Why Your Business Might Be Missing Half the Picture

I remember talking to a client last year who was convinced their Google Ads weren't working. Their online conversion metrics looked dismal, but when we dug deeper, we discovered something fascinating. Their most valuable customers were calling or visiting their showroom after clicking ads—actions completely invisible to standard tracking!

This is where Google Click ID (GCLID) comes into its own. It's the missing link that connects your digital advertising to those crucial offline conversions that many businesses rely on.

What's All This GCLID Business About?

Simply put, GCLID is a unique identifier Google attaches to your ads. When someone clicks, this code follows them to your website. The magic happens when you capture this code and connect it to whatever happens next—whether that's a phone call, in-store visit, or sales meeting weeks later.

The results can be transformative:

• You'll see which campaigns actually drive sales, not just clicks

• Google's algorithms get smarter about finding your ideal customers

• Your budget flows to what's genuinely working, not what looks good on paper

• You'll measure true return on ad spend, including offline revenue

Google reckons advertisers implementing this see about 30% better conversion rates. In my experience, that figure can be even higher for businesses with significant offline sales.

Getting Your Ducks in a Row

Before diving in, you'll need:

• A Google Ads account with conversion tracking set up

• Auto-tagging turned on in your account settings

• The right permissions to create and edit conversions

• Somewhere to store customer data (CRM, spreadsheet, etc.)

How to Capture Those Valuable GCLIDs

First: Turn On Auto-Tagging

1. Log into Google Ads

2. Go to Settings > Account Settings

3. Find "Auto-tagging"

4. Switch on "Tag the URLs I use for Google Ads campaigns"

5. Save changes

Next: Set Up Your Website to Grab the GCLID

You've got several options here:

The Hidden Form Field Approach

Add this to your lead forms:

<input type="hidden" name="gclid" id="gclid_field">

Then use this JavaScript to populate it:

function getParam(p) {
  var match = RegExp('[?&]' + p + '=([^&]*)').exec(window.location.search);
  return match && decodeURIComponent(match[1].replace(/\+/g, ' '));
}

function injectGclid() {
  var gclidParam = getParam('gclid');
  var gclidField = document.getElementById('gclid_field');
  if (gclidParam && gclidField) {
    gclidField.value = gclidParam;
  }
}

injectGclid();

The Cookie Method (For Longer Sales Cycles)

function getParam(p) {
  var match = RegExp('[?&]' + p + '=([^&]*)').exec(window.location.search);
  return match && decodeURIComponent(match[1].replace(/\+/g, ' '));
}

function storeGclid() {
  var gclidValue = getParam('gclid');
  if (gclidValue) {
    var expiryDate = new Date();
    expiryDate.setTime(expiryDate.getTime() + 90*24*60*60*1000); // 90 days
    document.cookie = "gclid=" + gclidValue + "; expires=" + expiryDate.toUTCString() + "; path=/";
  }
}

storeGclid();

Using Google Tag Manager

If you're already using GTM, you can:

1. Create a Custom JavaScript Variable for the GCLID

2. Set up a Cookie Variable to store it

3. Use a Custom HTML Tag to add it to forms

Store GCLID in Your Customer Database

This is crucial—you need to keep that GCLID linked to the customer:

• If you use a CRM, create a custom GCLID field

• For spreadsheet users, add a GCLID column

• Custom database? Add a GCLID field to your schema

Setting Up Google Ads to Receive Offline Conversions

With GCLIDs being captured, tell Google what to look for:

1. In Google Ads, go to Tools & Settings > Measurement > Conversions

2. Click the blue plus button

3. Select "Import"

4. Choose "Other data sources or CRMs" then "Track conversions from clicks"

5. Configure your conversion:

   • Name it clearly (e.g., "Offline Sale")

   • Pick the right category

   • Set a value (or use variable values)

   • Decide whether to count every conversion or just one per click

   • Choose how long after a click to attribute conversions (up to 90 days)

6. Save your work

Getting Your Conversion Data Into Google

Now comes the part where you close the loop:

Create Your Import File

Make a CSV with these essential columns:

• Google Click ID (the GCLID you captured)

• Conversion Name (exactly matching what you created in Google Ads)

• Conversion Time (when it happened, in YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS format)

You can also add:

• Conversion Value (how much money was involved)

• Conversion Currency (if different from your account currency)

• Attribution Credit (for partial attribution scenarios)

A simple example might look like:

Google Click ID,Conversion Name,Conversion Time,Conversion Value
EAIaIQobChMI1_-77LW99QIVFm4bCh1QywOOEAAYASAAEgK1LvD_BwE,Offline Sale,2023-10-15 14:30:45,1500

Upload Your Data

1. In Google Ads, go to Tools & Settings > Measurement > Conversions

2. Find your offline conversion action

3. Click "Upload conversions"

4. Select your CSV file

5. Click "Apply"

You'll see any errors right away, and successful conversions will appear in your reports within a few hours.

Setting up offline conversion tracking isn't the simplest job, but it's genuinely worth the effort. I've seen businesses transform their marketing effectiveness once they connect these dots.

Keeping Things Running Smoothly

Data Hygiene Matters

• Test your GCLID capture regularly to make sure it's working

• Look for missing GCLIDs and figure out why they're not being captured

• Be consistent with naming your conversions exactly as specified

• Set a schedule for uploading data (weekly works for many businesses)

Level-Up Options

• If you're handling loads of conversions, look into the Google Ads API

• Many CRMs now offer direct Google Ads connections

• Consider combining this with enhanced conversions for even better tracking

Mind the Privacy Bits

• Update your privacy policy to mention this tracking

• Under GDPR and similar regulations, you might need explicit consent

• Decide how long you'll keep GCLID data and stick to it

Making It Worth the Effort

Once your offline conversion tracking is humming along:

1. Compare which campaigns drive online versus offline conversions

2. Try smart bidding strategies using your complete conversion data

3. Identify which campaigns bring in high-value customers

4. Refine your audience targeting based on who actually buys

The Bottom Line

For companies with significant offline sales, this isn't just a nice-to-have—it's essential. Without it, you're optimising in the dark, potentially cutting campaigns that drive your most valuable business.

The technical bits might seem fiddly at first, but once it's running, you'll wonder how you ever made decisions without seeing the complete picture. And your Google Ads performance? Well, that tends to improve dramatically when Google's algorithms can see what truly drives your business success.