The most expensive Google Ads problem I find isn’t a bad keyword or a weak ad. It’s tracking that counts the wrong thing. And it’s in more accounts than you’d think.

In one account I took over, Google reported hundreds of sales a month. The business was making a fraction of that. The “conversions” were page views of a template that loaded on several pages. Google’s automated bidding did exactly what it was told: it found more people who viewed pages. Not people who bought.

Why tracking decides everything

Modern Google Ads runs on Smart Bidding. You tell Google what a win looks like (a conversion), and it bids more for people likely to produce one. That’s powerful when the data is right, and quietly destructive when it’s wrong.

In plain EnglishA conversion is whatever you tell Google counts as a win. Tell it the wrong thing and it will get very good at finding more of the wrong thing.

Five signs your tracking is lying

  1. Conversions look too good. If Google says you had 300 leads and your inbox says 40, something is double counting or counting the wrong action.
  2. Your cost per conversion is suspiciously low. A R12 “lead” in a market where a real lead costs R250 is a red flag.
  3. Everything is a “primary” conversion. Page views, button clicks and time on site shouldn’t sit alongside purchases and form submissions.
  4. Calls and WhatsApp aren’t counted. If half your customers phone you, and only forms are tracked, Google is flying half blind.
  5. Google Ads and GA4 disagree wildly. Some difference is normal. Double or half is not.

How to check yours in ten minutes

  1. In Google Ads, go to Goals, then Conversions, then Summary.
  2. Look at each conversion action marked Primary. Ask of each one: is this something that makes me money?
  3. Compare last month’s conversions to what actually happened: real enquiries, real sales.
  4. Check the count setting. For leads, “One” per click is usually right. For sales, “Every”.
  5. Submit a test enquiry on your site and check it appears once, not twice.

What to do if it’s wrong

Fix the definition first: decide what a real conversion is for your business. Then set it up properly (usually through Google Tag Manager and GA4), make only the real actions primary, and give Smart Bidding a couple of weeks to relearn. Expect reported conversions to drop. That’s good news: it means the numbers are finally honest.

Quick answers

What is a conversion in Google Ads?

A conversion is an action you tell Google counts as valuable, such as a purchase, a form submission or a phone call. Google uses it to measure results and to guide automated bidding.

Why did my conversions drop after fixing tracking?

Because the old numbers were inflated. Fewer, real conversions give Google better data, which usually improves results within a few weeks.

Next stepWant me to look at this in your account? See the audits, or book a free call.