Google ads conversion tracking hell
Hello,
As the title says, I need some help on conversion tracking.
So I know how to set them up in Google Ads account. Also I know how to go to Tag Manager (after it is installed on website) and make tags, data layers, variables and triggers. However, I have seen some people doing some set up in Shopify accounts, copying some code, while others don’t and they claim that process is universal for all shop systems. Do I have to connect Shopify with Tag Manager somehow or I just set conversions in Google ads account and Google Tag Manager and submit them?
Thanks in advance for your help 💪
The short answer is:
You should aim to implement server-side tracking on your Shopify store using Google Tag Manager (GTM), a cloud environment like Google Cloud Platform (GCP) or a solution like Stape, and leverage the Google Ads API for robust, accurate conversion measurement, including Enhanced Conversions.
While the basic Google Ads setup and client-side GTM installation on Shopify’s checkout.liquid or Custom Pixel is a starting point, it is susceptible to browser restrictions and ad blockers.
The most reliable and future-proof method involves setting up a GTM Server Container to receive data from Shopify (often via a dedicated app or modified data layer) and then sending it directly to Google Ads using the Google Ads API and/or the Google Analytics Measurement Protocol for GA4, bypassing the browser limitations.
This is a universal architectural approach that is cost-effective in the long run due to superior data quality and campaign performance.
The long answer is:
Your confusion is understandable, as conversion tracking has become increasingly complex due to privacy regulations and browser-side tracking prevention mechanisms like ITP.
The simplest setup, which involves only creating the conversion action in Google Ads and then implementing the corresponding tag/trigger in a client-side Google Tag Manager (GTM) container installed on your Shopify site, is unfortunately no longer sufficient for accurate measurement.
The sophisticated and recommended solution for a Shopify store is a server-side implementation leveraging the Google Ads API for conversion uploads.
This method requires setting up a GTM Server Container hosted on a service like Stape or on your own Google Cloud Platform (GCP) project.
Shopify must be configured to send data, often through its Web Pixel API or a dedicated third-party app that pushes a robust data layer, to your GTM Web Container, which then forwards the data to your GTM Server Container.
The key API utilized here is the Google Ads API (specifically the conversion service within it) which enables your server (GCP/Stape) to send conversion data directly to Google Ads.
This is done by configuring a server-side Google Ads Conversion Tracking tag within your GTM Server Container.
This server-to-server connection is superior because it mitigates data loss from ad blockers and ITP.
Furthermore, you can implement Google Ads Enhanced Conversions for Web, which uses hashed first-party customer data (like email or phone number) collected from your Shopify data layer to improve the match rate between the conversion and the original ad click, significantly increasing conversion accuracy.
This method is highly cost-effective because the superior data quality leads to better bidding strategies and higher Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) in your Google Ads campaigns.
For comprehensive analytics, this server-side setup also makes it excellent to integrate the Google Analytics Data API with a reporting tool like Looker Studio or storing granular data in BigQuery.
The data accuracy gained from the server-side architecture flows into your GA4 property (using the Google Analytics Measurement Protocol tag in the server container) and can then be queried via the Google Analytics Data API for advanced analysis in Looker Studio, providing a unified and reliable view of customer journeys and campaign performance beyond what is available in the standard Google Ads or Shopify interfaces alone.
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