Offline Conversion Import.

Many SMEs do not sell in an online shop but in conversation: an enquiry arrives via the website, followed by a phone call, a site visit, a quote and eventually the order. Normal conversion tracking measures only the first step, the enquiry. To the advertising platform every enquiry therefore looks equally valuable, even if one leads to a major order and the other was a price comparison without intent. Offline conversion import closes this gap by reporting the later steps.

Technically, the click must be linked to the later sale. In Google Ads the classic link is the GCLID click identifier, which is attached to the URL on the visit and stored with the form in the CRM. A more modern route is Enhanced Conversions for leads, where a hashed email address or phone number serves as the link. When the lead becomes an order, the company uploads the sale with identifier, time and optionally value, manually by file, automatically through an interface or via a CRM integration.

The effect shows in how campaigns are steered. When Smart Bidding optimises for orders rather than forms, budget shifts to search terms and audiences that actually buy. Even without automated bidding the import is valuable: it shows which campaigns bring revenue and which only bring contacts. Other platforms have similar mechanisms, for example via the Conversions API at Meta or LinkedIn.

The obstacles are organisational, not technical. The identifier must reliably reach the CRM, sales must record outcomes promptly and consistently, and there must be a clear definition of what counts as a sale. Google only accepts imports within a certain window after the click; with very long sales cycles late orders drop out, and then an earlier milestone such as 'quote sent' is worth adding as a conversion. Phone enquiries also need their own solution, such as call conversions.