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In a world that is losing online cookies in the near future, first-party data has never been more important than it is today. Cookies are small bits of data collected when you visit a website. Your browser shares this data with the site to remember information about your visit, this is done to create a seamless browsing experience using data from your previous web sessions. As privacy concerns grow and consumers demand more online anonymity, it is up to online platforms to adjust and fit the consumer’s expectations. This is where first-party data enters the conversation. First-party data is information directly collected through interactions with a customer such as surveys or sign up forms. Enhanced conversions are Google’s innovative response to the rapidly evolving digital landscape. Enhanced conversions are designed to ensure accurate conversion tracking while respecting user’s privacy.
What are enhanced conversions?
Enhanced conversions are an advanced feature within Google Ads, Google’s online advertising platform. Enhanced conversions allow for advertisers to fill in the missing data gaps created by the loss of cookies. Advertisers are able to greatly improve the accuracy of their conversion tracking by using first-party data collected on their websites. This data is collected when an online user completes a conversion action, this action be anything from making a purchase or filling out a form. Next the data is encrypted using a secure algorithm, this is also referred to as hashing, and then sent to Google where it is matched with a corresponding Google account.
Why are enhanced conversions Important?
With traditional data tracking methods facing an increasing amount of regulations it is important to be up to date and in compliance with industry regulations. Enhanced conversions using Google’s secured data hashing process is in strict compliance with standards set by 2016’s General Data Protection Regulation and the 2018 California Consumer Privacy Act. This means that advertisers can still collect valuable user insights without the risk of compromising user privacy. Another valuable aspect of enhanced conversions is its superb cross device tracking. In our multi-device age, online users may often interact with your ads on one device and take your desired conversion action on another. Enhanced conversions eliminate the risk of losing valuable information about the consumer’s journey. EC’s allow for easy tracking across devices, this means that conversions are accurately attributed regardless of the consumer’s path. As mentioned, enhanced conversions used hashed data. This enables enhanced conversions to provide precise attribution of a conversion to a specific ad group or campaign. This allows market experts to better understand which elements of their marketing strategies are yielding the highest return on investment. This allows for accurate A/B testing and provides marketers with better information to make informed decisions.
Enhanced conversions and SEO
Outside of their importance in paid advertising, enhanced conversions also have important implications for search engine optimization. User behavior is an invaluable tool when refining SEO strategies. Accurate conversion tracking provides valuable insights in user behavior and the consumer journey. Having a strong understanding of how web users interact with your content or which keywords or landing pages lead to conversions allows marketers to better tailor their content and strategies to better align with user intent and boost organic traffic. Using enhanced conversions ensures that these invaluable insights are accurate and continent comprehensive data, which becomes increasingly important and cookies and other data tracking methods are phased out. Using data from enhanced conversions allows for SEO practices and paid advertising efforts to operate in unison.
Enhanced conversions in a cookie-less world
With uncertainty looming in the regulatory world as browsers become more concerned about online privacy, enhanced conversions offer an alternative to tracking user interactions. Enhanced conversions were designed and implemented with adaptability and resilience in mind. As browsers evolve and the online landscape changes, enhanced conversions ensure that advertisers can continue to track user data. By leveraging first-party data from your website using enhanced conversions advertisers can provide a stable and adaptable model for conversion tracking.
Common challenges with enhanced conversions
Setting up enchanted conversions opens your marketing efforts up to a plethora of benefits. Here are some common roadblocks users may face when setting up enhanced conversions.
Integration
Your business may already have long standing and comprehensive marketing setups for your platform. Integrating enhanced conversions to your preexisting setups may be easier said than done. Mapping out the required changes and testing the process in a controlled setting before going live can help remedy integration issues.
Accurate data capture
First party data must be collected at the correct point in the consumer journey for enhanced conversions to operate effectively. Missing or inaccurate data can lead to inaccurate conversion tracking. To combat this make sure you are using Google Tag Manager preview mode to test data capturing methods and check any changes.
Data Privacy
Many advertiser’s primary concern when implementing enhanced conversions is making sure that they are operating in compliance with data privacy laws. To address this concern make sure you are using Google’s tag manager to securely capture and hash data. Consider consulting a digital marketing agency for better support with your privacy concerns.
Where do we go from here?
The future for enhanced conversions is promising and first-party data presents a new frontier. Changes in online regulation have cemented enhanced conversions as an integral part of online marketing. Enhanced conversions look to become the industry standard for accurate data tracking. With cookies and other data tracking methods becoming obsolete, marketers can expect a proverbial arms race as Google and other prominent platforms race to streamline the integration process and improve the overall functionality of enhanced conversions. As the technology rapidly develops, markets should be prepared to learn about new features and best practices. By staying informed and adapting to these changes, advertisers can get a competitive edge by taking advantage of advanced data tracking methods. In an increasingly privacy focused digital landscape enchanted conversions will prove to be a vital tool for any marketer from local businesses to worldwide corporations.
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At Simple SEO Group we have delivered results driven online marketing and web development services since 2008. We serve clients from small and mid-sized businesses to fortune 1000 companies alike. To date we have helped over 400 brands improve their online presence and grow their business online. Contact us today to learn more about how we can revolutionize your business’s online presence.