Creating Conversion Actions in Google Ads

When setting up a Conversion API for Google Ads, the first step is to create your conversion actions directly in Google Ads. You can technically push conversions to existing actions, but this can lead to inaccurate reporting. For example, if you set up a conversion API that pushes only new customers, you should not send these to your existing “Purchases” conversion action. Instead, create a dedicated conversion action specifically for this purpose.

Learn how to set up new conversion actions in your Google Ads account with the following step-by-step guide:
 

Step 1: Create a New Conversion Action

• Log in to your Google Ads Manager with your credentials.

• Navigate to Goals > Summary.
  

• Scroll down and click + Create conversion action.

• Select Conversions on a website.

  

• Enter your website’s URL by clicking Add URL, then click Scan.
  

• Choose Google Tag Manager as the data source.

• Confirm with Done, then click Save and continue.

  

Step 2: Configure Your Conversion Action

• Specify the type of conversions that should be tracked (e.g. Purchase).
  

• Select + Add conversion action. 

• Choose Set up manually using code.
  

• Open the Conversion settings and customize:

  • Action category: Choose whether the conversion should be a Primary action (used for bidding optimization) or a Secondary action (used for reporting only).

  • Name: Define a clear name. We recommend adding “RetentionX” to the name so you can easily identify these conversions later.
    

• Save your settings with Done.

Step 3: Collect Your Conversion ID and Label

Switch to the Use Google Tag Manager tab. Here, you’ll find the Conversion ID and Conversion label for the action. You’ll need to add these to your RetentionX account later.

Step 4: Add the Conversion Action in RetentionX

• In your RetentionX account, navigate to Conversion APIs.

• Create a new Conversion API from scratch (+ New API) or use a template.
  

• Select Google Ads as the target platform. You’ll then be prompted to enter your API credentials.

• Paste the Conversion ID and Conversion label from Step 3.
  

• Save your credentials and finish the setup of your Conversion API.

And that's it- you’ve now successfully set up your Google Ads Conversion API with RetentionX. From here, your defined conversion events will be pushed into Google Ads, enabling more accurate measurement and better optimization of your campaigns.

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