Tracking conversions with AdWords: how does it count the conversion?

[Beatever]

Hi all,

I'm looking for the answer on conversion tracking with the AdWords tool:

What happens in following case:

I search for "digital camera", click on an ad, go to the website of brand A, but don't convert.
2 days later, I search for "brand A", click on an ad, and convert.

Will Google AdWords attribute the conversion to both Keywords or just to the last keyword? I know GA contributes the conversion to the last Keyword, but is Google AdWords doing the same?

Thanks for helping clearing this out!

[Mel66]

I think Adwords is the same as GA, but would be interested in confirmation of this.

[Beatever]

I tried to get confirmation with my AdWords rep, but they give me the usual copy and paste stuff.

[abbottsys]

Originally Posted by Beatever

.....
I search for "digital camera", click on an ad, go to the website of brand A, but don't convert.
2 days later, I search for "brand A", click on an ad, and convert.....

Only the second one counts. The AdWords conversion tracking cookie for the first one will have expired. (I forget the exact tracking cookie lifetime, but it's quite short.)

[Mel66]

Originally Posted by abbottsys

Only the second one counts. The AdWords conversion tracking cookie for the first one will have expired. (I forget the exact tracking cookie lifetime, but it's quite short.)

I thought they had 30-day cookies. Which *is* short for some verticals, and long for others.

Originally Posted by beatever

I tried to get confirmation with my AdWords rep, but they give me the usual copy and paste stuff.

I have been getting more and more of these canned replies myself from Adwords. I wonder what's up with that??

[Beatever]

Originally Posted by abbottsys

Only the second one counts. The AdWords conversion tracking cookie for the first one will have expired. (I forget the exact tracking cookie lifetime, but it's quite short.)

I click within 2 days on 2 different keywords, so the 30 days of the cookie haven't expired by then. Is it still the second cookie (=keyword) that will get the credit for the conversion?

[abbottsys]

Originally Posted by Beatever

I click within 2 days on 2 different keywords, so the 30 days of the cookie haven't expired by then. Is it still the second cookie (=keyword) that will get the credit for the conversion?

Yes, of course. The cookies are tracking on a per keyword basis. The first never converted, the second did.

[Beatever]

I finally got an answer from AdWords (thanks Kees-Jochem!).

This is how it works: AdWords attributes the conversion to the first keyword/cookie, AND to the day this cookie was set (cookie life time of 30 days).

This means that when a first visit with KeyWord 1 was say, Sept 26, and the conversion happens on Oct 6 with KeyWord 2, AdWords will report the conversion on Sept 26, and mention KeyWord 1 while Google Analytics will report the conversion on Oct 6, and mention KeyWord 2.

This explains the unexplainable difference I've found...

[KSew]

This means that when a first visit with KeyWord 1 was say, Sept 26, and the conversion happens on Oct 6 with KeyWord 2, AdWords will report the conversion on Sept 26, and mention KeyWord 1 while Google Analytics will report the conversion on Oct 6, and mention KeyWord 2.

Thanks for the clearance, but I feel thats not the way it should work. The correct data is what Google Analytics is showing. Does it mean those who are using Adwords and not GA are getting incorrect data?

[Beatever]

I think AdWords will get underestimated data, especially when a conversion typically happens in multiple visits.