Google Enhanced Conversions Increase Trackable Leads by +16% on Average

In today’s privacy-first digital ecosystem, tracking complete and accurate online conversions is more challenging than ever. The address this, Google introduced Enhanced Conversions, a feature designed to improve conversion measurement accuracy by securely sending hashed first-party data to Google in a privacy-compliant way.

The goal? To bridge the data gap and capture conversions that might otherwise go unattributed due to factors like users opting out of third-party cookie tracking.

But does it actually work? Our Paid Media team put this theory to the test with a multi-account Enhanced Conversions lift experiment–and the results were eye-opening.

If Enhanced Conversions function as intended, they will increase the number of conversions attributed to Google Ads by recovering data that would otherwise be lost due to cookie restrictions and user privacy settings.

Implementing Enhanced Conversions isn’t always straightforward. When we recommend it to businesses, the most common response is: “Is the juice worth the squeeze?”

A vague “probably” or “in theory, it should help” didn’t feel like a compelling answer. Instead of relying on assumptions, we set out to prove, with data, whether Enhanced Conversions truly impact digital advertising success. By testing it ourselves, we aimed to build a clear, evidence-backed case for investing the time and resources needed for implementation.

1. Selected five test accounts

   • Focused on accounts with sufficient conversion volume and low variability to ensure reliable data.

2. Secured client approval to enable Enhanced Conversions

   • Advised businesses to review Google’s Customer Data Policies to confirm they were comfortable with how their data would be used.

   • Ensured their privacy policies accurately reflected Enhanced Conversions implementation.

3. Created a controlled test environment

   • Duplicated the primary conversion goal. Enabling Enhanced Conversions for only one goal set allowed us to isolate the impact of this feature.

4. Set up Enhanced Conversions on the duplicated conversion set

   • Worked with our clients and our Google Support team to ensure complete and accurate implementation.

5. Configured primary and secondary conversions properly

   • Prevented double-counting by setting the Enhanced Conversion goal as “secondary” while allowing Google to continue optimizing towards it.

6. Ran the test for 3 months

   • Allowed sufficient time to gather data and achieve statistical significance.

7. Analyzed results by comparing conversion volumes

   • Measured the standard goal set vs. the Enhanced Conversion goal set to determine the lift in trackable conversions from enabling the Enhanced Conversion feature.

8. (Unplanned Additional Step) Extended the test timeline

   • Extended the test by 2 more months to eliminate potential skewing from the standard goal set lookback window.

   • This ensured that older sessions weren’t inflating baseline results.

In our initial analysis, we found that results varied significantly across accounts. Conversion lifts from enabling Enhanced Conversions ranged from +33% to -13%. The -13% result caught our attention—how could the Enhanced Conversion goal set show fewer tracked conversions than the standard goal set?

That’s when we realized a key factor: long sales cycles and lookback windows.

• The standard conversion set had been active longer, meaning it credited conversions that came from sessions that occurred before Enhanced Conversions were enabled.

• This artificially inflated standard conversion volume, making Enhanced Conversions seem less effective in some cases.

To remove this distortion, we extended the test and adjusted the date range to exclude conversions that may have been influenced by the lookback window.

After the initial 3-month test, the average lift was +12%. After the extended test period, the average lift was +16%. This validated our theory that the lookback windows were skewing initial results.

• On average, we saw a +16% increase in tracked conversions when Enhanced Conversions was enabled.

• 4 out of 5 clients saw a lift in tracked conversion volume when Enhanced Conversions was enabled, and that lift went as high as +33%.

  • The one client who did not see a lift in conversion volume saw a slight -3% decrease. It’s worth noting that the second phase of testing was cut short for this particular account due to a conversion tracking change. Therefore, it’s possible that the gap would have continued to close as time went on.

We followed up with our Google Strategic Agency Manager to better understand why enhanced conversions had more of an impact on some accounts than others. Their specialist team shared the following reasons that the Enhanced Conversion feature may not track additional conversions:

• Data Quality: Enhanced Conversions depend on accurate, complete first-party data. Poor quality or insufficient data can hinder Google’s ability to match users.

• Match Rate: The feature works by linking hashed user data to Google signed-in accounts. If users aren’t signed in or don’t have a Google account, the match rate drops.

• Timing: Enhanced Conversions take time to gather data and optimize match rates. A short test period may not show the full impact.

• Conversion Type: Certain conversions—especially offline events—may not be well-suited for Enhanced Conversions, affecting results.

• Other External Factors: Website updates, marketing campaigns, or shifts in audience behavior during the test period could also have influenced the data.

Thinking about setting up Google Enhanced Conversions? Now is the time. Our testing proves that this feature increases tracked conversion volume, ultimately improving your ability to optimize your Google Ads campaigns.

With more users opting out of cookie tracking, data gaps will continue to grow. Enhanced Conversions can help bridge that gap, ensuring you capture as much valuable data as possible.