Paid conversions
also called Ad conversionsGoogle Ads conversions
Definition
The number of conversions Google Ads attributed to your search ads over the period.
How it's calculated
A sum of the Ads conversions column over the rows in scope: `sum(conversions)`.
Scope, grain and dimensions
- Grain
- One number per date range, or one row per group_by value.
- Dimensions
- keyword · campaign_keyword · page · adgroup_name · campaign_name · campaign_type · intent · category · country · device
- Required filters
- date_range
- Aggregation
- Sums across rows. Fractional values are expected, the ad platform reports fractional attributed conversions.
- Metric type
- raw measure · conversions
Data sources
Where you'll see this
Named reports that normally include this metric.
Paid and organic overlap reportPaid search performance reportSearch to revenue report
Skills and analyses that use it
Skills carry the judgment; the analysis verbs do the reading.
Analysis verbs
paid_search_overviewpaid_organic_overlap
Method rungs and levers
A rung tells you what a movement here can and cannot explain, read the rungs below it first.
levers L8 Paid/organic interplay
Ask Quattr
- "How many conversions did paid search drive?" Simulate this →
- "Which campaigns convert?" Simulate this →
How to read it
The ad platform's own count of attributed outcomes. It answers what the ads bought, in the ads system's terms, which is the right frame for bid and budget decisions and the wrong frame for a business conversion total.
Caveats, freshness and failure modes
These are ad-platform attributed conversions, not the analytics named goals. Never blend the two lenses in one total.
Attribution windows and conversion-action selection are configured in Google Ads and are not visible here.
Whole-domain only; a segment argument is ignored.
- Freshness
- ~1 day behind, Ads reporting settles overnight; same-day spend is provisional.
Common failure modes
- Adding paid conversions to analytics goal conversions to get a business total, different systems, overlapping events.
- Treating fractional conversion counts as a data error.
Not the same as
The confusions that cause the most wrong decisions.
Paid conversions Conversions Compare definitions →
Paid conversions are the ad platform's attribution; the analytics conversion count is measured against the goals you configured yourself. The skills name which lens they are using whenever both appear.
Watch this metric read in a real run
All runs →
Related metrics and workflows
Metrics
Verification
A definition is the smallest part of this.
The measurement matters because something acts on it. Here is the rest of the showcase, in the order most people find useful.