Simple Google Analytics - Support

[swingandmiss]

The only way to check if a conversion is really tracking (as in shows in your reports) is to make a purchase. You can simply make a purchase then refund yourself since it's your store if you want. Or put it in test mode and make a purchase. Or add a new payment method like (COD) temporarily and then make your purchase (so no money ever changes hands but the thank you page shows) then turn off the COD payment method after you complete your test.

Keep in mind that conversion tracking will ONLY track those clicks that come DIRECTLY from a paid search ad. So, that means you have to first search on your ad in Google then click the ad (which means you pay for the click) and then complete the purchase.

If you do not first click a paid search ad to get to your site, then conversion tracking will NOT show any results.

Why? Because as Google states, "conversion tracking is for tracking the effectiveness of paid search campaigns". It works in conjunction with that. Without a paid search campaign running, conversion tracking is non-existent in reporting (as it relates to paid search).

Hope that makes sense.

To sum it all up. If you want to check to make sure Conversion Tracking is working, then you need to first find one of your paid search ads in Google (by doing a search on one of the keyword you are bidding on) then click the ad and complete a purchase. Just going directly to your site (not through a paid search ad) and completing a purchase will show "1 purchase / sale" in your analytics account, but "0" (zero) conversions based on that sale (because the sale came from a source outside of the paid search realm.)

Yes, I understand about how it works (although good explanation!), but I was wondering if there was an easy way to fudge it.

[econcepts]

Yes, I understand about how it works (although good explanation!), but I was wondering if there was an easy way to fudge it.

No way to fudge it. :) It's all or nothing.

Plus, you would prbably want to run a real transaction anyhow once complete just for testing purposes. It's always a good idea to test things after making alterations.