How to Track Offline Conversions with Google Ads

When running Google Ads for lead generation, many businesses struggle to assess how much revenue their ads are truly generating. Without a clear return on investment (ROI) calculation, it's difficult to gauge ad effectiveness, particularly for leads converting offline. Here, we'll walk through the essential steps to track revenue accurately from Google Ads, even if you’re not using a CRM with direct Google Ads integration.

Step 1: Understanding Your Lead Sources

First, know how leads interact with your ads. With Google Ads for lead gen, people typically contact you in two ways:

1. Phone Calls – Potential clients may see your ad and call the business directly.
2. Lead Form Submissions – They might also fill out a contact form on your website.

Tracking Phone Calls

Google can track phone calls through a feature called Google Forwarding Numbers. By enabling this, you allow Google to monitor calls from your ads via a unique tracking number. There are three types of tracked calls:

1. Calls from your website on desktop (requires Google Tag Manager and Google Forwarding Number setup).
2. Calls directly from call-only ads.
3. Calls from call extensions in ads.

To use this feature effectively:

• Enable Call Reporting in your Google Ads settings. This will track the caller’s phone number, the campaign that generated the call, and other essential details.

Tracking Lead Form Submissions

For lead form submissions, Enhanced Conversions is an essential feature. With Enhanced Conversions, Google hashes user data (like email addresses) and matches it with your CRM uploads to verify conversions.

Step 2: Upload Offline Conversions to Google Ads

To track the revenue generated by both call and form submissions, you’ll need to upload offline conversion data into Google Ads. This process involves:

1. Creating New Conversions: Set up offline conversions in Google Ads to map calls and form submissions. For example, create a conversion named “Phone Calls Closed” for calls that result in sales and another for lead form submissions.
2. Using Google Sheets: Google offers a template called "Offline Call Conversion Import" that allows you to manually or automatically update data on conversions.

Here’s the information you’ll need for accurate tracking:

• Caller’s Phone Number and Call Start Time: Helps Google match the data in your CRM with Google Ads data.
• Conversion Time: Indicates when the lead turned into a sale.
• Conversion Value: Assigns a revenue value to each closed lead.

Once your data is in the sheet, schedule regular uploads to Google Ads so that your campaigns remain up-to-date.

Step 3: Automate the Process (Optional)

If you’re using CRMs like HubSpot or ServiceTitan, some of these steps can be automated, especially when using tools like Zapier. While automation can streamline data entry, Google’s manual process is still effective for those looking to set up tracking without additional tools.

Step 4: Optimize for Bottom-Funnel Conversions

Once you've linked revenue data to your Google Ads campaigns, you can start optimizing campaigns for return on ad spend (ROAS). This approach adjusts your bidding strategy based on leads that have shown a higher likelihood of converting, maximizing your ad spend efficiency.

Final Thoughts

Setting up Google Ads for accurate revenue tracking requires technical knowledge and resources, but it’s worth it to gain a clear understanding of your ad performance. If you’re spending heavily on ads, tracking conversions closely helps you make informed decisions, adapt strategies, and ultimately boost ROI.

If this setup feels overwhelming or you'd like expert assistance, feel free to reach out – we’d be happy to help you establish a customized tracking strategy.

‍

‍