The online environment is a constantly changing place, companies that previously relied on third-party cookies to track, measure and build audiences are having to adapt as we move towards a privacy-centric online ecosystem. Google has recently made the push for adopting Enhanced Conversions to account for this shift.
The pressure for increased privacy accelerated after the Cambridge Analytica scandal broke in the U.S. in 2019. Apple rolled out it’s iOS 14 update mid-last year, which changed app tracking to be an “opt-in” model versus an “opt-out'' model. The update hit advertisers particularly hard on Facebook, leading to fewer targeting options, less accurate tracking and less effective optimization capabilities.
Android recently announced it would be making a similar move towards privacy, although they plan to give advertisers a 2 year runway and plenty of notice before pulling the plug on existing ad platform features. Google recognized the impact of other recent changes, citing “we realize that other platforms have taken a different approach to ads privacy, bluntly restricting existing technologies used by developers and advertisers. We believe that—without first providing a privacy-preserving alternative path—such approaches can be ineffective and lead to worse outcomes for user privacy and developer businesses.”
These recent updates and announcements are all designed to support one thing: user privacy.
Google first mentioned enhanced conversions last May as one of their initiatives to “future-proof your measurement with privacy-safe solutions.” Designed to improve measurement accuracy, enhanced conversions supplement existing conversion tracking using hashed first party conversion data, in a privacy-safe way. In order for enhanced conversions to work, customer data must be collected, and it must include one of the following: email, name, address, phone number.
There are two different ways you can utilize enhanced conversions:
Implementing enhanced conversions can help account for the conversions that are lost due to browser settings and regulatory restrictions. Google’s ability to get a better picture of where conversions are coming from, improving their bidding models and allowing for:
Another benefit to note is that Google is putting a lot of thought and effort into rolling out enhanced conversions, which will likely be taken into consideration as they continue to roll out platform improvements.
The first step to get the ball rolling is to turn on enhanced conversions in the Google UI platform, and accept their terms:
1. In your Google Ads account, select Tools and settings → Measurement → Conversions
2. Click on the conversion action you want to set up enhanced conversions for
3. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on Enhanced conversions
4. Check the box to Turn on enhanced conversion
5. Click Agree to the compliance statement and click Check URL to check your site for the Google tag
6. Select how you want to set up enhanced conversions:
8. Click Save
According to Google, it can take up to 5 days after accepting the Terms of Service for enhanced conversions to actually be enabled in your account.