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9 min read
In Google Ads, the quality of your conversion data is the lifeblood of your campaign's performance. It dictates your Return on Ad Spend (ROAS), fuels Smart Bidding, and ultimately determines whether you're making a profit or just making noise.
Simul Sarker
CEO of DataCops
Last Updated
November 20, 2025
The Problem: You lose 15-30% of conversions to browser privacy controls and ad blockers. Google Smart Bidding optimizes with incomplete data. Your ROAS suffers.
The Solution: Enhanced Conversions recovers lost attribution by matching hashed customer data to Google accounts.
The Critical Catch: Enhanced Conversions magnifies whatever data you feed it. If your data includes bots, you train Google AI to find more bots. Fix data foundation first.
Enhanced Conversions improves accuracy of conversion measurement.
How it works:
User converts on your website (purchase or form submission)
You capture first-party data (email, phone, address)
Data is hashed (one-way privacy-safe encryption) on user browser
Sent to Google along with conversion tag
Google matches hashed data against database of signed-in Google accounts
Confidently attributes conversion to ad click, even if cookie-based method failed
Recovers conversions lost due to:
Browser restrictions (Apple ITP on Safari)
Cross-device journeys
Third-party cookie blocking
1. Enhanced Conversions for Web
Used for online conversions (purchases, sign-ups, form submissions)
Happens on your website
2. Enhanced Conversions for Leads
Designed for offline conversions
Matches CRM data (closed deal) back to original Google ad click that generated lead
Digital advertising landscape has fundamentally changed.
Relying on old tracking methods is no longer viable.
Smart Bidding algorithms (Target CPA, Target ROAS) depend on rich and complete stream of conversion data.
When significant portion of conversions missing from reports:
AI learns from skewed, incomplete sample
Poor optimization
Wasted ad spend
Missed opportunities
By implementing Enhanced Conversions:
But there is major risk:
If your website is targeted by bots that fill out forms or mimic user behavior, Enhanced Conversions will diligently hash that fake data and send it to Google.
You end up actively training Google AI to find more junk traffic, poisoning campaigns from inside out.
Before you begin, make sure you have:
Active Google Ads account with administrative permissions
Google Tag Manager (GTM) installed on website (recommended) or global site tag (gtag.js)
Ability to access customer data fields on conversion page (email field on checkout or lead form page)
"Purchase" or "Lead" conversion action already set up in Google Ads account
For most businesses, this is most common and impactful implementation.
We focus on Google Tag Manager method - it offers most flexibility and control.
In your Google Ads account:
Navigate to Tools and Settings → Conversions
Click on primary website conversion action you want to upgrade (e.g., "Shopify Purchase")
In details panel, find section for Enhanced conversions and expand it
Check box to "Turn on enhanced conversions"
Select "Google Tag Manager" as implementation method
Click Save
In your Google Tag Manager workspace:
Open Google Ads Conversion Tracking tag you want to enhance
Under main tag settings, find new checkbox: "Include user-provided data from your website"
Check this box
For User-Provided Data field, click dropdown and choose New Variable
In Variable Configuration screen, choose "User-Provided Data" as variable type
Now map your website data to fields:
This is typically done by creating Data Layer Variables in GTM that capture information from checkout or form submission page.
Example mapping:
Under "Email," click variable icon and select GTM variable that holds user email (e.g., {{dlv - userEmail}})
Do same for Phone Number and Address fields if you collect them
Email is most critical field
Save new variable, then save your updated Google Ads Conversion Tracking tag.
Use GTM Preview Mode:
Place test order or submit test form
In debug console, click on your Google Ads conversion tag when it fires
Verify "User-Provided Data" fields are now being populated correctly
Once confirmed working, Submit and Publish your GTM container
This method is for businesses where final conversion happens offline (in CRM after sales call).
1. User clicks ad and lands on site
2. User submits lead form
3. Lead becomes paying customer
Option 1: Manual file uploads
In Google Ads UI
Good for low volume
Option 2: Google Ads API
Automated solution
Good for high volume
Option 3: Third-party CRM connectors
Handle process for you
Good for non-technical teams
After setup, it can take 24-72 hours for data to start appearing in Google Ads reports.
Check status in Diagnostics tab of your conversion action.
Issue 1: Missing Variables
Data Layer Variables in GTM not capturing email or other data correctly.
Fix: Check Data Layer tab in GTM Preview Mode to verify data is being pushed correctly from website.
Issue 2: Improper Hashing
Data is not being hashed correctly.
Note: GTM handles this automatically, but manual setups can fail here.
Fix: Use GTM method instead of manual implementation.
Issue 3: Missing GCLIDs
For leads, if initial tracking script is blocked, GCLID never captured, breaking link to offline sale.
Fix: Implement first-party tracking to bypass blockers and ensure GCLID is always captured.
Enhanced Conversions is powerful tool for recovering data, but it cannot validate it.
Think of it as powerful magnifier. If data you are feeding it is flawed, EC will only magnify those flaws.
1. Blocked Scripts
If ad blocker or browser privacy setting blocks Google Tag Manager from loading in first place, there is no conversion event to enhance.
Sale is still completely invisible.
2. Fraudulent Conversions
EC will happily take fake email address submitted by bot, hash it, and send it to Google.
This tells Google AI that bot was valuable conversion, training it to find more worthless traffic.
3. Data Pollution
Does not resolve issues like:
Duplicate conversions from users reloading thank-you page
Inflates performance metrics
To make Enhanced Conversions truly effective, you must solve "garbage in, garbage out" problem.
This requires clean, complete, human-verified data layer before EC even gets involved.
This is precisely what first-party solution like DataCops provides.
1. Bypasses Blockers
DataCops serves tracking script from your own domain (analytics.yourdomain.com).
Browsers and ad blockers see it as trusted, first-party resource and do not block it.
This ensures initial conversion event is always captured.
2. Filters Out Fraud
As data flows through system, it is actively validated.
Traffic from known bot networks, data centers, and proxies is filtered out.
Only data from real human users is processed.
3. Delivers Clean Data
DataCops sends clean, human-only conversion data server-to-server to your marketing platforms.
You are enhancing 100% verified human data, not polluted mix of bots and real users.
This gives Google Smart Bidding high-quality fuel it needs to drive real performance gains.
Step 1: Fix Data Foundation
Implement first-party tracking (DataCops)
Bypass ad blockers
Filter bot traffic at source
Step 2: Enable Enhanced Conversions
Follow setup guide above
Use GTM method for flexibility
Step 3: Verify Data Quality
Check Diagnostics tab in Google Ads
Compare conversions to CRM sales
Monitor for bot spikes
Step 4: Optimize with Confidence
Smart Bidding receives complete, human-only data
AI optimizes for real customers
ROAS improves
1. Enhanced Conversions recovers 15-30% lost conversions By matching hashed customer data to Google accounts.
2. It magnifies whatever data you feed it If data includes bots, you train AI to find more bots.
3. Cannot fix blocked scripts If GTM is blocked, there is no conversion to enhance.
4. Cannot validate data quality Will hash and send bot-submitted emails just like real ones.
5. First-party tracking solves root problem Bypasses blockers by serving from your domain.
6. Bot filtering ensures clean data Only real human conversions reach Google AI.
7. DataCops provides complete solution First-party tracking plus bot filtering plus Enhanced Conversions.
8. Implementation is straightforward Use GTM method for best flexibility and control.
Your Next Action: Use this guide to implement Enhanced Conversions via Google Tag Manager today.
Your Strategic Goal: Achieve complete attribution confidence by ensuring data foundation is solid first.
If you see these warning signs:
Enhanced Conversions enabled but still missing 20%+ of conversions
Conversion spikes with no corresponding sales increase
Google Ads optimizing for traffic that does not convert in CRM
Then your problem is data foundation, not Enhanced Conversions setup.
Action plan:
Implement first-party tracking to bypass blockers
Add bot filtering to ensure human-only conversions
Enable Enhanced Conversions on top of clean data
Monitor performance improvement
Tools: DataCops provides first-party tracking that bypasses ad blockers, filters bot traffic at source, and ensures Enhanced Conversions receives only verified human data. Five-minute setup via CNAME DNS record.
The bottom line: Enhanced Conversions is essential upgrade for 2025. But it only works if data you feed it is complete and clean. Fix foundation first, then enhance.
About DataCops: First-party analytics platform that serves tracking from your domain to bypass ad blockers, filters bot traffic before it reaches Google Ads, and ensures Enhanced Conversions receives verified human-only conversion data. Integrates seamlessly with GTM and Google Ads.
