We're re-launching a 1-page Shopify store for our health supplement and need a 2nd pair of eyes on ideal Google Ads conversion tracking.

• Stack/Setup:

• Shopify with 'Google & YouTube app'

• Google Merchant Center (GMC)

• GA4

• Google Ads

• ^{Klvayio (audience management})

• ^{SKIO (subscription management})

• Context:

• E-commerce health supplement startup

• Goal: Purchases at sustainable CPA

• Previous agency: Poor performance & shit setup (CPA ~3x retail price on both Google & Meta)

• Limited budget: £20K (~$25K USD) /month across Google+Meta

• Low organic CR (~0.5% visit to purchase)

• Rate-limiting-step: Huge drop-off from initial checkout to purchase (meaning, we can capture a fair amt of ini.checkouts; not so many purchases)

Google Ads Campaign Structure:

1. Generic Search (Phrase): Max conv. vol | Initiate Checkout

2. Brand Search (Exact): Max conv. vol | Purchase

3. Standard Shopping: Max conv. vol | Initiate Checkout

4. Remarketing: Max conv. vol | Purchase (targeting checkout abandons)

Plan:
Optimize for max initiate checkout volume initially, except for Remarketing & Brand (max purchase volume). Switch to max purchase volume optimization across board, once we have >30 purchases within 30 days.

Questions:

1. Are our conversion goals set up correctly?

2. How should we handle primary vs secondary goals?

3. Should we use both the 'Google Shopping App' and GA4 events?

4. If not both, is there an advantage to bid on GA4 events over Google Shopping App events? (we'd want as rich data as possible; but would prioritise accurate google-ads 'preferred' focussed tracking)

5. BONUS: Does our strategy make sense, or would you approach it differently?

6. BONUS: Any feedback on our GA4 setup?

Additional Info:

• Planning to test Performance Max vs Standard Shopping/Search after 1-2 months

• Please stay humble: We're Open to professional help, but trying to learn ourselves

• I've personally got deep experienced in app marketing and every other channel incl. programmatic, but fairly new to specifically Google Ads for e-commerce

Any advice or feedback is greatly appreciated!

Hello everyone,

I'm in the process of connecting my Shopify store with Google Ads and Analytics to ensure effective tracking of my advertising campaigns, especially tracking purchases. From my research, I've gathered that installing the Google and YouTube Channel app for Shopify should allow a direct connection with Google Ads and Analytics, theoretically enabling purchase tracking without additional configurations.

Here are my specific questions:

1. Integration Requirements: Do I really only need the Google and YouTube Channel app for Shopify to activate purchase tracking, or are there hidden settings or additional steps I need to be aware of? Specifically, I'm wondering if I need to configure the Google Tag Manager or any other tools.

2. Verification of Tracking: How can I make sure that the tracking is working correctly before I actually start running ad campaigns? Is there a way to test the tracking of purchases in real-time to ensure that all data is correctly transmitted to Google Ads and Analytics?

3. Best Practices: Does anyone have experience with this integration and can share best practices or tips, particularly regarding verifying tracking data or avoiding common pitfalls?

I want to make sure I'm doing everything correctly before investing money into ad campaigns and would greatly appreciate advice or guidance from the community.

Thank you in advance!

Shopify's Checkout Extensibility isn't mandatory until August 2025 but you can get your Google Ads conversion tracking set up now. I had a meeting with the Google Tag Team because I had a client prematurely upgrade their account and didn't tell me, severing the purchase conversion action that is the primary optimization source for the account.

Below is the code they gave me to replace it, insert it in Shopify under Settings > Customer Events. Create a custom pixel, swap out CONVERSIONID (leave the AW- prefix) and CONVERSIONLABEL in the code below with the data for your conversion action. When you're done, hit "save" in the top right corner, then click "connect." Also make sure to remove the previous conversion tracking code under Checkout > Additional Scripts if that's what you're currently using.

This is only set up to fire on a purchase completion, but it works for me and passes dynamic revenue + enhanced conversion parameters.

//gtag starts here
const script = document.createElement('script');
script.setAttribute('src', 'https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=AW-CONVERSIONID');
script.setAttribute('async', '');
document.head.appendChild(script);

window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];
function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);}
gtag('js', new Date());
gtag('config', 'AW-CONVERSIONID');
//gtag ends here

//ec + purchase code starts here
analytics.subscribe("checkout_completed", (event) => {
  gtag('set', 'user_data', {
    "email": event.data.checkout.email,
    "phone_number": event.data.checkout.phone
  });
  gtag('event', 'conversion', {
    'send_to': 'AW-CONVERSIONID/CONVERSIONLABEL',
    'value': event.data.checkout.totalPrice.amount,
    'transaction_id': event.data.checkout.order.id,
    'currency': event.data.checkout.currencyCode
  });
});

Set up a store about two weeks ago and having trouble connecting Google Ads to Shopify. Every Youtube video and tutorial I can find shows you how to add tracking tags via theme(.)liquid and additional scripts in the checkout section. However, it appears Shopify has deprecated this feature and is now instructing people to track conversions by installing the 3rd party Google and Youtube app. I have this installed but according to Google ads they still are unable to track conversions. Any advice or tutorials anyone can share?

I've been researching this all day and can't decide which option to go with, any help would be appreciated. My conclusion is that there is basically 2 options to install the conversion tracking for Shopify.

METHOD 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3OFjGSWvhA (https://intellitonic.com/blog/how-to-set-up-google-ads-conversion-tracking-in-shopify/)

This method involves linking your Shopify to Analytics, turning Ecommerce set-up on, then importing the purchase data from GA into your Google Ads.

METHOD 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYCdcMApvhc (https://www.digitaldarts.com.au/google-ads-conversion-tracking-shopify)

This method involves creating the purchase conversion tracking from Google Ads itself (via website) and adding code to the Settings > Checkout > Additional Scripts section in Shopify.

Our website domain is not on shopify, just the checkout page (which is shopify). So I ended up using the google & youtube app to track purchases as the primary action in Google Ads, with the GTM purchase setup as secondary (This was recommended as not to be used because it cant track properly on shopify) However, The gtm setup did track the conversion action but not the value.

Google shopping app purchase (shopify tracking) on Google Ads has tracked 2 conversions so far. Where as on Shopify theres 3 more conversions back to back after the 2nd conversion but were not recorded by Google Ads. Is there a reason for this? I have set up the pixel code and even used the assistance of tech support from Google for the setup.

Im wondering if having the GTM Purchase action along with google & youtube app is causing miscalculations?

I've been running my store for 3+ years. Neither myself or anyone I work with have touched the CSS or tracking codes for a good while. Everything has been fine.

Around 2 weeks ago we found that Google Performance Max and Google Ad campaigns were getting no conversions, (started on May 27th) but is spending the same. Sales were still coming in as usual on Shopify.

All the tracking is still in place within the CSS. The ONLY thing I can find which seems odd if the message under Settings>Checkout>Order Status Page Additional Scripts which is showing as 'Depreciated' with this message:

Additional scripts is deprecated. Replace your additional scripts with pixels in customer events and with app blocks in the editor.

We used to have our check-out tracking additional scripts here, but appear to have been made redundant by Shopify. Is this the issue? Or does anyone have any advice on how to resolve?

Hi,
I've never set up conversions for a ecom client before. I'd like to set up conversions for a transaction, add to cart and begin checkout. I've looked around for a bunch of guides and have got an import for the transaction (I understand this might not be super accurate) but not sure how to go about setting conversions for the add to cart and checkout - can anyone point me to a resource?

Thanks!

Hello everyone 👋

Are there any experts here who can help set up conversion tracking between Google Ads and Shopify?

Let me explain my issue: for the past 2–3 days, my conversion tracking has been showing different conversion values and a different number of conversions compared to the actual data — even though everything was working perfectly before.

I'm looking for someone truly experienced to help me out.

Hi Google ad gurus! I have a new Shopify e-commerce store and I’m trying to set up conversion tracking accurately for Google ads. I haven’t migrated to GA4, still on universal analytics. So far from my research online, there’s the following:

1. Google Channel on Shopify

2. using GTM

3. using GA4 (together with GTM?)

4. Importing from my Universal GA

I’m new to Google ads so would really appreciate it if someone can point me in the right direction in terms of setting up conversion tracking accurately. There’s a lot of info online but I’m not sure what is best given the latest GA4 updates etc. Thank you so much!

Hello my good peeps!

I just discovered that one of my recent clients is duplicating all their revenue data inside Google Ads & Analytics. They have a big budget and spend between $80-100k/mo.

They use Shopify. They're tracking revenue from two integrations of the Google tag. The first is a manual implementation on their checkout. The second is the Google & Youtube App implementation.

As context, after discovering this, I'm seeing that we're overspending so I want to start reducing spend and focus on profitability (no wonder why they had been complaining about not being profitable). To do so, I would start increasing my T.ROAS, which would reduce my spend in favor of more efficient sales at my higher t.ROAS.

First of all, which Gtag integration do you recommend keeping? I'm thinking it's going to be the Google App integration, as it provides a lot more information than the other integration (this issue is seen in Analytics too, and I can see that one source provides item level info, while the other one only provides revenue data with no info on what items drove the sale, etc...)

Second, this is going to be VERY disruptive for the algorithm. I'm running most campaigns with a T.ROAS strategy, so I'm thinking I've got 2 choices:

1. Deduplicate and Reduce t.ROAS to around half of the current (eg. if 400% right now, then cut down to 200% + a little bit more to improve profitability = 220%).

2. Deduplicate and switch back to Maximize Conversions Value until I get a stable trend in ROAS.

Which tactic would you suggest? Or is there a third option I'm not seeing?

Thanks for the help!

I’ve set up, or attempted to, using Google tag manager (GTM) for Google ads from shopify sales.

Is this a shopify challenge in that they don’t allow GTM to work in the checkout?

What is the workaround? Using GA4 instead? What are the pros/cons?

I've recently had two clients update their carts in Shopify. It destroyed my conversion tracking. Because of this, I spent a good amount of time restructuring the Google Ads code in order to make it work with customer events. After hours of work, I finally found a way to install Google Ads conversion tracking using Shopify Customer Events! Initial testing is showing that this works. Anybody found a better way or another way that works? I couldn't find any documentation on this, so I'd love any corrections or feedback.

// Initialize the dataLayer array
window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];
// Function to send data function
gtag() { dataLayer.push(arguments); }
// Create a script element for the Google Tag Manager
var gtagScript = document.createElement('script'); gtagScript.async = true; gtagScript.src = 'https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=AW-1111654878';
// Append the script to the document head
document.head.appendChild(gtagScript);
// Initialize
gtag('js', new Date());
// Set your configuration
gtag('config', 'AW-1111654878');
analytics.subscribe("page_viewed", (event) => {});
analytics.subscribe("checkout_completed", (event) => {
gtag('event', 'conversion', { 'send_to': 'AW-1111654878/_j77CJXitJAYJHINIUHrIp', 'value': event.data.checkout.totalPrice.amount, 'currency': event.data.checkout.currencyCode, 'transaction_id': event.data.checkout.order.id });
});

(Account ID and conversion ID have been anonymized)

We've just switched to Shopify, which I have no experience with. I just noticed that within Shopify Analytics there is no attribution for sales to Google Ads, it only shows for Google organic.

The revenue for organic that is showing in Shopify is wildly different than I'm seeing in G4A, but it might be Google Ads and organic combined (although still off by 10% or so).

It also appears that it's only crediting Bing, and not Microsoft Ads.

Any suggestions on how to get Google and Microsoft Ads showing in Shopify as a sales channel would be appreciated.

Hi

I'm hoping someone can shed some light on an issue I have.

One of my clients has an issue with the purchase event not recording in Google Ads since Friday. On that day, he switched the user of the Google and Youtube app in Shopify over from his old agency that was signed in, over to his own Google account (which is connected to the same GA4 and GMC).

Clicks etc are tracking in Ads, but no conversions which is odd. I've checked GA4 and it's reporting a number of sales attributed to cross-channel and paid ads.

It says the Google Shopping App purchase event (the only purchase event running) is Active and it is firing purchase events at the checkout when I've used tag assistant.

I can't find any tracking scripts in the liquid theme, custom events or checkout additional scripts areas. The only thing I haven't been able to gain access to yet is GTM which I'm awaiting access to.

Any info that you can think of is appreciated.

Thanks

Mark

Are you all seeing up to 48 delays in your Google ads conversion tracking using Shopify and GTM?

Hi guys,

Im tired, honestly tired.

Shopify, Google Ads, Ga4, GTM.

How the hell do I make it all work as a symphony. So many different videos, so many approaches, yet they are all lacking one one tool or the other.

All I want is to be able to track Purchases, emails, calls and form submits to Google Ads and also to GA4.

I know I can import GA4 purchases to my Google Ads account, but some say the tracking is bad. Videos show either only with Google Ads, or only with GA4.

And then there are ways of integrating a code in the shopify so that the dynamic value in Google Ads is accurate… anyways, im lost. I need help big time. Im tired of watching videos at x2 speed and trying to find the damn answer.

Here is my attempt to make it work:

• Install GA4 onto Shopify with the App “Google and Youtube” to have all ecom events recorded in GA4.

• Have a GTM installed on Shopify liquid code

• Have custom events to feed GA4 as well as Google Ads conversions such as : -Email -Calls -Form submit

• Do not have GA4 installed in the GTM because data will be recorded twice.

• My logic here is that since GTM and GA4 is plugged in Shopify Liquid Code, they feed to each other and the custom events (calls, emails…) will still be triggered.

I tested it with a client and it works but idk how perfect this set up is, which explains why im pitching the idea and seeing what you guys do.

• Also not have purchase events installed in GTM to not have purchases recorded twice

Again, I tested this set up with a client and it seems to be working, GTM custom events (calls, emails…) are fired in the Debug View of GTM.

And I don’t know which way is best to record purchases in Google Ads:

• This way: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RewnwC7a4Y

• Or by just importing GA4 purchase conversion values

I am having issues tracking conversions on my Shopify store through Google Ads. My Google Ads conversions often fail to track conversions due to a missing gclid. However, I can clearly see the UTM parameters coming from Google Ads on the order page.

Since I know the order is coming from Google Ads when the UTM parameters are present, I am wondering if I can switch to UTM-based tracking instead of relying on gclid to track conversions. Has anyone tried this approach?