Track Thank You Page Conversions in Google Ads – Lead Submission Conversion Tracking

Google Ads Thank You Page Conversion Tracking Using Google Tag Manager: A Complete Guide for Lead Generation Forms

Are you struggling to accurately measure the success of your Google Ads campaigns for lead generation? Do you want to know exactly which ads are driving conversions on your website? Look no further! In this comprehensive guide, we'll walk you through the process of setting up Google Ads Thank You page conversion tracking using Google Tag Manager (GTM) for your lead generation forms.

Why Is Conversion Tracking Important?

Before we dive into the how-to, let's briefly discuss why conversion tracking is crucial for your Google Ads campaigns:

Measure ROI: Accurately calculate your return on investment for each campaign.

Optimize Campaigns: Identify which ads, keywords, and targeting options are performing best.

Improve Budget Allocation: Allocate your budget more effectively based on performance data.

Enhance User Experience: Understand your audience's behavior and preferences to improve your website and offerings.

Prerequisites

Before we begin, make sure you have:

A Google Ads account

A Google Tag Manager account

Access to edit your website

A lead generation form that redirects to a Thank You page upon submission

Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Up Conversion Tracking

Step 1: Create a Conversion Action in Google Ads

Sign in to your Google Ads account

Click on "Tools & Settings" in the upper right corner

Under "Measurement," click on "Conversions"

Click the blue "+" button to create a new conversion action

Select "Website" as the conversion source

Choose "Page load" as the conversion action

Enter a name for your conversion (e.g., "Lead Form Submission")

Set the value of the conversion (if applicable)

Choose your counting method (usually "One" for lead generation)

Set your conversion window and attribution model

Click "Create and Continue"

Step 2: Set Up Google Tag Manager

Sign in to your Google Tag Manager account

Select your container (or create a new one if needed)

Click "Add a new tag"

Name your tag (e.g., "Google Ads Conversion Tracking")

Click "Tag Configuration" and select "Google Ads Conversion Tracking" as the tag type

Enter your conversion ID and conversion label from Google Ads

Under "Triggering," create a new trigger:

Choose "Page View" as the trigger type

Set the trigger to fire on "Some Page Views"

Add a condition: "Page URL" contains "/thank-you" (or your specific Thank You page URL)

Save the tag and trigger

Step 3: Implement Google Tag Manager on Your Website

If you haven't already, you'll need to add the Google Tag Manager container snippet to your website:

In GTM, click on "Admin" in the top navigation

Under "Container," click on "Install Google Tag Manager"

Copy the provided code snippets

Paste the first snippet in the header of your website

Paste the second snippet immediately after the opening body tag

Step 4: Test Your Setup

Enable Preview mode in Google Tag Manager

Navigate to your website and submit a test lead form

Verify that the tag fires on the Thank You page

Check your Google Ads account to ensure conversions are being recorded

Step 5: Publish Your Changes

Once you've confirmed everything is working correctly:

Exit Preview mode in Google Tag Manager

Click "Submit" to publish your changes

Add a version name and description

Click "Publish" to make your changes live

Best Practices for Conversion Tracking

To get the most out of your conversion tracking setup, consider these best practices:

Use descriptive names: Choose clear, specific names for your conversion actions to easily identify them later.

Set up value tracking: If possible, assign monetary values to your conversions to better understand their impact on your business.

Regularly review and update: Periodically check your conversion tracking setup to ensure it's still accurate and relevant.

Implement cross-domain tracking: If your form and Thank You page are on different domains, make sure to set up cross-domain tracking in GTM.

Consider using Google Analytics goals: In addition to Google Ads conversion tracking, set up goals in Google Analytics for a more comprehensive view of your website's performance.