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How to track leads and sales in Google Ads

Live guide · Checked 28 October 2026 · Updated 28 October 2026 · Checked every week against Google Ads's own help pages

Set up Google Ads conversion tracking for form leads, then import real sales back into Google Ads so it bids for buyers, not just form fills.

Time
40 minutes
You will need
  • A Google Ads account with admin access
  • Google Tag Manager on your site
  • Your form's thank-you step, or a form-sent event
  • For sales imports: the click ID (gclid) saved with each lead or sale
Stuck?
Troubleshooting or ask us a question

Step by step

  1. Create a lead conversion

    In Google Ads go to Goals > Conversions > Summary and click + Create conversion action. Choose Website, enter your site and pick Add a conversion action manually.

  2. Set it up for leads

    Choose the category Submit lead form, give it a clear name such as Lead form, set Count to One and pick a value if you know what a lead is worth.

  3. Copy the tag details

    Choose Use Google Tag Manager and copy the Conversion ID and Conversion label.

  4. Add the tag in Tag Manager

    Add a Google Ads Conversion Tracking tag with that ID and label, fired on the same form-sent trigger as your GA4 lead event. Also add a Conversion Linker tag on All Pages.

  5. Test and publish

    Use Preview to send a test lead and check the conversion tag fires once. Then Submit and Publish.

  6. Turn on enhanced conversions

    Back in the conversion action, open Enhanced conversions and switch it on. It uses the email from the form (hashed) to match more conversions when cookies are lost.

  7. Create an offline sales conversion

    For sales that happen later (on a call or another checkout), click + Create conversion action > Import > Other data sources or CRMs > Track conversions from clicks and name it, for example Purchase.

  8. Upload your sales

    Go to Goals > Uploads and upload a file of sales with the gclid, conversion name, time and value. Upload weekly, within 90 days of each click.

  9. Choose what to bid on

    In Goals > Summary, set the sale as a Primary action and the lead as Secondary once sales are flowing, so Google learns what a buyer looks like.

Tips from people who set these up every week

  • Keep the gclid with every lead from day one, even before you upload anything: you cannot get it back later.
  • Check the Status column after 48 hours. "Recording conversions" means it works; "Unverified" means the tag has not fired yet.
  • Do not count the same lead twice through both a GA4 import and a Google Ads tag. Pick one as Primary.

Troubleshooting: questions and answers

The conversion says Unverified or Inactive.

The tag has not fired. Check the Tag Manager container is published, the trigger fires on the real form-sent step, and test with Google Tag Assistant at https://tagassistant.google.com.

My upload says the click can't be found.

The gclid must be from a click on this Ads account, within 90 days, and the conversion time must be after the click. Also check the conversion name matches exactly.

Conversions are double counted.

Usually both a GA4 key event import and a Google Ads tag are set as Primary for the same action. Make one Secondary.

Official help pages

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