Enhanced Conversions.
Enhanced Conversions is a Google Ads feature that supplements conversion data with hashed customer details such as an email address or phone number. Google matches these values against signed-in Google accounts and can thus attribute conversions to an ad that would otherwise be lost without a cookie.
Enhanced Conversions — Explained in Detail
Classic conversion tracking in Google Ads relies on cookies and the GCLID click identifier. If that link is lost, for example through browser privacy features, device switching or rejected cookies, Google no longer sees the conversion. Enhanced Conversions close part of this gap. When someone submits a form or buys, details such as email, phone number or name are hashed with SHA-256 directly on the website and sent to Google together with the conversion.
Hashing means the email address is turned into a long, irreversible string. Google computes the same value for the addresses of its signed-in users and compares only the hash values. If one matches, Google can attribute the conversion to the ad click. The plain-text address does not leave the website, and Google does not hand any user data back to the advertiser. Nevertheless this is processing of personal data, which must be mentioned in the privacy policy and covered by consent, see Consent Mode v2.
There are two variants. Enhanced Conversions for web supplement online conversions such as purchases or enquiries that happen directly on the website. Enhanced Conversions for leads target business closed offline: when the form is submitted the hash is stored, and if the enquiry turns into an order weeks later, the company reports that sale to Google with the same hash. This is a modern form of offline conversion import.
The benefit shows above all with Smart Bidding. Automated bid strategies learn from conversions; the more complete the data, the better they can judge which searches are valuable. The feature is not a cure-all: it only helps if the basics are right, meaning the correct event is measured and form fields are read cleanly. Typical mistakes are badly formatted phone numbers, spaces in email addresses or a value that is hashed twice.
Setup: Google tag, Tag Manager or API
Enhanced Conversions can be set up via the Google tag, via Google Tag Manager or server-side via the Google Ads API. In Tag Manager the form fields are read as variables and passed to the conversion action; Google handles the hashing if the values are passed in plain text, or you pass values that are already hashed. The Google Ads diagnostics then show whether the data arrives and what the match rate is.
Lead businesses additionally need a way to report sales back from the CRM. Where needed, we build that connection directly into custom systems. More on conversion tracking agency Zurich and Google Ads agency Zurich.
Example: a kitchen maker closing leads offline
A constructed case: a kitchen maker receives enquiries via Google Ads but only sells after consultation and measuring on site. So far Google Ads measures only the form. With Enhanced Conversions for leads, the email is hashed and sent on submission. When the enquiry becomes an order, the team marks the lead in the CRM and the sale is reported to Google with the same hash.
The bid strategy thus learns not only which search terms bring forms but which lead to orders. Whether and how much this affects cost per order depends on volume; with very few sales per month Smart Bidding has little data to learn from, and manual control remains sensible.
Related Page
Conversion TrackingFrequently Asked Questions About Enhanced Conversions
The data is transmitted hashed, but it is still processing of personal data for advertising purposes. It must be named in the privacy policy and covered by the visitor's consent. The Consent Mode v2 signals, especially ad_user_data, control whether the data may be sent.
The email address matters most, supplemented by phone number, first and last name and address. The more correctly formatted fields are available, the higher the chance of a match. All values are normalised before hashing, for example lower case and phone numbers in international format.
Setup is manageable and improves the data foundation, so it is usually worthwhile even for small accounts. Its biggest effect, however, comes when Smart Bidding is used and enough conversions occur. With very few conversions the impact remains limited.
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