Set up new customer conversion reporting for Smart Shopping campaigns - Google Ads Help [gg-google-ads-en]

Set up new customer conversion reporting for Smart Shopping campaigns

Most Smart Shopping and Local campaigns have upgraded to Performance Max, bringing you additional inventory and formats to reach new customers. Accounts in which all campaigns have been upgraded are no longer able to create new Smart Shopping campaigns. Learn more.

The new customer conversion goal allows you to maximize conversion value for new customer acquisitions. In this article, we'll discuss how to set up new customer conversion reporting using tagging. Learn more About the new customer conversion goal for Smart Shopping campaigns

Install with the Google tag

Step 1: Install the Google tag conversion tracking code

Reference the Ads help center article to set up conversion tracking with the Google tag.

Note: Only Google Ads conversion tracking biddable purchase conversions can be used for the new customer conversion goal. You won't be able to track new customers with your Google tag conversion tracking for floodlight or Google Analytics.

Step 2: Adjust conversion action settings

You'll want to map your conversion action settings to the following:

• Make your conversion actions biddable by selecting "Include in 'Conversions'".
• Make "Source" equal to "Website".
• Make conversion action "Category" equal to "Purchase".

Step 3: Add the new_customer parameter to your tag

You'll want to add the following customer parameter to your Google tag:

Parameter	Value type	Description
new_customer	Boolean: True / False / [Not specified]	Is the customer who is converting a new customer? True: new customer who hasn't purchased within a given time period (540-day lapse window recommended and set at default, but not required) False: a returning customer who has purchased during the given time period Not specified: if there's uncertainty (for example, use of guest checkout)

Example of the Google tag configured with the above parameter.

1. <script type="text/javascript"
2. gtag('event', 'purchase', {
3. "send_to": "AW-CONVERSION_ID/CONVERSION_LABEL", /* PLEASE REPLACE WITH YOUR VALUE */
4. ...
5. "new_customer": true, /* calculate dynamically, populate with true/false */
6. ...
7. ]
8. });
9.  
10. /* */

Install with Google Tag Manager

Step 1: Install Google Tag Manager

Note: If you're already using Google Tag Manager, move to Step 2.

1. Sign in to your Google Ads Account.
2. In the upper right corner, click the tool icon .
3. Under the "Measurement" drop-down menu, click Conversions.
4. Click the conversion action that you want to use, or create a new conversion action.
5. Install Google Tag Manager on your site. Learn how to set up your conversion tracking tag

Step 2: Install the new_customer parameter into the code in Google Tag Manager

1. Select the new customer conversion tag.
2. Check the "Provide new customer data" check box.
3. Choose your data source of either Data Layer or Custom Fields.
4. The below variables are required to be added on the checkout page to be referenced.

Parameter	Value type	Description
new_customer	Boolean: True / False / [Not specified]	Is the customer who is converting a new customer? True: new customer who hasn't purchased within a given time period (540-day lapse window recommended and set at default, but not required) False: a returning customer who has purchased during the given time period Not specified: if there's uncertainty (for example, use of guest checkout)

The data layer is used to temporarily hold data. It's a structured format that is understood by Tag Manager to make it easy for you to move that data from your web page or mobile app to tags, triggers, and other variables in Tag Manager.

You don't necessarily need to set up a data layer for variables to retrieve information. Tag Manager Variables can also be configured to retrieve values directly from Custom Fields, first-party cookies, and the DOM. However, the best practice is to have your variables retrieve information directly from a well-organized data layer object. A data layer implementation can minimize the likelihood of data loss from inadvertent code changes, encourage a well-organized and accessible data model, and simplify troubleshooting.

Example implementation with Data Layer

1. dataLayer.push({
2. "event": 'purchase',
3. "transaction_id": "1545c34e-691e-4726-aeda-b798df255e9c",
4. "affiliation": "Google online store",
5. "value": 23.07,
6. "currency": "USD",
7. "new_customer": true,
8.  
9. });

Example implementation with Custom Fields

1. <script type="text/javascript"
2. send_to = 'AW-CONVERSION_ID/CONVERSION_LABEL'; /* PLEASE REPLACE WITH YOUR VALUE */
3. transaction_id = "1545c34e-691e-4726-aeda-b798df255e9c";
4. affiliation = "Google online store";
5. value = 23.07;
6. currency = "USD";
7. new_customer = true;
8. /script

Note: Create a User-Defined Variable in Tag Manager for Tag Manager to reference.

Install with Firebase

If you're using Google Tag Manager currently, you can continue to use Tag Manager with Firebase for Android or iOS. The following steps walk you through set up and verification of Firebase conversion tracking.

Step 1: Set up Firebase conversion tracking

1. Add Google Analytics to your Android or iOS app.
2. Sign in to your Google Ads Account.
3. Link your Google Ads account with Google Analytics App and Firebase. Follow the instructions on linking.
4. Measure app conversions from Google Analytics App using the Firebase SDK. Follow the instructions on measuring app conversion with Firebase.

Note: To measure conversions with Firebase, you must use the new SDK, Android 17.3 and iOS 6.2, or later.

Step 2: Verify conversion action settings

In order to track new customer acquisitions, you'll want to verify that you've correctly set up the conversion action. Map your conversion action settings to the following:

• Make "conversion action category" equal to "purchase".
• Make the "Firebase event" equal to "purchase".
• Make the "source" equal to "Firebase".
• Make your conversion actions "biddable (include in conversion)".

Step 3: Add the new_customer parameter to your purchase event

Before you add the new_customer parameter, you have to update the purchase event. If you haven't created a purchase event yet, follow the instructions for Android and for iOS.

The new_customer parameter listed below is required for new customer acquisition tracking using Firebase.

Parameter	Value type	Description
new_customer	Boolean: True / False / [Not specified]	Is the customer who is converting a new customer? True: new customer who hasn't purchased within a given time period (540 day lapse window recommended and default, but not required) False: a returning customer who has purchased during the given time period Not specified: if there's uncertainty (for example, use of guest checkout)

Example of a Firebase ecommerce_purchase event driven by a new customer.

Android:

1. // Prepare ecommerce bundle
2. Bundle ecommerceBundle = new Bundle();
3.  
4. // Set relevant bundle-level parameters
5. // New customer information. Should be calculated dynamically and populated with true/false.
6. ecommerceBundle.putBoolean( "new_customer", true ); // or false
7. ecommerceBundle.putDouble( Param.VALUE, 37.39 ); // Revenue, optional
8. ecommerceBundle.putString( Param.CURRENCY, "USD" ); // Optional
9.  
10. // Log event with ecommerce bundle
11. mFirebaseAnalytics.logEvent( Event.PURCHASE, ecommerceBundle );
12.  

iOS:

1. // Prepare ecommerce dictionary
2. NSDictionary *ecommerce = @{
3. // New customer information. Calculate dynamically, populate with @YES/@NO.
4. @"new_customer" : @YES, // or @NO
5. // kFIRParameterValue : @75.98, // Revenue, optional.
6. // kFIRParameterCurrency : @"USD", // Optional.
7. };
8. // Log ecommerce_purchase event with ecommerce dictionary.
9. [FIRAnalytics logEventWithName:kFIREventPurchase
10. parameters:ecommerce];

Test new customer conversions

Confirm that you're using the Google tag and that you've installed the new_customer parameter. If you have the ability to create a test order, follow the steps below to confirm if the parameters are being passed.

1. Using Chrome Developer tools, inspect the page to ensure code optimization by following these steps:
   • Select the Chrome menu at the top right corner of your browser window, then select Tools Developer Tools.
   • Right-click on any page element and select Inspect Element. The DevTools window will open at the bottom of your Chrome browser.
2. In the DevTools window, select Network.
3. Submit your test order in the web browser.
4. Search for the request that contains your conversion (search for "/conversion"). The query string parameters should include additional parameters, as shown in the example below:

vdnc: true where vdnc = new_customer

Test new customer conversions with Firebase

Confirm that you're using Firebase and that you've added or adapted the purchase event with the cart data parameters.

Then, you can debug events in Firebase in near real-time. You can also track new customer events in Firebase.

Related links

• About conversion goals in Shopping campaigns
• Set up conversion tracking for your website
• Google Ads conversions
• Create ads and campaigns