Google AdWords has long offered tools to help you estimate your expected website traffic and cost per click on advertisements, but the company is taking its tools to the next level with estimated cross-device conversions. This new metric will provide powerful insights into how many conversions to sales AdWords customers can expect to receive from users who search and shop on multiple devices. Estimated cross-device conversions is the first step in a roll-out of new features that will ultimately include phone calls and in-store visits driven by Google ads. The new Estimated Total Conversions will provide advertisers with complete conversion insights reflecting real user behavior.

Google’s recent AdWords updates include: cross-account conversion tracking, conversion data additions to the bid simulator and the ability to import offline conversions. Google is now shifting its focus to data measurement tools that will capture conversions that start with an AdWords click and end when a transaction is completed from another device, via phone or in person at a store. Cross-device conversion estimates are calculated by a data sample of Google users who sign into their Google accounts on multiple devices.

Right now, cross-device conversions are calculated only for conversion paths originating from google.com, but additional conversion paths are in development to include ads on Google’s search and display networks. Local businesses can expect to see an impact when Google rolls out additional conversion types for phone calls and in-store visits. According to Google, more than 40 million calls to businesses originate from its ads each month.

To learn more about how you can use AdWords and other pay-per-click tools to grow your business, contact Jane Cirigliano at OffWhite.