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Configure the Cometly Google Conversion API

Learn how to configure the Cometly Conversion API for Google to send accurate data back to the Google ad platform.

Updated this week

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Cometly’s Google Conversion API lets you send offline conversion events into Google Ads automatically as enhanced conversions. No manual setup is needed. Cometly handles everything behind the scenes to improve your ad performance with accurate, high-quality data.

Why Use Cometly’s Google Conversion API

• Automatic enhanced conversions without any setup required in Google Ads
• Send all events, not just Google-attributed ones, for better AI training
• Real-time visitor profiles that enrich conversion data for higher accuracy
• Better optimization and return on ad spend through improved match quality

What Makes Cometly Different

Other platforms send limited data at the moment of conversion. Cometly builds a complete visitor profile over time and sends the most accurate data possible when it matters.

Key Benefits

• Real-time updates ensure the freshest data is sent
• Higher match quality improves Google tracking and performance
• Enhanced conversions are automatically enabled

How It Works

Cometly links your tracked events to Google’s offline conversion actions so you can:

• Improve campaign targeting with more complete data
• Automatically map Cometly events to Google conversion actions
• Let Google’s AI optimize based on enriched conversion signals

Step 1: Create Your Offline Conversion Actions in Google Ads

To receive Cometly events in Google Ads, start by creating offline conversion actions.

Log in to Google Ads and go to Goals > Conversions > Summary

Click + New Conversion Action

Choose Import > CRMs, files, or other data sources

Click “Skip this step and set up a data source later” (you don’t need to set one up — Cometly handles it automatically)

Data Source: You DO NOT need to create or configure a data source manually. Cometly will send the data automatically once events are mapped.

Configure Conversion Action Settings

You can name the conversion action anything you want. For example: “Qualified Lead” or “Closed Deal.”
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Choose a goal category that best matches your event, such as “Qualified Lead,” “Purchase,” or “Submit Lead Form.”

Next, you’ll choose whether to mark the conversion as Primary or Secondary:

  • Use Secondary if your campaigns are set to Account-level goals.
    This prevents the new conversion from affecting existing campaign optimization.

  • Use Primary only if your campaigns are using Campaign-specific goals and you want this conversion to be part of bidding optimization.

Not sure what your campaign is using?
Go to your campaign settings and check the “Goals” section:

  • If it says Account Goals, choose Secondary

  • If it uses Campaign-specific goals, you can choose Primary if desired

How to check if you are using Account Goals or Campaign Specific Goals

Tip: If Google Ads doesn’t let you choose Secondary, try selecting a different goal category. Some categories automatically default to Account-level optimization and won’t allow a secondary option.

Troubleshooting Goal Category Selection

Some goal categories are locked into Account Goals and won't allow you to select “Secondary” optimization. If you find that the Secondary option is disabled:

  • Try selecting a different goal category that is not part of your default Account Goals.

  • For example, instead of using “Submit Lead Form,” try “Other” or “Qualified Lead.”

In the example shown, we selected “Qualified Lead” and set it as a Secondary conversion action that is not used for bidding optimization.

You can name your conversion anything you'd like — this is for your own reporting clarity (e.g. “Closed Deal,” “Demo Scheduled”).

Value Settings

This setting defines how Google Ads values your conversions.

If Cometly is not sending a value:

  • Choose “Don’t use a value” (not recommended)

  • Or choose “Use the same value for each conversion” and enter a static number (e.g. $50 per lead)

If Cometly is sending a value:

  • Choose “Use different values for each conversion”

  • Enter a default fallback value (e.g. $650) to ensure conversions still track in rare cases when no value is received

  • This ensures data consistency and avoids dropped conversions due to missing values

Count Settings

This setting controls how many conversions are counted per interaction:

  • Choose “One” for leads, sign-ups, and similar actions (only the first instance matters)

  • Choose “Every” for purchases or revenue-based actions (each conversion counts)

Attribution Settings

  • Set the Click-through conversion window to 90 days

  • Set the Engaged-view conversion window to 3 days

  • Choose “Data-driven” attribution for the most accurate modeling

Click Save to finish setting up your conversion action.

Important: If your campaigns are set to account goals and you choose primary conversion, the conversion action will be included in your account goals. You must choose secondary conversion for this offline event. If you choose primary action it may impact your current ad performance if you are using account goals for your campaign goal.

Step 2: Create a Custom Goal in Google Ads

After your offline conversion action is set up, you can group it into a custom goal to make it usable at the campaign level.

Custom goals let you group one or more conversion actions under a single objective that can be assigned to specific campaigns. This is ideal when you want different campaigns to optimize for different outcomes. By using custom goals, you gain greater control over what each campaign is optimizing for, leading to more relevant performance and better results.

Here are the steps to set up a custom goal to use in campaigns:

  1. Scroll to the bottom of the Conversions Summary page in Google Ads (Goals > Conversions > Summary - like in Step 1)

  2. Click Add custom goal

  3. Name your custom goal and select the secondary offline conversion action you want to associate to the custom goal and then click Save.

Once saved, this custom goal will be available to assign in your campaign settings. It ensures each campaign optimizes for the exact outcomes that matter most to your business.
​

By using custom goals strategically, you get more control over optimization and reporting. Each campaign can focus on its own conversion priority — whether it’s demo bookings, closed deals, purchases, or high-quality leads.

Step 3: Configure Data Sharing in Cometly

In this step, you’ll connect your Google Ads account to Cometly and choose how data should be shared.

This enables Cometly to send your tracked conversion events (such as Closed Won, Qualified Lead, or Schedule, etc.) into Google as offline conversions. These conversions will then be used to inform bidding, improve reporting, and activate enhanced conversions automatically.

  1. In Cometly, navigate to the the left menu, click Events Manager and then click Conversion API

  2. Click Google, then toggle on Manage Data Sharing

  3. Choose a data sharing mode:
    ​
    Here are the options available:

    1. Send only attributed events (only those tied to a Google click)

    2. Send all events (Recommended) – this sends every tracked event to Google, even if not directly attributed, and improves training for Google's AI

  4. Select the Google Ads account that should receive unattributed event data

  5. Acknowledge the checklist:

    1. You’ve read the setup guide

    2. You’ve created conversion actions as secondary if you are using account goals

    3. You will wait for 35–50 conversions before optimizing as

    4. You understand early setup may affect campaign performance

Step 4: Map Cometly Events to Google Conversion Actions

Use the event mapping tool in Cometly to connect your tracked events with the conversion actions you created in Google.

This step tells Cometly exactly which of your tracked events should trigger each Google offline conversion action. Once mapped, Cometly will begin sending the enriched event data into Google in real time.

When an event is tracked in Cometly, the accurate attribution event data will be sent to the mapped Google Conversion action.
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Choose the ad account that you want to map Google Conversion Actions to Cometly Events for and Map your offline conversion events to your Cometly tracked events

After you are done mapping, ensure that you click Save at the bottom of the event mapping table.

Cometly will now start sending tracked events to the mapped Google conversion actions.

Important Information About Data Sent to Google
​
​Processing Time:
When an event is tracked to a Google Ad, Cometly sends the data to Google immediately. However, it may take up to 12 hours for Google to process and display the conversion.

Accumulate between 35-50 conversions and launch new campaign with the custom goal

1. Accumulate Conversions: Begin by accumulating between 35-50 conversions in Google through your offline conversion action. This data is crucial for the following steps.

2. Duplicate or Create Campaigns: Once you have the necessary data, you have two options:

  • If you have an existing successful campaign, duplicate it.

  • If you do not have any campaigns, create a new one.

3. Set Campaign Goals: For the duplicated or new campaign, set the campaign goal to align with your offline conversion action. This custom goal will be the focal point of your campaign.

Go to your campaign settings, click Edit in settings:

Select Use campaign-specific goal settings, and choose your custom goal

4. Caution with Existing Campaigns: Avoid changing the campaign goals of your existing Google ad campaigns. Altering these goals can negatively affect their performance.

5. Monitor New Campaign: After setting up the new campaign with the custom goal, closely monitor its performance. Ensure it works effectively and starts accumulating significant data.

6. Transitioning Other Campaigns: Once the new campaign has gathered ample data and shown positive results, you can consider switching other campaigns to the custom goal. However, this should be done cautiously to maintain overall campaign efficacy.

This step-by-step approach will guide you through leveraging offline conversion actions to enhance your Google Ads strategy while maintaining the integrity of your existing campaigns.

Important Info About Google Conversion APIs

When using Cometly’s Conversion API to track events, it’s common to see differences in the conversion data between Cometly and Google Ads. These differences are due to how each platform processes and reports events.

1. Google Ads Takes Time to Process Conversions

Google Ads can take 12-48 hours to fully process conversions sent through the API. If you’ve recently had conversions, some may not show up right away in Google’s reports.

2. Differences in How Conversions Are Tracked

  • Google Ads reports conversions based on the click time.
    For example, if someone clicks an ad today but registers later, Google logs the conversion at the time of the click.

  • Cometly tracks conversions based on the event time.
    This means Cometly logs the conversion exactly when the user registers.

3. Expect Some Variation in Numbers

Because of these differences in processing time and how each platform logs events, the data will never match exactly. Cometly offers real-time tracking, while Google Ads backdates conversions and may take additional time to reflect them.

What This Means for You

  • Wait up to 48 hours for Google Ads to fully process conversions.

  • Keep in mind that even after processing, small differences are normal due to the platforms’ different tracking methods.

Alternative View Conversion Action Setup

If you are experiencing a new Google Conversion Action setup view, please follow these instructions:

  • Go to the Conversions page.

  • You’ll notice that both Conversions on a website and Conversions Offline are disabled. Go ahead and click Continue.

  • On the next page, select the category you’d like to use for Offline Uploads.

    • For example, if you select Purchase, click on Add an Event to this Category.

  • Choose Offline Data Sources.

  • You’ll see Settings next to it—click on Settings.

  • In the Conversion Settings, please adjust them according to your needs.

  • Once done, click Done, then Save and Continue.

After that, check if the Offline conversion action has been created successfully.

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