What is a conversion action in Google Ads?
A conversion action is a single, defined goal you ask Google Ads to measure, a purchase, a lead form, a call, a signup. It is the unit Google Ads optimises and reports on, and how you configure each one decides whether your bidding is sane.
What it is
Each thing worth measuring is its own conversion action. You define it (what counts), how it is tracked (a tag, an imported GA4 key event, a call), and its settings. Conversion tracking is really just a set of well-defined conversion actions.
The settings that change your numbers
- Count: "every" (count every conversion, right for ecommerce) vs "one" (count one per click, right for leads). Wrong choice inflates or undercounts.
- Value: a fixed or dynamic value; dynamic is how value-based bidding works.
- Attribution window: the lookback window for this action.
- Primary vs secondary: whether it drives bidding, see primary vs secondary.
Why it matters
Get the definition and settings right and Google Ads optimises toward real business outcomes. Get "count" wrong on a lead action, or value wrong on a purchase, and the reported numbers and the bidding both go sideways. It is worth auditing each conversion action's settings, not just that it exists.
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