AdWords Conversion Tracking Errors

Missing HTTP Response

Code outside of Body Tags

google_conversion_id not set

google_conversion_label not set

Missing Closing Script Tag

google_conversion_value not set

Improper Spacing/line Breaks

Using secure code on non-secure page / Using non-secure code on secure page

pixel-only implementation

Missing CDATA Comments

Incorrect script attribute

Dynamic Conversion Wrong Format

URL Encoding Error

Missing HTTP Response

Missing HTTP Response denotes that, while the AdWords Conversion Tracking code was detected in the page source, the script itself did not execute. Each time the Conversion Tracking script executes, we expect an HTTP Response carrying the Conversion Tracking request to Google’s servers carrying conversion_id, conversion_label, conversion_value and page URL.

This means that the Conversion Tracking code is not implemented properly on the page and no conversions will be tracked.

Recommended Action: Reinstall the Conversion Tracking snippet by removing the current iteration, copy a new version from the AdWords interface, and insert that version into the site.

Code outside of Body Tags

The Conversion Tracking code was detected on the page, but is currently implemented outside of the <body> tags. These tags are used to define the ‘body’ of the HTML document. Many browsers will not execute scripts or load elements after the closing body tag.

This means that Conversion Tracking code is not implemented properly on the page and no conversions will be tracked.

Solution: Move the Conversion Tracking script inside the closing </body> tag.

Sample Code

Incorrect

</body>

</html>

/* <![CDATA[ */

var google_conversion_id = 123456789;

var google_conversion_language = "en";

var google_conversion_format = "2";

var google_conversion_color = "ffffff";

var google_conversion_label = "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA";

var google_conversion_value = 0;

/ ]]> /

</script>

</script>

<img height="1" width="1" style="border-style:none;" alt="" src="http://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/conversion/123456789/

?label=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA&guid=ON&script=0"/>

</div>

</noscript>

Correct

/* <![CDATA[ */

var google_conversion_id = 123456789;

var google_conversion_language = "en";

var google_conversion_format = "2";

var google_conversion_color = "ffffff";

var google_conversion_label = "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA";

var google_conversion_value = 0;

/ ]]> /

</script>

</script>

<img height="1" width="1" style="border-style:none;" alt="" src="http://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/conversion/123456789/

?label=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA&guid=ON&script=0"/>

</div>

</noscript>

</body>

</html>

google_conversion_id not set

The google_conversion_id variable is not properly set within the Conversion Tracking script. The google_conversion_id is used to associate the Conversion Tracking request to a specific AdWords account.

Failing to properly set the google_conversion_id will prevent conversions from associating to your AdWords account.

Solution: Ensure that google_conversion_id in the Conversion Tracking script on your page matches the google_conversion_id generates in your account.

Sample Code

Incorrect

/* <![CDATA[ */

var google_conversion_id = ;

var google_conversion_language = "en";

var google_conversion_format = "2";

var google_conversion_color = "ffffff";

var google_conversion_label = "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA";

var google_conversion_value = 0;

/ ]]> /

</script>

</script>

<img height="1" width="1" style="border-style:none;" alt="" src="http://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/conversion/123456789/

?label=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA&guid=ON&script=0"/>

</div>

</noscript>

Correct

/* <![CDATA[ */

var google_conversion_id = 123456789;

var google_conversion_language = "en";

var google_conversion_format = "2";

var google_conversion_color = "ffffff";

var google_conversion_label = "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA";

var google_conversion_value = 0;

/ ]]> /

</script>

</script>

<img height="1" width="1" style="border-style:none;" alt="" src="http://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/conversion/123456789/

?label=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA&guid=ON&script=0"/>

</div>

</noscript>

google_conversion_label not set

The google_conversion_label variable is not properly set within the Conversion Tracking script. The google_conversion_label is used to associate the Conversion Tracking request to a specific conversion action within an AdWords account.

Failing to properly set the google_conversion_label will prevent conversions from associating to your AdWords account.

Ensure that google_conversion_label in the Conversion Tracking script on your page matches the google_conversion_label generated in your account.

Sample Code

Incorrect

/* <![CDATA[ */

var google_conversion_id = 123456789;

var google_conversion_language = "en";

var google_conversion_format = "2";

var google_conversion_color = "ffffff";

var google_conversion_label = "";

var google_conversion_value = 0;

/ ]]> /

</script>

</script>

<img height="1" width="1" style="border-style:none;" alt="" src="http://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/conversion/123456789/

?label=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA&guid=ON&script=0"/>

</div>

</noscript>

Correct

/* <![CDATA[ */

var google_conversion_id = 123456789;

var google_conversion_language = "en";

var google_conversion_format = "2";

var google_conversion_color = "ffffff";

var google_conversion_label = "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA";

var google_conversion_value = 0;

/ ]]> /

</script>

</script>

<img height="1" width="1" style="border-style:none;" alt="" src="http://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/conversion/123456789/

?label=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA&guid=ON&script=0"/>

</div>

</noscript>

Missing Closing Script Tag

The closing script tag </script> is used to declare the end of the AdWords Conversion Tracking script. Failing to properly close the JavaScript will prevent the Conversion Tracking script from executing.

This means that the Conversion Tracking code is not implemented properly on the page and no conversions will be tracked.

Solution: ensure that there is a closing </script> tag at the end of the Conversion Tracking snippet.

Sample Code

Incorrect

/* <![CDATA[ */

var google_conversion_id = 123456789;

var google_conversion_language = "en";

var google_conversion_format = "2";

var google_conversion_color = "ffffff";

var google_conversion_label = "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA";

var google_conversion_value = 0;

/ ]]> /

<script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/conversion.js">

</script>

<img height="1" width="1" style="border-style:none;" alt="" src="http://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/conversion/123456789/

?label=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA&guid=ON&script=0"/>

</div>

</noscript>

Correct

/* <![CDATA[ */

var google_conversion_id = 123456789;

var google_conversion_language = "en";

var google_conversion_format = "2";

var google_conversion_color = "ffffff";

var google_conversion_label = "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA";

var google_conversion_value = 0;

/ ]]> /

</script>

</script>

<img height="1" width="1" style="border-style:none;" alt="" src="http://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/conversion/123456789/

?label=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA&guid=ON&script=0"/>

</div>

</noscript>

google_conversion_value not set

The google_conversion_value variable is not properly set within the Conversion Tracking script. The google_conversion_value is used to associate a dollar amount to each recorded conversion.

Failing to properly set the google_conversion_value will prevent AdWords from reporting conversion value and associated ‘value’ metrics.

Solution: Ensure that google_conversion_value in the Conversion Tracking script does not contain invalid characters such as currency symbols.

Sample Code

Incorrect

/* <![CDATA[ */

var google_conversion_id = 123456789;

var google_conversion_language = "en";

var google_conversion_format = "2";

var google_conversion_color = "ffffff";

var google_conversion_label = "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA";

var google_conversion_value = ;

/ ]]> /

</script>

</script>

<img height="1" width="1" style="border-style:none;" alt="" src="http://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/conversion/123456789/

?label=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA&guid=ON&script=0"/>

</div>

</noscript>

Correct

/* <![CDATA[ */

var google_conversion_id = 123456789;

var google_conversion_language = "en";

var google_conversion_format = "2";

var google_conversion_color = "ffffff";

var google_conversion_label = "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA";

var google_conversion_value = 0;

/ ]]> /

</script>

</script>

<img height="1" width="1" style="border-style:none;" alt="" src="http://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/conversion/123456789/

?label=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA&guid=ON&script=0"/>

</div>

</noscript>

Missing closing line beak

JavaScript syntax has specific protocol for closing out a line -- adding a semicolon. This error suggests that the The Conversion Tracking JavaScript file contains invalid spacing or line breaks within the tracking snippet.

Invalid spacing or line breaks are typically violations of standard JavaScript syntax and prevent the tracking code from executing. Thus, no conversions will report.

Solution: Reinstall the Conversion Tracking snippet by removing the current iteration, copying a new version from the AdWords interface, and inserting that version into the site.

Sample Code

Incorrect

/* <![CDATA[ */

var google_conversion_id

123456789;

var google_conversion_language = "en";

var google_conversion_format = "2";

var google_conversion_color = "ffffff";

var google_conversion_label = "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA";

var google_conversion_value = 0;

/ ]]> /

</script>

</script>

<img height="1" width="1" style="border-style:none;" alt="" src="http://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/conversion/123456789/

?label=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA&guid=ON&script=0"/>

</div>

</noscript>

Correct

/* <![CDATA[ */

var google_conversion_id = 123456789;

var google_conversion_language = "en";

var google_conversion_format = "2";

var google_conversion_color = "ffffff";

var google_conversion_label = "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA";

var google_conversion_value = 0;

/ ]]> /

</script>

</script>

<img height="1" width="1" style="border-style:none;" alt="" src="http://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/conversion/123456789/

?label=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA&guid=ON&script=0"/>

</div>

</noscript>

Using secure code on non-secure page / Using non-secure code on secure page

The security protocol (http vs. https) used within the Conversion Tracking script does not match the security protocol of the page containing the script.

http:// is the standard method used to access HTML pages. This protocol is not secured in that information sent via this method can be accessed by anyone. https:// is the secure protocol used to access HTML pages. Data sent via https:// is encrypted and thus only accessible by the user and the website. You will commonly find that most checkout and purchase pages are https://.

This can cause two issues: one technical in nature and the other user-experience related. First, failing to match the security protocol to the parent page can cause reporting discrepancies if there are other Google scripts implemented on the same page, in which the Google scripts share JavaScript variable names. For instance, if you implement AdWords Remarketing and AdWords Conversion Tracking on the same page without consistent use of “http://” or “https://”, this can cause Conversion Tracking to under-report the number of click conversions. Second, this can cause a JavaScript security pop-up to users navigating to the page.

Solution: verify that the security protocol of the script matches the protocol of the parent page.

Sample Code

Incorrect (on https:// page)

/* <![CDATA[ */

var google_conversion_id = ;

var google_conversion_language = "en";

var google_conversion_format = "2";

var google_conversion_color = "ffffff";

var google_conversion_label = "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA";

var google_conversion_value = 0;

/ ]]> /

</script>

<script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/conversion.js">

</script>

<img height="1" width="1" style="border-style:none;" alt="" src="http://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/conversion/123456789/

?label=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA&guid=ON&script=0"/>

</div>

</noscript>

Correct

/* <![CDATA[ */

var google_conversion_id = 123456789;

var google_conversion_language = "en";

var google_conversion_format = "2";

var google_conversion_color = "ffffff";

var google_conversion_label = "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA";

var google_conversion_value = 0;

/ ]]> /

</script>

<script type="text/javascript" src="https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/conversion.js">

</script>

<img height="1" width="1" style="border-style:none;" alt="" src="http://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/conversion/123456789/

?label=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA&guid=ON&script=0"/>

</div>

</noscript>

pixel-only implementation

As opposed to implementing the entire JavaScript file, this page contains the <img> tag by itself. You can find the <img> tag inside of the <noscript> tags of the default tracking snippet.

Using the <img> tag by itself can prevent conversions from accruing due to other factors including browser settings. Learn more

Solution: Use the complete Conversion Tracking snippet as opposed to the <img> tag where possible.

Sample Code

Incorrect

<img height="1" width="1" style="border-style:none;" alt="" src="https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/conversion/123456789/

?label=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA&guid=ON&script=0"/>

Correct

/* <![CDATA[ */

var google_conversion_id = 123456789;

var google_conversion_language = "en";

var google_conversion_format = "2";

var google_conversion_color = "ffffff";

var google_conversion_label = "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA";

var google_conversion_value = 0;

/ ]]> /

</script>

</script>

<img height="1" width="1" style="border-style:none;" alt="" src="http://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/conversion/123456789/

?label=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA&guid=ON&script=0"/>

</div>

</noscript>

Missing CDATA Comments

CDATA sections are required for documents parsed in the markup languages of SGML and XML. This error denotes that the CDATA comments have been omitted from the Conversion Tracking script.

While most browsers can properly render the Conversion Tracking snippet in the absence of CDATA comments, other browsers will fail to properly execute the script. This will result in conversions under-reporting.

Solution: Some content management systems or WYSIWYG editors (known as What You See Is What You Get editors) strip the /* <![CDATA[ */ and /* ]]> */ portion of the conversion tracking script. If you use a visual editor to insert JavaScript into your pages, check to make sure it hasn't incorrectly changed the script.

Sample Code

Incorrect

/ <![CDATA[ /

var google_conversion_id = 123456789;

var google_conversion_language = "en";

var google_conversion_format = "2";

var google_conversion_color = "ffffff";

var google_conversion_label = "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA";

var google_conversion_value = 0;

/ ]]> /

</script>

</script>

<img height="1" width="1" style="border-style:none;" alt="" src="http://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/conversion/123456789/

?label=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA&guid=ON&script=0"/>

</div>

</noscript>

Correct

/* <![CDATA[ */

var google_conversion_id = 123456789;

var google_conversion_language = "en";

var google_conversion_format = "2";

var google_conversion_color = "ffffff";

var google_conversion_label = "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA";

var google_conversion_value = 0;

/* ]]> */

</script>

</script>

<img height="1" width="1" style="border-style:none;" alt="" src="http://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/conversion/123456789/

?label=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA&guid=ON&script=0"/>

</div>

</noscript>

Incorrect script attribute

Script tags are used to define a particular client-side script, such as JavaScript in the case of Converison Tracking. This error denotes that script attribute is not properly defined.

The language="JavaScript" attribute is an old and deprecated script tag attribute. In some browsers, and under certain circumstances, this can cause issues with the way the script is executed. This would prevent the script from firing, which would prevent conversions from reporting in AdWords.

Solution: Verify that all script attributes within the Conversion Tracking snippet are properly defined and mirror the script generated in your AdWords account.

Sample Code

Incorrect

/* <![CDATA[ */

var google_conversion_id = ;

var google_conversion_language = "en";

var google_conversion_format = "2";

var google_conversion_color = "ffffff";

var google_conversion_label = "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA";

var google_conversion_value = 0;

/ ]]> /

</script>

</script>

<img height="1" width="1" style="border-style:none;" alt="" src="http://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/conversion/123456789/

?label=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA&guid=ON&script=0"/>

</div>

</noscript>

Correct

<script type="text/javascript">

/* <![CDATA[ */

var google_conversion_id = 123456789;

var google_conversion_language = "en";

var google_conversion_format = "2";

var google_conversion_color = "ffffff";

var google_conversion_label = "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA";

var google_conversion_value = 0;

/ ]]> /

</script>

</script>

<img height="1" width="1" style="border-style:none;" alt="" src="http://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/conversion/123456789/

?label=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA&guid=ON&script=0"/>

</div>

</noscript>

Dynamic Conversion Wrong Format

The conversion value field can be coded with a monetary value to represent the value of a conversion. This field only accepts numerical values and decimals.

The sale value in your code shouldn't contain a currency prefix ($) or commas (,). If you insert $20.00, for example, JavaScript won't recognize this as a number, but a string.

This causes an error, which means no conversion or conversion value will be recorded.

Solution: Verify that the google_conversion_value field only contains numerical values and decimals.

Sample Code

Incorrect

/* <![CDATA[ */

var google_conversion_id = ;

var google_conversion_language = "en";

var google_conversion_format = "2";

var google_conversion_color = "ffffff";

var google_conversion_label = "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA";

var google_conversion_value = $20;

/ ]]> /

</script>

</script>

<img height="1" width="1" style="border-style:none;" alt="" src="http://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/conversion/123456789/

?value=$20label=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA&guid=ON&script=0"/>

</div>

</noscript>

Correct

/* <![CDATA[ */

var google_conversion_id = 123456789;

var google_conversion_language = "en";

var google_conversion_format = "2";

var google_conversion_color = "ffffff";

var google_conversion_label = "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA";

var google_conversion_value = 20;

/ ]]> /

</script>

</script>

<img height="1" width="1" style="border-style:none;" alt="" src="http://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/conversion/123456789/

?value=20label=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA&guid=ON&script=0"/>

</div>

</noscript>

URL Encoding Error

A URL Encoding Error denotes that the request associated with the Remarketing Tag was not properly formed. This can mean that certain variables are missing, such as Conversion Id, or that there are invalid characters in the request. We expect a standard request to look like this:

http://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/viewthroughconversion/123456789/?value=0&label=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA&guid=ON&script=0

An invalid request may come across like this:

http://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/viewthroughconversion/123456789/?value=0&label=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA&guid=ON&script=0

In which the URL separators are left as &amp instead of &. This typically occurs when the <img> tag is implemented inside of a non-HTML environment

An encoding error would prevent data from being collected in your AdWords account. This would mean that no users from this page are added to your remarketing lists.

Solution: Review the <img> portion of your remarketing tag. If it is entered into a non-HTML environment, please ensure that the & URL separators are changed to &.

To provide a generic example, the <img> portion of the AdWords remarketing tag appears as:

If you extract the URL from the ‘src' attribute of the <img> tag to use in a non-HTML environment, you would need to replace & with & such that the URL becomes:

//googleadservices.com/pagead/conversion/123456789/?value=0&label=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA&guid=ON&script=0