New privacy laws make it more difficult to track and target customers across several devices. Marketers may observe a reduction in ad performance over time as a result of conversion underreporting.
Privacy safeguards such as the release of iOS14 and the expected abolition of third-party cookies in 2022 make it more difficult to track and target customers across devices. Marketers may notice a reduction in ad performance over time as a result of conversion underreporting. To address this, some platforms are measuring performance using first-party customer data — this allows it to be straightforward to determine which ad caught a consumer’s interest, regardless of which device they watched it on.
Google has launched a new feature called Enhanced Conversion Tracking, its own solution, which claims to address privacy issues while also improving conversion metrics.
What Are Enhanced Conversions?
Enhanced Conversions allows Google Ads to collect customer data from conversion activity and then match it to advertisements viewed on other devices. But how does it work?
When cookies are unavailable, first-party and consented data might be used to fill in the measurement gaps. It enhances your existing conversion tags by securely delivering hashed first-party conversion data from your website to Google.
Before transferring your first-party customer data, such as email addresses, to Google, the functionality employs a secure one-way hashing method known as SHA256. The hashed data is then matched with signed-in Google accounts to credit campaign conversions to ad events like clicks or views.
Tags with enhanced conversions can leverage consented, first-party data to provide a more accurate picture of how consumers convert after engaging with advertisements. Marketers will also be able to obtain the data required to uncover performance insights such as conversion lift and enhance measurement in instances when their ad is displayed on one device but the user converts on another. To preserve user privacy and security, the data is always hashed.
Even if consumers are not signed-in with the same email address on each device, Enhanced Conversions may assist marketers in more effectively assessing campaign success across multiple devices.
How Customer’s Data Is Protected When Using Enhanced Conversions
Customers have complete control over their data. According to Google, the technology sends client data in hashed form, encrypting it with the SHA-256 technique, the company’s data encryption standard (as well as others, like Facebook). So, in terms of data, only Google has access to a customer’s data, and even then, Google users may regulate how Google uses this data using the MyActivity control panel’s “Web and App Activity” settings area. Google also says that user data would not be shared with other advertisers, and that access controls and encryption are in place to prevent unauthorised access.
Privacy is a significant concern with Enhanced Conversions, so marketers should make it clear what information is being acquired and why. To put it another way, this is a great time to implement a privacy policy. Any advertiser that utilises Enhanced Conversions must inform customers through a privacy policy that their data is shared with third parties to perform ad measurement services, and the advertiser must get customer consent for such sharing and usage where legally required.
How To Set Up Enhanced Conversions?
Enhanced Conversions may be implemented in two ways: using Google Tag Manager or by altering Google’s Global Site Tag. Both require a basic grasp of programming, but Google offers extensive training (Tag Manager Instructions, Global Site Tag Instructions).
If you’re looking to take your PPC campaigns to the next level and increase conversions, get in touch with our expert team and ask for a free PPC Audit.
