Maximize the performance of your Google Ads conversion data

In today's data-driven world, the performance of your ad campaigns increasingly depends on the richness of the conversion data you import. When it comes to machine learning, the more signals you provide, the better the models can understand user behavior, predict outcomes, and deliver value. For conversion imports specifically, richer data can mean increased observed conversions, and better modelled conversions.

For this reason it’s important to make sure that your application is set up to gather, and import, as much conversion data as possible to the Google Ads API. To do that, you may need to make improvements to your existing conversion import pipeline.

Why upgrade?

We recommend that you upgrade your conversion import pipeline by gathering and importing more than just GCLIDs.

• Durability:
  • Improve conversion attribution, especially when GCLIDs are missing, by incorporating new data points.
  • Adapt to evolving privacy regulations and the deprecation of traditional tracking identifiers.
• Better modeling:
  • Provide more data to Google's AI for better campaign optimization.
  • Get a more complete picture of user behavior and improve model reliability.

Steps to upgrade your conversion import pipeline

• Update your Google Ads API version:
  • Move to Google Ads API version v20 or later. See our release notes and migration guides.
• Include user-provided data:
  • Include hashed user-provided data (email, phone number), when available, to unlock cross-device and engaged-view conversions. See our documentation on sending user-provided data.
  • Important: Set up your application to import all conversions, even if they only have user-provided data and don’t have a GCLID.
• Send additional signals:
  • Capture and import session attributes by using our JavaScript helper function to generate an encoded token (setting session_attributes_encoded), or by capturing the sub-fields individually as key-value pairs (setting session_attributes_key_value_pairs). We recommend using the JavaScript helper function to provide an encoded token; use of key-value pairs is available for users who cannot generate an encoded token in the browser. User's IP address is also available as a new field, though reporting and bidding benefits will become available in the future.
  • Make sure you provide users with clear and comprehensive information about the data you collect on your sites, apps, and other properties and get consent where required by law or any applicable Google policies.
• Adopt Braid (gbraid & wbraid):
  • Capture and import these URL parameters for privacy-safe conversion reporting when GCLID and user-provided data are unavailable.
  • Note: We recently announced that gclid and gbraid can be imported together for a single conversion starting on Oct. 3, 2025.
• Implement order ID:
  • Set the order_id field with a unique identifier. This helps reference conversions when adjustments or retractions are needed.
• Provide conversion environment:
  • Set the conversion_environment field to specify whether the conversion source is APP or WEB.
  • Note: We recently announced that conversion environment data will start informing bidding models for in-app conversions in late September.
• Consent and data sharing responsibilities:
  • Advertisers are responsible for ensuring they have the right to share all data uploaded to Google. Make sure you set the consent field on all imported conversions.

Reach out to the Google Ads API support channel if you have any questions.

- Ben Karl, on behalf of the Google Ads API Team