How to set up conversion imports in Google Ads

Cloud On-Premise

When using Google Ads, you can import conversions from Matomo to track and optimise your ad performance.

This guide explains how to create each conversion export in Matomo and configure the corresponding import in Google Ads.

After creating a conversion export in Matomo, you can either upload a file once as an offline conversion or set up a schedule for regular uploads. By automating this process, conversion data is consistently synced with Google Ads without needing manual intervention.

Before you start

To import Matomo conversions into Google Ads, first ensure the following requirements are met:

  • Set up Google Ads campaign tracking in Matomo.
  • The destination URLs for your Google Ads must include the Google Click ID (gclid). Only conversions associated with a Click ID are included in the conversion export.
  • Configure at least one goal in Matomo. The conversion export only includes conversions for the goal you select when creating the export.
  • Google Ads support recommends enabling data sharing to improve measurement and allow data labeled with consent to be received. In your Google Ads account, go to Tools > Data Manager > Consent Settings > Imported and uploaded data and select Services that can receive data.

Set up a conversion export in Matomo

The first step is deciding which Matomo goals you want to track within Google Ads. These goals are later set up in Google Ads as external click conversions to ensure accurate tracking and reporting.

Existing imports that use &requestType=https&conversion-export.csv will continue to work. Matomo automatically migrates the associated conversion export to the Google Ads HTTPS option, so no changes are required to existing exports or imports.

  1. To create the conversion export, log in to Matomo and navigate to Administration admin gear icon > Websites (or Measurables) > Conversion exports.
  2. Click Create new conversion export and choose the Export type:
    • Google Ads HTTPS (recommended): Provides conversion data in a CSV format designed for import through a Google Ads HTTPS data source. You can set up a schedule in Google Ads to regularly retrieve the export from Matomo.
    • Google Ads (Legacy): Provides conversion data using the legacy Google Ads CSV format.
      add new conversion export
  3. Configure the rest of the settings as required.

Attribution settings

By default, Only export visits with a Click ID limits the export to conversions where the converting visit contains a Google Click ID (gclid).

  1. If you disable this option, the export will include conversions where the Click ID was recorded during an earlier visit. Additional settings become available.
  2. Days to look back: Defines how many days Matomo searches backwards from the conversion for an earlier visit containing a Click ID. For example, enter 30 to search visits from the previous 30 days.
    conversion export attribution settings
  3. Click ID Attribution (multiple Click IDs): Defines which Click ID Matomo exports when it finds multiple Click IDs within the lookback period:
    • First Click ID: Exports the earliest Click ID found.
    • Last Click ID: Exports the most recent Click ID found.
    • All Click IDs: Exports the conversion for all Click IDs found.

External attributed conversion settings for Google Ads (Legacy)

When you select Google Ads (Legacy) as the export type, the External attributed conversion option is disabled by default.

  1. To specify how Google Ads should attribute conversion credit to an ad interaction, you can enable External attributed conversion.
    external attributed conversions
  2. For the Attribution Model, select how conversion credit is attributed to the ad interaction.
    • Data-driven: Google Ads uses historical conversion data to determine how much credit to assign to each ad interaction, or
    • Last click: Assign the conversion credit to the final ad interaction before the conversion.
  3. The Attributed Credit field lets you specify the fractional conversion credit assigned to the ad interaction. Enter a value greater than 0 and less than or equal to 1. For example, 0.5 assigns 50% of the conversion credit, while 1 assigns full credit.

Visitors to export

Configure which visitor conversions Matomo includes in the export by setting the date range and, optionally, applying a segment.

Note: Using an overlapping date range helps prevent missing conversions if a scheduled import is delayed or fails. Google Ads automatically ignores conversions that have already been imported. Learn more about why today’s conversions might not appear in the Google Ads feed.

  1. Number of days to export: Specify how many days of conversion data to include each time the export runs. For daily imports into Google Ads, we recommend 3 days, and 9 days for weekly imports.
  2. Filter (optional): Add an additional segment to restrict the export to conversions from visitors who match specific criteria. For example, create a segment based on a Campaign Name to export conversions attributed to specific campaigns. You can also use any other supported custom segment.

Conversions to export

  1. Choose the Matomo Goal, enter the Alias name in export and select the associated revenue.
    Important: The conversion name (alias) defined in Matomo must exactly match the conversion name created in Google Ads. Any mismatch will result in the conversion not being recognised during import.
    conversions to export
  2. Click Create New Conversion Export and the Export URL will be generated with the access token included in the URL.
  3. Copy this URL and store it securely before leaving the page as the access token is only shown once. You will need this link to set up the scheduled conversion imports to Google Ads.
  4. If you come back to this conversion export later, the Export URL will be visible but it will not include the access token. Click Regenerate to create a new Export URL with a new access token.

If you are going to manually upload the conversion file in Google Ads, you will need to download the Matomo conversion export file. On the Manage Conversion Exports page and click the download icon to download the CSV file for import into Google Ads. You can then upload this file in Google Ads.

download conversion export csv

Setting up a conversion import in Google Ads via HTTPS is the recommended method because it ensures the secure transfer of data captured in Matomo.

Create the conversion action

Prepare your conversion data by having a separate file ready for each conversion event or audience list before setting up the data source.

  1. Log in to your Google Ads account and click Goals.
  2. Open the Summary – Goals page.
  3. Click the New conversion action button and choose the Import option.
  4. Click Create + and select New conversion action.
    select conversions offline
  5. Select Conversions offline and then Save and continue.
  6. Choose the applicable category to group conversions.
  7. Click Create conversion > Connect data source later.
  8. You can optionally change the default settings by clicking on Edit settings and defining the Value, Count and Attribution settings.
  9. Click Save and continue and then Finish.
  10. Return to the Summary – Goals page.
  11. Click on the new conversion action to open the settings and provide a custom name.
    name the conversion action
  12. The conversion name (alias) defined in Matomo must exactly match the conversion name in Google Ads. Any mismatch will result in the conversion not being recognised during import.

Set up the file import

  1. Open the Summary – Goals page.
  2. For the new conversion action you created and named, click on Set up import.
  3. On the Choose data source page, select Use an existing connection or *Connect a new product** and choose HTTPS.
  4. Click Continue.
  5. Paste the Export URL generated in Matomo. The HTTPS requires at least 1 row of data to be present before setting up, otherwise you may get errors with files containing only headers.
  6. This URL must also include the access token generated when first creating the conversion export in Matomo.
  7. Append the following parameters to the URL: &requestType=https&conversion-export.csv
    add url to connect https
  8. Enter any arbitrary values for the Username and Password as these fields are not validated.
  9. Click Next.
  10. It is optional to add conditions to select records to import.
  11. Click Next to map the required Matomo source data fields to the Google Ads fields, e.g., gclid and conversion_event_time.
  12. Review the connection setup including the schedule for automatic imports.
  13. Edit the details as required before clicking Finish.

The new data source should now be displayed for the selected conversion.

If you get the following error, ensure that you have at least 1 row of data in the downloaded file:
“Invalid configuration: The data type or schema of the data source could not be determined. Make sure that the headers are correct and that there is at least one line with valid data.”.

Schedule an automatic import

You can edit the schedule in your conversion action connection details or you can use this option to set up an automatic import using the Export URL link.

  1. Go to Goals > Uploads and click on the Schedules tab.
  2. Choose HTTPS as source and paste the Export URL copied from Matomo.
    set conversion import schedule
  3. Select the frequency based on your configuration in the Matomo export.
  4. Click Save & Preview.

Manually import the conversions export file

This step is only required if you want to manually import a conversion export CSV file.

  1. After creating the conversion action, open the Summary – Goals page.
  2. For the new conversion action you created and named, click on Set up import.
  3. Click on the link, Go to Conversions > Uploads.
  4. Click the blue + icon.
  5. Expand the Select source drop-down and choose Upload a file.
    upload csv file
  6. Select the option Select a file from your computer and upload the CSV file (downloaded earlier from Matomo).
  7. Click Apply.
  8. After a conversion upload has successfully run, the results of the upload are displayed in the Uploads tab.

Troubleshooting

If conversions are missing or the Google Ads import fails, go through the following steps to resolve the issue:

  • Review the import results in Google Ads for skipped or rejected conversions. If no Click ID was recorded, Matomo cannot include that visit in a Google Ads conversion export.
  • Check the Number of days to export setting to confirm the conversions fall within the exported date range.
  • Verify the conversion alias configured in Matomo is an exact match to the corresponding conversion action name in Google Ads.
  • Google Ads may need at least one conversion row to detect and validate the export structure. If the export contains no conversions, try again when conversion data is available.
  • Check that the complete Export URL and access token were copied correctly. If the token is no longer valid, generate a new one in Matomo and update the URL in Google Ads.