A Google AdWords metric that has been around for the past 15 years is being retired on September 21st, with the company saying ‘Converted clicks’ is now an “outdated metric”. Data included in the ‘Conversions’ column will now become the default way to measure actions taken on your website following an ad click.
The difference between the two metrics is that ‘Converted clicks’ measured any action taken on your site after an ad click, even if it wasn’t the action you intended. ‘Conversions’ measures the number of times an ad click led to a visitor completing the desired action, such as making a purchase or requesting a quote. The ‘Conversions’ column presents a more precise picture of how effective your ads are at driving business.
Currently, both metrics are being measured in AdWords, but according to Google most advertisers are already using the ‘Conversions’ column as their primary source of data for bidding and reporting. If you are one of those advertisers, then this change will not affect you at all.
If you are still relying on ‘Converted clicks’ data, Google makes the case for why you should move over to ‘Conversions’. ‘Conversions’ offers everything ‘Converted clicks’ offers, plus more — such as measuring mobile-centric actions, cross-device conversions, and store visits. ’Converted clicks’ is an objectively outdated metric, being able to do none of those things.
Whether you choose to make the switch now or later, you’ll have no choice after the end of next month.
