Enhanced Conversions Tutorial: Step-by-Step Guide with Google Tag Manager

Introduction

As the digital marketing landscape evolves with the phasing out of third-party cookies, Enhanced Conversions (EC) emerge as a crucial tool for marketers. This guide will first touch upon the implications of third-party cookie deprecation for marketing strategies. It will then succinctly outline what EC is and the basics of its implementation. We’ll also address the essential legal and security considerations to keep in mind when adopting EC. Following this, the guide will focus on practical steps to enable EC and ECL.

If you’re already familiar with the basics and eager to jump into the specifics of EC application, feel free to skip ahead to the implementation segments.

Navigating the New Norm: The Shift Away from Third-Party Cookies

As we approach 2025, the digital landscape is bracing for a pivotal shift that will redefine online advertising as we know it. With an estimated 80% of web browsers set to phase out third-party cookies by the beginning of the year, the underpinnings of digital marketing strategies are poised for a significant transformation. This transition marks a critical move towards enhancing user privacy but also poses substantial challenges for marketers accustomed to the insights and targeting capabilities provided by third-party cookies.

The Impact on Digital Marketing Efforts

The phase-out of third-party cookies will directly influence key marketing activities:

  • Engaged View Conversions: Measuring the impact of video ads on platforms like YouTube becomes challenging without the ability to track who saw an ad and then made a purchase. For instance, a company advertising sneakers can no longer easily connect an ad view to a subsequent purchase without third-party cookies.

  • View-Through Conversions: This strategy tracks users who see an ad but do not immediately act, possibly making a purchase at a later date. Without third-party cookies, attributing a later purchase to a previously viewed ad is problematic. A real-world scenario might involve someone seeing a banner ad for a book, not clicking it, but purchasing the book days later on the advertiser’s site. The connection between the ad view and the purchase becomes obscured without third-party cookies.

  • Remarketing Campaigns: Remarketing, which targets users who have visited a site but did not make a purchase, relies on third-party cookies to remember and serve ads tailored to the user’s interests across different sites. For example, if a user browses coffee machines but does not buy, remarketing uses third-party cookies to show ads for the coffee machines as the user visits other sites. The efficacy of such campaigns is compromised without the tracking capabilities of third-party cookies.

If any of the scenarios described above resonate with you, and web browsers play a significant role in how you achieve conversions, then this article is tailored specifically for you. Now that we’ve discussed why enabling Enhanced Conversions (EC) is critical, let’s delve into what EC is and give a high-level overview of how it can be implemented.

Understanding Enhanced Conversions (EC) and Enhanced Conversions for Leads (ECL): A High-Level Overview

Enhanced Conversions (EC) and Enhanced Conversions for Leads (ECL) are two distinct solutions under the Enhanced Conversions umbrella, both designed to navigate the changing landscape of digital tracking amidst the depreciation of third-party cookies.

What is EC?

EC, or Enhanced Conversions for Web, is a solution that allows for the measurement of online conversions, such as purchases made on a website.

How to Implement EC?

Implementing EC generally involves the following steps:

  1. Ensure that the Google tag or Google Tag Manager is deployed across your website, which will capture conversions.
  2. Utilize Google Ads, GA4, or SA360 as the conversion source by integrating with the conversion tracking tags.
  3. Have customer data available on the page of conversion, such as during a sign-up or purchase, which can be hashed and sent to Google for conversion matching.

Please note that Enhanced Conversions (EC) is anticipated to be available for DV360 and Campaign Manager (CM) by early 2025. These platforms are not covered in this current article.

What is ECL?

ECL, or Enhanced Conversions for Leads, focuses on tracking offline conversions or lead-gen campaign values, such as the value of a closed deal that originated from online leads. This solution is valuable for businesses whose sales cycles include significant offline interactions.

How to Implement ECL?

To implement ECL, follow these steps:

  1. Track user interactions with ads leading to your website.
  2. When a user fills out a lead form on your site, store the lead information in your CRM or database.
  3. Hash the lead information, such as an email address, to ensure privacy and security.
  4. Upload the hashed lead information back to Google Ads when the lead converts, enabling Google to match the lead back to the ad click that generated it.

Now that we’ve covered what Enhanced Conversions (EC) is and the high-level steps for its implementation, it’s crucial to address the legal and security considerations. Ensuring that the adoption of EC aligns with data protection laws and maintains the security of customer data is paramount. Let’s delve into these important aspects next.

The following paragraph does not constitute legal advice. Please always consult with your lawyer and local legislation, as well as Google documentation and sales representatives, before implementing any digital tracking or data processing methods. This discussion aims only to cover at a high level what we understand so far about the key aspects of data collection, storage, and usage as they pertain to Enhanced Conversions (EC).

That’s being said, let’s discuss now how Google employs a robust process to protect customer data through secure hashing techniques when handling Enhanced Conversions. This involves several steps:

  1. Data Hashing on Input: When a customer enters their information on a website, such as an email address during a transaction, Google’s systems are designed to hash this information. Hashing transforms the data into a unique code.

  2. Secure Hash Algorithms: The SHA-256 algorithm is used, which is a one-way function, making it virtually impossible to revert to the original data from the hash.

  3. Encryption in Transit: As the data is sent to Google, it’s encrypted using HTTPS, ensuring that the transmission is secure.

  4. Anonymization and Privacy: Only the hashed form of the user data is used by Google to record conversions, which maintains user anonymity.

  5. Data Deletion: Google deletes hashed data that doesn’t match with any user, which enhances privacy.

This method ensures that even if data is intercepted, the privacy of the user’s personal information is not compromised. Here is a list of other considerations to take in mind:

  • Is unhashing of data possible at Google, and what security measures are taken? -> Google claims the ability to unhash data exists, but emphasizes that it has stringent security measures in place, including ISO 27001 certification and comprehensive security strategies, to protect Enhanced Conversions data. According to Google, it adheres to strict privacy standards that are part of the Google Ads Data Processing Terms to maintain this protection.

  • Will the data from Enhanced Conversions be used by Google to benefit competitors? -> As per Google’s statements, it processes event data with user privacy in mind to improve features like automated bidding. Google asserts that it analyzes aggregated data, such as click and conversion rates, to enhance the quality of data for all advertisers. They declare this analysis is not particular to any single advertiser’s data, is not connected to individual user profiles, nor is it used in ways that could benefit other advertisers.

  • What procedures does Google have for data deletion upon consent withdrawal, and what is the timeframe for removal? -> According to Google, hashed personally identifiable information (PII) collected for Enhanced Conversions is retained for a 20-day period to facilitate data processing. However, advertisers can request earlier deletion by contacting their Google sales representative. Google claims this retention allows for proper processing and confirms data is completely erased from their systems. Moreover, Google maintains that participation in Enhanced Conversions is optional, and advertisers can opt out and request data deletion for specific conversion actions as needed.

  • Where is the customer data stored by Google? -> Google indicates that it operates numerous data centers around the globe to provide fast and consistent service. They state that data storage locations depend on proximity to the data traffic’s point of origin, and as such, the location where data is stored can change. Google professes a strong dedication to protecting personal data with robust measures and complies with legal frameworks regulating data transfer internationally.

  • Does Google offer the option to store data locally? -> Google indicates that it does not offer local data storage options specifically catered to advertisers. Instead, to ensure the maximization of speed and reliability, Google’s infrastructure is structured to process traffic from the data center which is nearest to where the traffic originates. This means that while data isn’t localized to a particular advertiser’s preferences, it is strategically stored to optimize service performance.

  • Can Google process my first-party data to serve its own purposes? -> Google claims that it uses the data provided by sites and apps to deliver and maintain its services, improve and develop new services, measure the effectiveness of advertising, protect against fraud and abuse, and personalize content and ads. Furthermore, Google states that any commercially sensitive customer data shared with them is managed in accordance with strict guidelines. Lastly, Google maintains that all advertiser data adheres to the broadest usage guidelines applicable to connected products.

It is recommended to consult Google’s official documentation or seek independent verification for detailed assurances and compliance related information. Having discussed legal and security matters, let’s now turn our focus to practical application.

Implementing Enhanced Conversions in Google Analytics 4

This section of the manual presumes Google Analytics 4 (GA4) as your primary tool for tracking conversions. If your conversions are split across GA4 and other platforms, such as Google Ads, it’s necessary to activate Enhanced Conversions (EC) on each platform individually.

General Prerequsites: Assuming you’ve set up your Google Analytics Property, Google Ads Account, and Google Tag Manager (GTM) account, ensure every page on your site incorporates the GTM code snippet. Additionally, for each conversion event, confirm the existence of a corresponding tag and trigger in GTM. Crucially, at the point of conversion, customer data, including User ID and User-Provided Data, should be available for the conversion tag to function correctly. Ideally, prompting users to log in before any conversion actions can help secure this information at the crucial moment. However, if logging in is not feasible, ensure you have a method to capture this information during the conversion event.

Before we proceed please note on two concepts that are pivotal for implementing EC in GA4, namely User ID and User-Provided Data:

  • What is User ID? Imagine a shopper named Alex who browses for shoes on a retail website via a smartphone during a commute and later continues shopping on a laptop at home. User ID connects these sessions. It’s a unique identifier the website assigns to Alex, recognizing him across different devices.

  • What is User-Provided Data? This is additional information that Alex agrees to share, like an email or a phone number, which is then hashed to protect privacy. When Alex enters this information during checkout or sign-up, the retail website can use it to link his activities with his User ID, even if he switches devices.

With these concepts being clarified let’s move to steps that we are requred to complete to enable EC in GA4:

  1. Link GA4 and Google Ads: Access your Google Ads account, navigate through Tools and Settings to “Linked Accounts,” then under “From Google,” select “Details” next to Google Analytics & Firebase. Hit the Plus icon to add the relevant GA4 property.

  2. Configure GA4 Settings: In GA4, go to “Admin” and under “Data Settings,” choose “Reporting Identity,” selecting either “Blended” or “Observed.” Enable User-Provided Data by heading to Admin -> Data Collection, then accept the “User Data Collection Acknowledgement.” Please activate ‘Collect automatically-detected user-provided data’ toggle.

  3. Update Your Data Layer: Add {"user_id": "USER_ID"} to your data layer. Your developers will need to implement this change.

  4. Create a User ID Variable in GTM: Under Variables in GTM, create a new User-Defined Variable as a Data Layer Variable named “user_id,” setting the Version to 2, and naming it according to your preference (e.g., “User ID for GA4 EC”).

  5. Capture Unhashed Email in GTM: Repeat step 4, but for the Data Layer Variable Name, use “email,” naming it something like “Email - Unhashed.”

    Steps 4 and 5 presuppose that user_id and email are readily accessible within the data layer. To ensure they are present, when a user logs in, push both their email and unique user_id to the data layer with the following JavaScript object:

    dataLayer.push({
  'event': 'login',
  'email': emailProvidedByUser,  // Replace with the actual email variable
  'user_id': uniqueUserId        // Replace with the unique user ID variable
});

    The email should be the address the user enters, and the user_id is the identifier your backend assigns to each user, typically retrieved and stored in the browser, often via cookies or local storage.

  6. Hash Email Data: Create another User-Defined Variable in GTM named ‘Email - Hashed,’ picking “User-Provided Data” as the type with manual configuration. Use the variable created in step 5 as the input for this step.

  7. Configure Conversion Tags: In your GTM conversion tag, under event parameters, add “user_id,” selecting the variable created for this purpose. Then, tick “Include user-provided data from your website,” then under ‘User Data,’ select the variable containing hashed PII, such as “Email - Hashed.”

    Please note that you need to repeat this operation per each conversion tag.

  8. Test Your Configuration: Use GTM’s “Preview” feature to verify the functionality of your conversion tags. Ensure the User ID and User-Provided Data are correctly captured within the tag during conversion events. In the Properties section under User Data, you’re expected to observe an entry similar to {“email: ‘[email protected]’, _tag_mode: ‘MANUAL’”}. Within the eventSettingsTable, the appearance of [{parameter: ‘user_id’, parameterValue: ‘oih345o34ih54’}] should be noticeable.

    Additionally, you can check the correctness of your Enhanced Conversions setup through the Network Tab in Google Chrome’s Developer Tools. Search for the specific network request linked to your configured conversion tag. Once identified, verify that the Payload section correctly transmits the Enhanced Conversion variable. For “em”, the Payload should display as “tv.1~em.” If utilizing a phone number, it appears as “tv1.~pn.”

    Error codes and their meanings are as follows:

    • ‘tv.1’ alone indicates the absence of User-Provided data when the conversion tag was activated. Ensure this data is accessible at conversion time.

    • ‘e0’ signals invalid email (missing ‘@’) or phone number (contains invalid symbols). Implement checks for correct email addresses and phone numbers. In addition, format emails in lowercase with no spaces. Use E.164 format for phone numbers: ‘+’ with country code and number.

      To prevent invalid email and phone number submissions, it’s advised to use HTML form validators. This ensures that all user inputs for email and phone fields are correct and meet the required format before submission.

      For HTML forms, using the ID attribute is recommended for consistent value retrieval from DOM elements, as IDs are unique and stable against layout changes. It’s also beneficial to utilize Data Layer variables for enhanced tracking and data manipulation, as they separate the data structure from the HTML, making your tracking setup more robust and easier to maintain.

    • ‘e1’ denotes an outdated browser version. Updating the browser is recommended.

    • ‘e2’ suggests SHA256 hashing failure, potentially due to unexpected characters in User-Provided data. Filter this data to avoid such issues.

    • ‘e3’ indicates the use of HTTP instead of HTTPS. Transitioning to HTTPS is advised.

    Besides, when setting up Enhanced Conversions with a Content Security Policy (CSP), ensure your CSP rules allow requests to Google’s domains. This permits the User-Provided Data Event Tag to communicate with Google Ads. Include google.com and its subdomains in your CSP directives, particularly for script-src, connect-src, and img-src to ensure proper tag functionality. For a complete guide on CSP configuration for Google Tags, refer to the official Google developer documentation.

    Again, you would need to test each conversion tag that you modified on previous step.

Implementing Enhanced Conversions in Google Ads

This part of a guide begins with a general overview of activating Enhanced Conversions (EC) in Google Ads, followed by a detailed explanation on using Google Tag Manager (GTM) for a more comprehensive setup and testing approach.

First, to activate EC within Google Ads, there are two primary methods:

  1. Account Level: Head to your Google Ads account, navigate to Goal -> Conversions -> Settings, and choose ‘Enhanced Conversion’ by clicking on “Turn on enhanced conversions.” Should you enable EC at the account level but later decide to exclude specific conversions, proceed to Goals -> Conversions -> Summary, select the desired conversion, and under “Details,” uncheck ‘Turn on enhanced conversion.’

  2. Conversion Level: To enable EC for specific conversions, go to Goals -> Conversions -> Summary, pick your conversion, then under “Details,” check ‘Turn on enhanced conversion.’

If you opt to use Gtag, you must specify the source of User-Provided data. For instance, if choosing ‘Email’ with ‘CSS Selector,’ input the value “#email.”

Following the activation of EC in Google Ads, implementing EC via GTM is recommended for those seeking rigorous testing capabilities. Ensure GTM is installed across your site and follow these steps:

  1. Ensure the Conversion Linker is active in GTM to track clicks accurately.

  2. Modify existing conversion tags or create new ones to support EC. Post-setup, activate “Include user-provided data from your website,” and supply a variable for capturing User-Provided Data. This can be done by replicating steps 5 and 6 from the GA4 EC setup guide above.

    In this case, we we assume that tag type is “Google Ads Conversion Tracking.” To retrieve your “Conversion ID” from Google Ads, navigate as follows: Goals -> Conversions -> Summary. Here, select a specific conversion, then under “Details,” click “Instruction” and choose ‘Use Google Tag Manager’ to see the Conversion ID. Alternatively, you can find it by going to ‘Tools’ -> Data Manager -> “Google Tag” and noting the number that appears after “AW-“ listed under ‘Your Google Tag.’

    Please ensure compliance with the general prerequisites for GA4 EC setup (excluding the requirement for a GA4 property) before proceeding with implementation.

  3. Test your tags, akin to step 8 from the GA4 EC activation instructions.

Google Ads also facilitates testing through its interface. After a 48-72 hour period post-tag update, navigate to Google Ads -> Goals -> Summary, select a conversion, and under “Diagnostics,” verify the absence of issues.

Implementing Enhanced Conversions for Leads in Google Ads

This portion guides you through activating Enhanced Conversions for Leads (ECL) in Google Ads, using Google Tag Manager (GTM) for implementation. Adhere to the steps below to facilitate accurate lead tracking and augmentation of conversion data accuracy.

  1. Turn on Auto-Tagging: Begin by navigating to the “Settings” section within your Google Ads account. Under “Account Settings,” locate and enable the “Auto-Tagging” feature, ensuring to save your changes afterward.

  2. Activation of ECL: Enable EC on either Account or Conversion Level similar to steps provided EC in GoogleAds part. Please remember that in this case you want to enable Enhanced Conversions for Leads (ECL) not Enhanced Conversions (EC).

    If you decided to use Tag, you must specify the source of User-Provided data as above.

  3. Creating or modifying conversion actions: If there are existing lead conversion actions, you must ensure ECL is activated for these. Otherwise, initiate a new conversion action by heading to ‘Tools & Settings’ -> ‘Conversions’ within Google Ads, detailing your leads’ information, and setting up ECL for the new actions.

    When creating a new ECL action, select “Import” for the method and “Track conversion from clicks” as the type. Decide between “Qualified Lead” or “Converted Lead” for the conversion category and assign a relevant name. To allow for initial testing and verification, classify it as a “Secondary action,” deferring its use in bid optimization. Configure the action settings, including values and count method, ensuring the click-through conversion window complies with Google’s 63-day privacy policy limit.

  4. Check Conversion Linker: You opt to use GTM, you need to ensure the Conversion Linker Tag is active in GTM to track clicks accurately.

  5. **Create New of Modify Existing Tags in GTM: ** Then in GTM, you need to modify existing conversion tags or create new ones that support ECL. Post-setup, under “User-provided Data” supply a variable for capturing User-Provided Data. This can be done by replicating steps 5 and 6 from the GA4 EC setup guide above.

    In this case, we we assume that tag type is “Google Ads User-Provided Data Event.” You can find Conversion ID similarly as with EC in Google Ads instruction.

    Please ensure compliance with the general prerequisites for GA4 EC setup (excluding the requirement for a GA4 property) before proceeding with implementation.

  6. **Testing: ** your tags, akin to step 8 from the GA4 EC activation instructions.

  7. Uploading data: Now, you need regularly update information regarding conversion from your CRM to Google Ads. You in CSV, Excel, or Google Sheets.

    If you want to create regular uploads using Google Sheets, you need to do the following:

    • Donwnolad Template Go to Google Ads -> Goals -> under “Uploads” click on Plus button -> click on link “View Templates” -> in opened window, choose “Conversion from Clicks (enhanced conversion for leads)” pick Google Sheets Option.

    • Modify Template In the opened Template, make sure that TimeZone parameter is set to your timezone. Next, click on Extention menu, pick App Script, go to triggers, add trigger that allows data to be automatically hashed. I.e. under “Add Trigger for Auto-Hashing Script” on ‘Select Event Type’ pick ‘On edit.’

    • Fill template You need to fill template as per conversions that happened. Please note that Conversion Name should exactly match what you previously used in Google Ads, Conversion Time should in the format supported by Google.

      It is highly advised that you consult with official Google documentation about how you must fill your template.

    • Set up Uploads in Google Ads: Pick Uploads -> “Schedules”. Share your Google Sheet with the account specified there. Pick frequency and time of uploads (preferably weekly). Click on “Link on Existing Google Sheet.”

      You can expect errors to pop up the first time you run this setup. It is normal errors like ‘Emails or phone number for this event cannot be matched to a click.’

      You can also upload conversions using Google Ads Data Manager, but since it is in Beta it won’t be covered here.

    After you sure that everything works fine, don’t forget to tick “Primary action used for bidding optimization” in Settings under “Action Optimisation” for each Conversion Action with ECL.

Implementing Enhanced Conversions in SA360

  1. To activate Enhanced Conversions (EC) in SA360, follow these detailed instructions:

    1. Agree to terms: Consent to the Terms of Service found on the Floodlight Configuration page within your advertiser’s Campaign Manager or under the Advertising Settings in SA360 for each main advertiser that has active Floodlight configurations.

      Navigate to Floodlight in CM360, select Configuration, and enable Enhanced Conversion by checking “Turn on Enhanced Conversion,” followed by marking the subsequent option provided.

      For SA360, access “Advertiser settings.” Within the “Search Ads 360 Advertisers Settings,” activate Enhanced Conversion by checking the corresponding box.

      Please note: Accepting the ToS in SA360 requires that the client possesses either the agency manager or advertiser manager permissions in SA360. They must also hold a CM360 user profile with complete access to Floodlight. This ensures the person authorizing the ToS can effectively oversee the Enhanced Conversion settings and Floodlight configurations.

    2. Modify Floodlight Tag: Within GTM, for each Floodlight tag that you want to use with Enhanced Conversions, ensure you include the “User provided data from your website” option. Then, assign a variable that will be used to gather User-Provided Data, following the instructions set out in steps 5 and 6 of the GA4 EC setup guide.

      For optimal results, it’s recommended to create variables within GTM to capture essential information such as email, phone number, and address.

      Please ensure compliance with the general prerequisites for GA4 EC setup (excluding the requirement for a GA4 property) before proceeding with implementation.

Implementing Enhanced Conversions with Server Side Tagging

Enhanced Conversions (EC) in combination with Server-Side Google Tag Manager (SGTM) should be used in the following situations:

  1. When encryption of conversion data is necessary: EC+SGTM is particularly beneficial when there’s a need to encrypt conversion data. Server-side handling allows for the encryption of sensitive user data before it is sent to Google’s servers, providing an additional layer of security and privacy.
  2. When redaction of some user data is required: If certain user data elements need to be redacted before being sent out due to privacy policies or regulations, SGTM can be configured to exclude specific parameters from being transmitted.
  3. For managing multiple Enhanced Conversions: SGTM enables the creation of a single tag within the browser that can handle multiple Enhanced Conversions for different platforms such as GA4, Google Ads, etc. This streamlines the process and reduces the need to manage multiple client-side tags.

To activate Enhanced Conversions in Google Analytics 4 through Server-Side Tagging, incorporate these steps:

  1. Configure GA4 Settings: Navigate to the GA4 Admin section, click on ‘Data Collection’ within the “User-provided data collection” section, and ensure to activate “Turn On.” It’s crucial to enable the “Turn on user-provided data collection” toggle in the ensuing pop-up. This step verifies that “Collect automatically-detected user-provided data” is enabled under “User-provided data collection.”

  2. Gather User-Provided Data: To accurately compile user data, replicate steps 5 and 6 from the original GA4 Enhanced Conversions (EC) setup guide.

  3. Client Container Setup: When working with a Pageview trigger, create a Google Tag and specifically under “Configuration Settings” -> “Configuration Parameter,” introduce a user_data variable based on previously created variables. If handling an event trigger, such as a ‘Purchase’, employ a Google Analytics 4 Tag to craft an event parameter named user_data, setting its value to the previously established variable. An option to “Include user-provided data from your website” is also available.

  4. Server Container Setup: Within the Google Tag Manager’s server container, formulate a GA4 tag, ensuring the ‘Include user-provided data from your website’ option is selected.

  5. Testing: Testing encompasses three critical stages:

    • Test 1: Validate both GTM client and server container setups. Check for prehashed user data being hashed correctly in both containers.

      If data isn’t prehashed, it should appear unhashed and must be hashed in the server container before forwarding to Google Analytics or Google Ads.

    • Test 2: This involves sending an HTTP request from the browser to the customer’s server. The request payload should reveal the event name under “en,” and the state of your email (hashed or unhashed) in “ep.user_data.<>”

    • Test 3: Check the HTTP response from the server, including a tracking pixel that initiates an Enhanced Conversion request to GA4 and Google Ads. This test ensures the ‘.em’ parameter (indicative of hashed email data) is part of the URL in the Enhanced Conversion request. Use the ‘Preserve log’ feature in Chrome DevTools to prevent missing the ‘em’ parameter in your tracking efforts due to page navigation.

For Google Ads Enhanced Conversions:

  1. EC Activation: Enable Enhanced Conversions (EC) in Google Ads at the Account or Conversion Level, selecting Google Tag Manager as the solution, followed by saving your changes.

  2. Gather User-Provided Data: Repeat steps 5 and 6 from the initial guide for GA4 EC setup.

  3. Client Container Configuration: Please follow steps 3 from EC in GA4 SSGTM.

  4. Server Container Setup: In the Google Tag Manager’s server container, generate a “Google Ads Conversion Tracking” tag, ensuring ‘Include user-provided data’ is checked.

  5. Testing: It’s paramount to adhere to the thorough testing guide laid out for EC in GA4 with minor modifications tailored for Google Ads EC via SSGTM. Specifically, during Test 3 for Google Ads EC, it is essential to verify the presence of the em parameter within the outgoing HTTP request directed towards Google Ads. This parameter should be in the format of tv.1~em.<hashed_email> and is pivotal for confirming the successful handling and transmission of Enhanced Conversion data to Google Ads.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this comprehensive guide delves into the essentiality of adopting Enhanced Conversions (EC) as third-party cookies phase out, spotlighting the strategic implementation through Google Tag Manager (GTM) for its testing capabilities and security merits. By pushing user data to the data layer, creating Data Layer type GTM variables, and subsequently using hashed User-Provided GTM variables, we ensure data consistency and augment security. Through a methodical approach, we underscore not just the ‘how’ but crucially the ‘why’ of EC implementation, equipping marketers with the knowledge to navigate the evolving digital landscape with confidence.

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