Google Ads Conversion Tracking Reset Plan

Date: November 25, 2025 Priority: High Estimated Recovery Time: 2-4 weeks

Executive Summary

Conversion tracking broke in September 2025, causing ~3 months of "Maximize Conversions" bidding to run without conversion data. The algorithm has been optimizing blind, likely wasting budget on lower-quality traffic.

Root Cause: WhatConverts stopped pushing conversions to Google Ads (disconnected integration).

Status: Fixed as of Nov 26, 2025

• ✅ Built our own conversion tracking pipeline (not relying on WhatConverts → Google Ads)
• ✅ Webhooks receive leads from WhatConverts and Crisp
• ✅ Direct API push to Google Ads via GoogleAdsConversionUploadService
• ✅ All campaigns switched to Manual CPC @ $2 max bid
• ✅ WhatConverts → Google Ads integration disabled (to prevent duplicates)

Historical Performance Analysis

Key Metrics (Healthy Period)

• Average Monthly Conversions: 130-160
• Target CPA Range: $22-33
• Optimal CPA: ~$27

Damage Assessment

• Blind Period: September - November 2025 (~3 months)
• Spend During Blind Period: ~$5,575
• Actual Leads (Nov): ~96 (42 phone calls + 54 chats)
• Tracked Conversions (Nov): 1
• Algorithm Status: Essentially reset, needs retraining

Recovery Options

Option 1: Clean Reset (Recommended)

Duration: 2-4 weeks

Steps:

1. Switch Bidding Strategy (Today)

   • Go to Google Ads > Campaigns > Settings
   • Change from "Maximize Conversions" to "Maximize Clicks"
   • Set a Maximum CPC bid limit of $3-4 (your historical avg CPC was ~$2.25)
   • This prevents overspending while collecting conversion data

2. Monitor Conversion Accumulation (Week 1-2)

   • Check WhatConverts daily to ensure leads are flowing
   • Verify conversions appear in Google Ads (24-48 hour delay)
   • Target: Accumulate 30-50 conversions before switching back

3. Evaluate Performance (Week 2)

   • If 30+ conversions recorded with reasonable CPA ($25-40)
   • Switch back to "Maximize Conversions"
   • The algorithm will now have fresh data to optimize against

4. Fine-tune (Week 3-4)

   • Monitor daily for erratic behavior
   • If CPA spikes above $50, consider Target CPA strategy

Option 2: Target CPA Strategy

Duration: 2-4 weeks

Steps:

1. Switch to Target CPA (Today)

   • Go to Google Ads > Campaigns > Settings
   • Change from "Maximize Conversions" to "Target CPA"
   • Set target CPA to $35 (slightly above your historical $27 average)
   • This gives the algorithm wiggle room while it re-learns

2. Adjust Based on Performance (Weekly)

   • Week 1: If CPA > $50, raise target to $40
   • Week 2: If CPA stabilizes at $30-40, lower target to $30
   • Week 3: Fine-tune to optimal range ($25-30)

3. Consider Switching Back (Week 4+)

   • Once stable, can switch to Maximize Conversions
   • Or keep Target CPA if it's performing well

Option 3: Hybrid Approach

For Multiple Campaigns:

If you have separate campaigns (e.g., Dumpsters, Mobile Offices, Storage):

1. Keep best-performing campaign on "Maximize Conversions"
2. Switch underperforming campaigns to "Manual CPC" or "Target CPA"
3. Let each campaign recover at its own pace

Action Checklist

Immediate (Today) - ✅ COMPLETED Nov 26, 2025

• [x] Log into Google Ads (via API)
• [x] Review current campaign settings
• [x] Choose recovery option → Option 1 (Clean Reset with Manual CPC)
• [x] Make bidding strategy change → All 18 enabled campaigns on Manual CPC
• [x] Set appropriate bid limits → $2.00 max CPC on all 59 ad groups
• [x] Disable WhatConverts → Google Ads integration

Daily (Next 2 Weeks)

• [ ] Check admin dashboard for new Conversions (/admin/conversions)
• [ ] Verify conversions pushed to Google Ads (check google_ads_status column)
• [ ] Monitor spend vs. conversion ratio in Google Ads
• [ ] Note any anomalies or failed pushes

Weekly Review

• [ ] Total conversions this week (from Conversions table)
• [ ] Average CPA this week (Google Ads)
• [ ] Compare to historical benchmarks (~$27 CPA target)
• [ ] Adjust strategy if needed

Conversion Tracking Verification

Test the Full Pipeline

1. Phone Call Test

   • Call tracking number from a different phone
   • Verify appears in WhatConverts within minutes
   • Check Google Ads conversions (24-48 hours)

2. Chat Test

   • Start a chat on ladumpsterrental.com
   • Provide email/name when prompted
   • Verify appears in WhatConverts
   • Check Google Ads conversions (24-48 hours)

Google Ads Conversion Settings - ✅ VERIFIED Nov 26, 2025

Location: Google Ads > Goals > Conversions

Verified conversion action:

• [x] "Leads (91576)" (ID: 811560869) - Status: ENABLED
  • This single conversion action receives all lead types
  • Phone calls, forms, and chats all push to this action
  • Using UPLOAD_CLICKS conversion type for offline tracking

Technical Integration Summary

Current Flow (New Architecture - Nov 26, 2025)

Phone Calls ──► WhatConverts ──► Webhook (/webhooks/whatconverts) ─┐
                                                                    │
                                                                    ▼
                                                            Conversion Model
                                                            (PostgreSQL)
                                                                    │
Crisp Chat ──────────────────► Webhook (/webhooks/crisp) ──────────┘
                                                                    │
                                                                    ▼
                                                    PushConversionToGoogleAdsJob
                                                                    │
                                                                    ▼
                                              GoogleAdsConversionUploadService
                                                                    │
                                                                    ▼
                                                    Google Ads API (Conversion Upload)
                                                    Action: "Leads (91576)" ID: 811560869

Key Components

Environment Variables (Deployed)

GOOGLE_ADS_CUSTOMER_ID=776-391-2839
GOOGLE_ADS_LOGIN_CUSTOMER_ID=623-323-9884
GOOGLE_ADS_CONVERSION_ACTION_ID=811560869
GOOGLE_ADS_DEVELOPER_TOKEN=(set in secrets)

Monitoring Commands

# Check conversion counts
kamal app exec --reuse "bin/rails runner 'puts Conversion.count'"

# Check push status
kamal app exec --reuse "bin/rails runner 'puts Conversion.group(:google_ads_status).count'"

# View recent conversions
kamal app exec --reuse "bin/rails runner 'Conversion.last(5).each { |c| puts \"#{c.id}: #{c.lead_type} - #{c.google_ads_status}\" }'"

Expected Timeline

Warning Signs

If you see any of these, take action:

Support Resources

• WhatConverts Dashboard: https://app.whatconverts.com
• Google Ads: https://ads.google.com
• Crisp Dashboard: https://app.crisp.chat
• Internal Analytics: https://admin.quarryrents.com/admin/google_ads

Notes

• The algorithm typically needs 15-30 conversions to start learning effectively
• Expect 2-3 weeks of volatility before stabilization
• Don't make frequent changes - give each change at least 5-7 days to show results
• Historical CPA of $27 is your benchmark for "healthy"