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Google Ads conversion tracking not working? A checklist

Updated

What it means when conversions stop

A conversion is a sale, call or form you count as a result. Google Ads records one when a tag (a small piece of code on your website) fires after someone clicks your ad.

If conversions suddenly drop to zero, one of two things happened. Either people really stopped buying, or the tracking broke. The second is common, and much easier to fix once you find it.

Why it matters for your money

Many campaigns use automated bidding, where Google sets your bids for you. Strategies like Maximize conversions or target CPA (a goal cost per conversion) rely on conversion data to decide what to bid.

If tracking breaks, the system thinks your ads stopped working. It may bid in odd ways or spend your budget without a clear signal. You also can’t judge your own results.

Step 1: Check the status in Google Ads

  1. Open Goals, then Conversions, then Summary. (If you can’t find it, search for “conversions” in the Google Ads search bar.)
  2. Look at the Status column next to each conversion action (each thing you track, like “Contact form” or “Purchase”).
  3. Click a status to see details or open the list of issues.

Google’s help describes these statuses:

  • Active: working as intended.
  • Needs attention: something should be fixed, but conversions are still being recorded.
  • Misconfigured: recording has stopped because of a setup error or broken tag.
  • Awaiting conversions: no conversions in the last 7 days. This can mean the action is brand new, your campaigns are paused, or traffic is low.
  • Removed: the action was deleted or archived.

You may also see “Unverified” or “Tag inactive” on some actions. Google suggests using Tag Assistant to test them.

Step 2: Check your Google tag

The Google tag is the main piece of code that sends data to Google Ads. Its settings include a diagnostics view. Look for a “Tag quality” section and “View diagnostics.” (If you can’t find it, search for “Google tag” in the Google Ads search bar.)

An alert like “Google tag has stopped sending data” points straight at the problem. After any fix, Google says to allow 24 to 48 hours for statuses to update.

Step 3: Think about recent website changes

Most broken tracking follows a change to the website. Ask yourself, or your web person:

  • Did we redesign the site or switch themes?
  • Did we move to a new website builder or shop platform?
  • Did we change domains or move from “www” to no “www”?
  • Did we remove a plugin or app that used to hold the tag?
  • Did we change the form tool or checkout?

Any of these can quietly remove the tag or stop it from firing.

Step 4: Check the thank-you page

Many conversions count when someone lands on a thank-you or confirmation page. If that page’s address changed, or the form now shows a message instead of loading a new page, the conversion may never fire.

Submit a test form yourself. Note the address of the page you land on. Compare it with the URL rule in your conversion action settings.

Step 5: Check Google Tag Manager

If you use Google Tag Manager (a tool for managing tags without editing code), check that:

  • The container is still installed on every page.
  • The latest version is published, not just saved.
  • The trigger still matches your form or thank-you page.

Google Tag Manager has its own preview mode to watch tags fire as you test.

A cookie consent banner asks visitors whether they allow tracking. If a new banner was added or its settings changed, tags may stop firing until people say yes. Google’s consent mode can fill some gaps with modeling, but a badly set up banner can still block conversions. Test by accepting cookies yourself and submitting a form.

Step 7: Check call tracking

If phone calls count as conversions, make sure the tracked number still shows on your site and in your ads. Changes to your call settings or the number on your site can stop calls from being counted.

When it’s fine

A short dip can be normal. Weekends, holidays and slow seasons happen. Small accounts with few conversions will see days with zero. Conversions can also show up late, because some people buy days after they click.

The time to worry is when conversions stop for several days in a row after a steady pattern, and nothing about your business explains it.

SpendCanary flags when conversions drop to zero for 3 or more days after the account had about one or more a day.