Demand Gen Conversion Tracking
What AdGradr checks
Section titled “What AdGradr checks”AdGradr examines conversion data across all active Demand Gen campaigns, looking at both click-through and view-through conversions relative to spend. This check only runs when your account has active Demand Gen campaigns.
AdGradr flags accounts with zero conversions despite active spend (the most serious finding), accounts that track click-through conversions but miss view-through conversions, and accounts where both conversion types are properly recorded.
Why this matters
Section titled “Why this matters”Demand Gen campaigns serve ads across YouTube, Gmail, and Discover. These are mid-funnel placements where users are browsing, not actively searching. Conversion tracking is what tells the algorithm which users and placements are worth bidding on.
Without any conversion data, the algorithm has no signal to optimize toward. It will spend your budget chasing cheap impressions on whatever inventory is available, with no feedback loop to improve over time.
Missing VTC data is nearly as problematic. Demand Gen placements generate most of their value through view-through influence, not direct clicks. If you only track clicks, the algorithm optimizes for the small fraction of users who click, ignoring the larger group that converts after seeing the ad.
What good looks like
Section titled “What good looks like”A properly configured Demand Gen account will track both click-through and view-through conversions with reasonable lookback windows (7 to 30 days for VTC). You should see conversion data flowing within the first 1 to 2 weeks of campaign launch.
Healthy Demand Gen campaigns typically show VTCs outpacing click-through conversions by 2x to 5x, reflecting the mid-funnel nature of the placements.
Common mistakes
Section titled “Common mistakes”- No conversion actions configured. Some accounts launch Demand Gen campaigns without linking any conversion actions, leaving the algorithm blind.
- VTC window disabled or set to 1 day. Demand Gen influence often takes several days to materialize. A 1-day window misses most of it.
- Using micro-conversions only. Tracking page views or button clicks instead of real business outcomes (leads, purchases) teaches the algorithm to optimize for low-value actions.
How to fix it
Section titled “How to fix it”- Verify that at least one primary conversion action is linked to your Demand Gen campaigns. Go to Tools > Conversions and confirm the actions are set to “Primary.”
- Check VTC windows on each conversion action. Set them to at least 7 days (30 days recommended for Demand Gen).
- If conversions are tracked but showing zero after 2+ weeks of spend, troubleshoot the conversion tag. Use Google Tag Assistant to confirm it fires on your conversion pages.
- Ensure you are tracking meaningful business outcomes, not just engagement signals.
When to ignore this check
Section titled “When to ignore this check”Brand-new Demand Gen campaigns (under 7 days old) may not have accumulated conversion data yet. Allow at least one full conversion cycle before evaluating this check.
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