you used in your data layer push).

6. Associate the Tag with the Trigger:

Link the Google Ads Conversion Tag to the `woocommerce_purchase` trigger.

7. Test and Publish:

Use GTM’s preview mode to test that the tag is firing correctly when an order is placed.
Once you’re confident, publish your changes to GTM.

Testing and Troubleshooting

After setting up conversion tracking, it’s crucial to test it thoroughly.

Place a Test Order: Go through the checkout process on your website and complete a purchase.
Check Google Ads Account: Within a few hours (sometimes up to 24 hours), check your Google Ads account to see if the conversion is recorded.
Use Google Tag Assistant (for GTM): If using Google Tag Manager, the Tag Assistant Chrome extension can help you verify that your tags are firing correctly.
Review WooCommerce Logs: Check your WooCommerce system logs for any errors related to conversion tracking.

Common Issues and Solutions:

No Conversions Recorded:
Double-check that the conversion tracking code is correctly installed on your website.
Verify that the Conversion ID and Conversion Label are correct in your Google Ads and Google Tag Manager (if using GTM).
Make sure your Google Ads account is linked to your WooCommerce store (if using a plugin).
Ensure the conversion value and currency are being passed correctly.
Incorrect Conversion Values:
Double-check the PHP code that retrieves the order total and currency.
Verify that the correct variables are being used in Google Tag Manager.
Duplicate Conversions:
Make sure the conversion tracking code is only firing once per purchase.
Consider using the “One” counting method in Google Ads if you only want to count unique conversions.

Conclusion: Unleash the Power of Conversion Data

Setting up conversion tracking with WooCommerce and Google Ads is a crucial step in maximizing your online advertising ROI. By accurately tracking conversions, you gain invaluable insights into your customer behavior, campaign performance, and ultimately, the effectiveness of your ad spend. While the process might seem daunting at first, choosing the right method and following the steps outlined in this guide will empower you to make data-driven decisions, optimize your campaigns, and drive more sales for your WooCommerce store. Don’t leave money on the table! Implement conversion tracking today and start seeing the true results of your Google Ads efforts.