Comments on: Google AdWords Conversion Tracking Fails On Mobile

By: Google Annihilates Microsoft, Yahoo! In Mobile | AccuraCast Search Daily News

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 07:06:11 +0000

[...] not all. StatCounter data itself is not wholly credible due to the fact that they use cookies and JavaScript to track visitors, both of which often don’t work when websites are vie…. Therefore, any data delivered by StatCounter is only valid for a small subset of all the different [...]

By: AccuraCast

AccuraCast — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 18:14:51 +0000

@Darragh thanks for pointing out the bit that is confusing. You are right in stating that JavaScript is not the problem in itself. It is the cookies deposited by the script that are a problem on mobile devices. The post has been updated to reflect this.

By: Darragh

Darragh — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 12:32:51 +0000

The converion code you posted is just an example. Although, I admit there is no mention of WML support in the docs that you posted a link to, I can assure you WML has been supported since mid-2007 at least. I’ve been using google WML convertion tracking code on a mobile site for about a year. Furthermore, if you were to actually read the sample converion code that you went to the bother of taking a screenshot of, you would have noticed the noscript tages, which means the code would word even in a browser which does not support javascript. The code in-between the noscript tags is essentially very similar to the WML code which i’ve been using all along. I don’t understand why you continue to deny that you made a mistake in your original article.

By: AccuraCast

AccuraCast — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 12:23:04 +0000

Also uploaded a screenshot of the above-referenced article, in case Google does get round to updating its course: Screenshot of Google AdWords Conversion Tracking lesson

By: AccuraCast

AccuraCast — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 12:18:35 +0000

Lucky for us, Google has not updated all their documentation. If you look at the instructions in their learning centre, you will see the old conversion tracking code: http://www.google.com/adwords/learningcenter/text/19216.html It is JavaScript-based code, and the only choices offered to advertisers are security level and language (English, French, etc.)

By: Darragh

Darragh — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 08:38:16 +0000

Yes, the old system did have the capability to specify the website markup language. I’ve been using WML conversion tracking code since mid 2007. I cannot point out exactly how the language was selected in the old system, but it was much the same as in the new system.

By: AccuraCast

AccuraCast — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 17:12:35 +0000

@Darragh: as pointed out earlier, this is on the updated conversion tracking system. The old conversion tracking system did not have any provision to specify website markup language.

By: Darragh

Darragh — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 16:05:50 +0000

Campaign Management -> Conversion Tracking -> Create an Action -> Conversion page markup language -> wml

By: AccuraCast

AccuraCast — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 15:57:20 +0000

@Darragh Could you point us to where on Google AdWords you obtained WML specific conversion tracking codes?

By: Darragh

Darragh — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 15:39:45 +0000

Although the google conversion system has been recently overhauled, WML conversion tracking code – which does not require Javascript – has been available since 2007.

By: AccuraCast

AccuraCast — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 13:29:14 +0000

The information is based on conversations with Google in Jan 08. Since then, the conversion tracking system has been overhauled.

By: Darragh

Darragh — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 12:10:59 +0000

Google Adwords actually provides conversion tracking code for mobile XHTML pages which does not rely on javascript. This code still does depend on cookies, but your point about javascript support being required is mistaken.

By: AccuraCast Search Daily News

AccuraCast Search Daily News — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 17:49:03 +0000

Attacking Google Mobile’s Achilles’ Heel – Analytics…

A recent news bite on AccuraCast Search Daily News highlighted the fact that Google AdWords does not provide reliable conversion tracking on mobile ad campaigns. In the wake of this announcement, a number of alternative solution providers, including th…

By: AccuraCast

AccuraCast — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 14:41:14 +0000

Individual IP Addresses usually get hidden by mobile operators. So everyone from Orange, for example would show the same IP group, making it impossible for AdWords to distinguish which user (or which keyword) led to a conversion.

We have been informed that a well-known mobile solutions provider will be offering this service in the very near future, and we will announce it on our site as soon as the information is made public – so watch this space!

By: orangewed

orangewed — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 14:14:59 +0000

is some one actually providing this kind of tracking software. what about the ip address. is tht not a good enough way.

By: AccuraCast

AccuraCast — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 11:20:06 +0000

Hi Larry…. just to clarify, the problem this post is talking about is not with Google Analytics but specifically with the Conversion Tracking JavaScript used with Google AdWords, which tracks the number of visitors that took a specific action e.g. bought something on the site.

For most site owners it won’t matter too much then, if the same person came in 10 times from Google if each of those ten times they bought something, which then gets recorded as a conversion.

By: Larry Larmor

Larry Larmor — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 06:20:10 +0000

Actually there is another problem with Google’s system for analytics. It can’t distinguish between one user clicking your ad ten times or ten users clicking it once. Surprise surprise that Google makes money on every click – so its easy to guess that Google won’t be fixing their analytics any time soon….