An action you have decided is valuable and told the ad platform to count, such as a purchase, a sign-up, a call or a WhatsApp click. Platforms use these tracked events to report results and to optimise bids.
Example
Meera sets up website purchases and calls to her store as conversions in Google Ads. Last month her ads were credited with 100 purchases and 40 calls.
How you'll hear it
“Calls are counted as conversions now, so Smart Bidding will start chasing them too.”
Don't confuse it with
- Conversion rate: the share of clicks or visits that convert; a conversion is the event itself.
- Key event (GA4): Google Analytics' name for an important action; it becomes a Google Ads conversion only when imported.
In India: With cash-on-delivery orders, a tracked purchase is counted when the order is placed, even if it is later refused at the door and returned. Check delivered orders, not just tracked conversions.
Related terms
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Sources
- Key event, Conversion & Purchase definition, Google Ads Help
- About conversion measurement, Google Ads Help