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Set up conversion tracking properly

Without this, you're flying blind. With it, you know exactly what makes money.

9 min read·7 steps
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  1. Define your conversion events

    For most small businesses: 1) form submitted, 2) purchase completed, 3) phone call clicked, 4) demo booked. Write down every one that matters BEFORE touching any ad tool.

  2. Install Google Tag Manager

    Free. One code snippet in your <head>. From then on, you add all tracking through GTM (no more editing site code for every new tag). Learning it takes 2 hours, saves years.

  3. Add the Meta Pixel + Conversions API

    Pixel: browser-side. Conversions API: server-side (more accurate post iOS 14.5). Set up both, Facebook needs both for accurate tracking in 2026.

  4. Set up GA4 events

    Google Analytics 4 fires events, not pageviews. Configure events for each conversion. Mark the important ones as Key Events, they'll appear as conversion goals in Google Ads.

  5. Test every event with real actions

    Visit your site, complete the form, purchase (or test purchase), click the phone button. Then check Meta's Event Manager and GA4's Debug view within 5 minutes. Never assume tracking works, verify.

  6. Assign a value to each conversion

    Even estimated. 'A form submission is worth $50 to us because 20% become $250 customers.' Ad platforms optimise for value if you give them one; they optimise for volume if you don't.

  7. Never trust one attribution model

    Meta reports 5 conversions, GA4 reports 3, Shopify reports 4. All are 'right' from a different angle. Look at trends over 30 days, not exact numbers.

That’s the whole thing.

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