Display View-Through Conversions
What AdGradr checks
Section titled “What AdGradr checks”AdGradr applies the same VTC logic used in the video check, tailored to display campaigns. It checks whether view-through conversions are actively being recorded alongside click-through conversions. This check only runs when your account has active display campaigns.
AdGradr flags accounts missing both VTC and click-through conversion data as the most serious finding. Accounts that track click-through conversions but lack VTC data receive a moderate flag. Accounts with both conversion types properly tracked pass the check.
Why this matters
Section titled “Why this matters”Display advertising depends on VTC tracking more than any other campaign type. Display CTRs are inherently low (even good campaigns sit below 0.5%), which means the vast majority of display’s influence happens without a click.
A user sees your banner ad, does not click, but later searches for your brand or visits your site directly. Without VTC tracking, that conversion is credited to branded search or direct traffic. Display looks like it does nothing, budget gets cut, and the campaigns that were quietly feeding your pipeline go dark.
What good looks like
Section titled “What good looks like”A properly instrumented display account will show VTCs in the conversion columns alongside click-through conversions. For most display campaigns, VTCs should outnumber click-through conversions by a factor of 3x to 10x. That ratio is healthy and expected.
The VTC window should be set to at least 7 days, with 30 days being standard for display campaigns that target upper-funnel audiences.
Common mistakes
Section titled “Common mistakes”- VTC window set to 1 day. A 1-day VTC window captures almost no display influence. Most people do not convert the same day they see a banner ad. Extend the window to at least 7 days.
- Conversion actions with VTCs disabled. Each conversion action in Google Ads has a separate VTC toggle. If it was turned off (sometimes by accident during setup), no VTC data flows.
- Only reporting on click-through conversions. Even when VTCs are tracked, teams that only look at click-through numbers will systematically undervalue display and misallocate budget.
How to fix it
Section titled “How to fix it”- Navigate to Tools > Conversions in Google Ads. For each conversion action, verify the “View-through conversion window” is enabled and set to at least 7 days.
- Add VTC columns to your standard reporting views so the data is visible without extra effort.
- When calculating display ROAS or CPA, use total conversions (click + VTC), not click-through conversions alone.
- If VTCs are enabled but showing zero, confirm that your conversion tag fires correctly on all conversion pages. Use Google Tag Assistant to verify.
When to ignore this check
Section titled “When to ignore this check”If display campaigns launched within the past week, VTC data may not have accumulated. Allow a full conversion cycle (at least 7 days at the window length you have set) before evaluating this check.
Want someone to handle this? The Click Makers team manages Google Ads accounts for companies spending $10K+/month. Get in touch to see if we are a fit.