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Google Ads Metrics Glossary

Quick guide to understand key Google Ads metrics and definitions.

Geetanjali Tyagi avatar
Written by Geetanjali Tyagi
Updated this week

A

Ad Extensions

Additional information that can be added to your ads, such as phone numbers, location information, or additional links, which can enhance the visibility and effectiveness of your ads. (Read more)

Ad Rank

The position of your ad on a search results page, determined by your bid amount, Quality Score, and the expected impact of extensions and other ad formats. (Read more)

Assets

Assets include the headlines, descriptions, links to specific parts of your website, call buttons, location information, and more that come together to make up the eventual ad format that is shown to a user. (Read more)

Attribution Models

Methods used to determine how credit for conversions is assigned to different touchpoints in a customer’s journey, impacting how you assess the performance of your ads. (Read more)

Avg CPC (Average Cost Per Click)

The average amount charged for each click on an ad. It is calculated by dividing the total cost of the clicks by the total number of clicks. (Read more)

B

Bid Strategy

The approach you take to set bids for your ads, which can be manual or automated, depending on your goals. (Read more)

C

Clicks

Every time someone clicks on an ad, even if the person doesn't reach the landing page. (Read more)

Conv Click Rate

Shows how often a click from an ad results in a conversion. It can help determine whether the keywords and ads are driving conversions. It is calculated by dividing the number of converted clicks by the total clicks that can be tracked to a conversion. (Read more)

Conversion (by conv. time)

Refers to a reporting method that tracks conversions and their respective values at the time they occurred, rather than at the time of the ad click. This feature enables more accurate measurement of metrics such as cost per conversion and return on ad spend, attributing conversions to the time they happened rather than the time of the click. (Read more)

Conversion Rate (Conv Rate)

The ratio that shows the average number of conversions per ad interaction, expressed as a percentage. It is calculated by taking the number of conversions and dividing that by the number of total ad interactions that can be tracked to a conversion during the same time period. (Read more)

Conversion Value / Cost (Conv Value / Cost)

The ratio of the value associated with conversions divided by the cost to acquire those conversions. The value data is usually sent to Google Ads through a piece of JavaScript code where the advertiser dynamically changes the number based on what has been sold. Because this metric depends on correctly sending the data to Google Ads, its accuracy depends on how the advertiser has implemented the tracking code. (Read more)

Conversions (Conv)

When someone interacts with your ad or free product listing (for example, clicks a text ad or views a video ad) and then takes an action that you’ve defined as valuable to your business, such as an online purchase or a call to your business from a mobile phone. These were earlier referred to as conversions many-per-click before Google launched flexible conversion counting. (Read more)

Converted Clicks (Conv Clicks)

Every ad click that results in one or more conversions within the chosen conversion window (typically 30 days). These were earlier referred to as Conversions (1-per-click). (Read more)

Cost

The total amount of money spent on clicks (CPC) or impressions (CPM) each day for each ad campaign in your account.

Cost / Conv

Shows how much, on average, each conversion costs. It includes CPC for clicks that can be tracked to a conversion. It is calculated by dividing the total cost by the total conversions. (Read more)

Cost / Conv Click

The ratio that helps understand how much someone pays, on average, for each click that can be tracked to a conversion during a chosen conversion window. It helps to comprehend the return on investment (ROI) in each converting customer.

Cost / Est. Total Conversions

Shows, on average, how much an estimated total conversion costs. It's the total cost divided by the estimated total conversions.

CPC (Cost-per-click)

It's what you pay for each click on your ads. (Read more)

CPM (Cost-per-thousand impressions)

What you are willing to pay for each set of one thousand views of an ad. (Read more)

CTR (Clickthrough Rate)

The ratio that shows how often people who see an ad click on it. It is calculated by taking the number of clicks that an ad receives divided by the number of times the ad is shown, expressed as a percentage. (Read more)

D

Display Impression Share

The percentage of times the ad is shown on the Display Network. It depends on the ad’s targeting settings, budget, approval statuses, bids, and Quality Scores. It can help identify potential opportunities to get more impressions and clicks. It is calculated by dividing the received impressions on the Google Display Network by the estimated number of impressions eligible to receive. (Read more)

Display lost IS (budget)

The percentage of time that your ads weren't shown on the Display Network due to insufficient budget. This data is available at the campaign level only.

Display lost IS (rank)

The percentage of time that your ads weren't shown on the Display Network due to poor Ad Rank. (Read more)

E

Est. Total Conversion Rate

How often a click on an ad results in a conversion. It can be calculated by dividing the estimated total conversions by the total clicks that can be conversion-tracked.

Est. Total Conversion Value

The total value of all the conversions, including those that are estimated. (Read more)

Est. Total Conversions

The total number of conversions driven by Google Ads. It includes website, cross-device, and phone call conversions. (Read more)

I

Impr Share (Impression Share, IS)

How often (percentage) the ad is shown on a search result page or other sites on the Google Network. It depends on the ad’s targeting settings, budget, approval statuses, bids, and Quality Scores. It can help identify potential opportunities to get more impressions and clicks and is calculated by dividing the received impressions on Google.

Impressions (Impr)

How often an ad is shown. An impression is counted every time an ad is shown on a network (Google Search, Display, or Search Partners). (Read more)

Q

Quality Score

A metric used by Google Ads that measures the quality and relevance of your ads, keywords, and landing pages. It affects your ad rank and CPC. (Read more)

R

ROAS (Return On Ad Spend)

Represents how much revenue you earn for each dollar you spend on ads. It is calculated by dividing the revenue ('conversion value' in Google Ads) by the cost of ads.

S

Search Exact Match Impression Share

The impressions you've received, divided by the estimated number of impressions you were eligible to receive on the Search Network for search terms that matched your keywords exactly (or were close variants of your keyword). This is unavailable for Shopping campaigns. (Read more)

Search Impression Share

The impressions you’ve received on the Search Network divided by the estimated number of impressions you were eligible to receive. (Read more)

Search Lost IS (budget)

The percentage of time that your ads weren't shown on the Search Network due to insufficient budget. This data is available at the campaign level only.

Search Lost IS (rank)

The percentage of time that your ads weren't shown on the Search Network due to poor Ad Rank in the auction. (Read more)

T

Target ROAS (Target Return On Ad Spend)

Represents how much revenue you want to earn for each dollar you spend on Google Ads. (Read more)

V

View-through Conv

When a customer views an image ad on the display network but doesn't click on it and then converts within 30 days (or another time frame set previously) on the site, it is recorded as a view-through conversion. This metric excludes conversions from people who clicked on a search ad. (Read more)

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