AdWords Remarketing 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

Ref/URL GET param did not match with actual URL

Validate Products

Non-standard implementation

Missing Quotes

Missing HTTP Response

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

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

Recommended Action: Reinstall the AdWords Remarketing 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 AdWords Remarketing 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 AdWords Remarketing code is not implemented properly on the page and no conversions will be tracked.

Solution: Move the AdWords Remarketing script inside the closing </body> tag.

Sample Code

Incorrect

</body>

</html>

/* <![CDATA[ */

var google_conversion_id = 123456789;

var google_conversion_label = "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA";

var google_custom_params = window.google_tag_params;

var google_remarketing_only = true;

/ ]]> /

</script>

</script>

</div>

</noscript>

Correct

/* <![CDATA[ */

var google_conversion_id = 123456789;

var google_conversion_label = "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA";

var google_custom_params = window.google_tag_params;

var google_remarketing_only = true;

/ ]]> /

</script>

</script>

</div>

</noscript>

</body>

</html>

google_conversion_id not set

The google_conversion_id variable is not properly set within the AdWords Remarketing script. The google_conversion_id is used to associate the AdWords Remarketing 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 AdWords Remarketing script on your page matches the google_conversion_id generates in your account.

Sample Code

Incorrect

/* <![CDATA[ */

var google_conversion_id = ;

var google_conversion_label = "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA";

var google_custom_params = window.google_tag_params;

var google_remarketing_only = true;

/ ]]> /

</script>

</script>

</div>

</noscript>

Correct

/* <![CDATA[ */

var google_conversion_id = 123456789;

var google_conversion_label = "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA";

var google_custom_params = window.google_tag_params;

var google_remarketing_only = true;

/ ]]> /

</script>

</script>

</div>

</noscript>

google_conversion_label not set

The google_conversion_label variable is not properly set within the AdWords Remarketing script. The google_conversion_label is used to associate the AdWords Remarketing 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 AdWords Remarketing 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_label = "";

var google_custom_params = window.google_tag_params;

var google_remarketing_only = true;

/ ]]> /

</script>

</script>

</div>

</noscript>

Correct

/* <![CDATA[ */

var google_conversion_id = 123456789;

var google_conversion_label = "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA";

var google_custom_params = window.google_tag_params;

var google_remarketing_only = true;

/ ]]> /

</script>

</script>

</div>

</noscript>

Missing Closing Script Tag

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

This means that the AdWords Remarketing 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 AdWords Remarketing snippet.

Sample Code

Incorrect

/* <![CDATA[ */

var google_conversion_id = 123456789;

var google_conversion_label = "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA";

var google_custom_params = window.google_tag_params;

var google_remarketing_only = true;

/ ]]> /

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

</script>

</div>

</noscript>

Correct

/* <![CDATA[ */

var google_conversion_id = 123456789;

var google_conversion_label = "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA";

var google_custom_params = window.google_tag_params;

var google_remarketing_only = true;

/ ]]> /

</script>

</script>

</div>

</noscript>

google_conversion_value not set

The google_conversion_value variable is not properly set within the AdWords Remarketing 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 AdWords Remarketing script does not contain invalid characters such as currency symbols.

Sample Code

Incorrect

/* <![CDATA[ */

var google_conversion_id = 123456789;

var google_conversion_label = "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA";

var google_custom_params = window.google_tag_params;

var google_remarketing_only = true;

var google_conversion_value = ;

/ ]]> /

</script>

</script>

</div>

</noscript>

Correct

/* <![CDATA[ */

var google_conversion_id = 123456789;

var google_conversion_label = "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA";

var google_custom_params = window.google_tag_params;

var google_remarketing_only = true;

var google_conversion_value = 0;

/ ]]> /

</script>

</script>

</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 AdWords Remarketing 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 AdWords Remarketing 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_label = "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA";

var google_custom_params = window.google_tag_params;

var google_remarketing_only = true;

/ ]]> /

</script>

</script>

</div>

</noscript>

Correct

/* <![CDATA[ */

var google_conversion_id = 123456789;

var google_conversion_label = "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA";

var google_custom_params = window.google_tag_params;

var google_remarketing_only = true;

/ ]]> /

</script>

</script>

</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 AdWords Remarketing 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 Remarketing on the same page without consistent use of “http://” or “https://”, this can cause AdWords Remarketing 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_label = "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA";

var google_custom_params = window.google_tag_params;

var google_remarketing_only = true;

/ ]]> /

</script>

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

</script>

</div>

</noscript>

Correct

/* <![CDATA[ */

var google_conversion_id = 123456789;

var google_conversion_label = "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA";

var google_custom_params = window.google_tag_params;

var google_remarketing_only = true;

/ ]]> /

</script>

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

</script>

</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 will not prevent conversions from accruing, but it will produce slightly different data than the standard script. This is due to the more advanced de-duplication of many-per-click conversions associated with the full trakcing snippet.

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

Sample Code

Incorrect

Correct

/* <![CDATA[ */

var google_conversion_id = 123456789;

var google_conversion_label = "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA";

var google_custom_params = window.google_tag_params;

var google_remarketing_only = true;

/ ]]> /

</script>

</script>

</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 AdWords Remarketing script.

While most browsers can properly render the AdWords Remarketing 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_label = "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA";

var google_custom_params = window.google_tag_params;

var google_remarketing_only = true;

/ ]]> /

</script>

</script>

</div>

</noscript>

Correct

/* <![CDATA[ */

var google_conversion_id = 123456789;

var google_conversion_label = "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA";

var google_custom_params = window.google_tag_params;

var google_remarketing_only = true;

/* ]]> */

</script>

</script>

</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 AdWords Remarketing snippet are properly defined and mirror the script generated in your AdWords account.

Sample Code

Incorrect

/* <![CDATA[ */

var google_conversion_id = ;

var google_conversion_label = "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA";

var google_custom_params = window.google_tag_params;

var google_remarketing_only = true;

/ ]]> /

</script>

</script>

</div>

</noscript>

Correct

<script type="text/javascript">

/* <![CDATA[ */

var google_conversion_id = 123456789;

var google_conversion_label = "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA";

var google_custom_params = window.google_tag_params;

var google_remarketing_only = true;

/ ]]> /

</script>

</script>

</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_label = "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA";

var google_custom_params = window.google_tag_params;

var google_remarketing_only = true;

var google_conversion_value = $20;

/ ]]> /

</script>

</script>

<img height="1" width="1" style="border-style:none;" alt="" src="//googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/viewthroughconversion/123456789/

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

</div>

</noscript>

Correct

/* <![CDATA[ */

var google_conversion_id = 123456789;

var google_conversion_label = "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA";

var google_custom_params = window.google_tag_params;

var google_remarketing_only = true;

var google_conversion_value = 20;

/ ]]> /

</script>

</script>

<img height="1" width="1" style="border-style:none;" alt="" src="//googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/viewthroughconversion/123456789/

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

</div>

</noscript>

Ref/URL GET param did not match with actual URL

This error denotes a mismatch between the actual URL of the webpage and the referring URL recorded in the HTTP request. When the remarketing script executes, it generates an HTTP request (GET) that contains all necessary information via the parameters in the GET method. One of these parameters is the "referring URL", which is typically the URL of the page that hosts the script. This URL may be the actual page, an iFrame, container tag, or external script. The mismatch in referring and actual URL typically only occurs if your tag is implemented inside of a frame, container or external script.

The referring URL in the HTTP request is what Google stores as the page URL for the creation of rule-based lists (example: URL contains /home). If there is a mismatch between the referring URL and the actual URL of the page, it may impair your ability to create accurate rule-based lists.

Solution: If the remarketing script is implemented inside of a frame, container, or external script, please ensure that you are using the full remarketing JavaScript (as opposed to pixel-only).

Validate Products: Not Valid or Feed ID not provided

Tag Assistant is able to check that the products IDs that are in the AdWords Remarketing Tag on your site match the ones that are being used in your Google Merchant Center feed.

If you have not entered an ID for the feed, you will need to do this first before you can check that the product IDs on your match those in your feed. Your feed's ID can be found in your Google Merchant Center account. Once the feed ID has been provided the "Validate" button will become available which will allow you to check each product ID against your feed. You can also use the auto-validate option which will automatically attempt to validate your products as you navigate around your site.

If you have entered the feed ID and are seeing the "Not Valid" message then this means the ID on your product pages does not exist in your feed and means that this product will not be able to be used for dynamic remarketing.

Solution: Verify that the IDs used in your remarketing tags on your site are identical to the ones used in your Google Merchant Center feed.

Non-standard implementation

We have detected that the AdWords Remarketing code snippet on this page is a non-standard implementation.

Using non-standard code implementation on a page may prevent tags from being fired.

Missing quotes

This error indicates that parts of your remarketing tag's JavaScript are missing correct quotation marks, or that the quotes that are around the tag are not valid JavaScript syntax.

If the tag has been copied from AdWords and pasted into certain word processing packages or email clients during the implementation process (for example when emailing instructions ), the quotes present in the JavaScript might automatically be converted from the correct JavaScript quote marks into ones which are not compatible with JavaScript's syntax which will mean that the browser will not be able to execute the JavaScript. The quotes must be matched pairs of either '...' or "...", and not “...” or ‘...’

Sample Code

Incorrect

In this incorrect example the ecomm_prodid and ecomm_category parameters are using invalid quotation marks; ecomm_pagetype is missing quotation marks entirely.

var google_tag_params = {

ecomm_prodid: “abc123”,

ecomm_pagetype: product,

ecomm_category: ‘Menswear’

};

Correct

var google_tag_params = {

ecomm_prodid: "abc123",

ecomm_pagetype: "product",

ecomm_category: "Menswear"

};

AdWords Remarketing 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

Missing closing line beak

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

Ref/URL GET param did not match with actual URL

Validate Products: Not Valid or Feed ID not provided

Non-standard implementation

Missing quotes

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