View Through Conversions in Google Ads Explained
In Google Ads, there is a metric called ‘view-through conversion’ which is used to measure the performance of your Google Display Network ads. 
View through conversions happens when a user completes a conversion on your website within 30 days, after viewing (but not clicking) one of your display network ads.
For example, in the following scenario, a view-through conversion will be recorded and reported by Google Ads:
- a user saw one of your display network ads but did not click it.
- the user returned to your website directly or via organic search or referral and completed a conversion on your website.
- the user returned to your website within 30 days after viewing your display network ad.
Get my best selling books on Attribution Modelling
- Learn to implement attribution modelling in your organisation
- Understand the customer purchase journey across devices
- Determine the most effective marketing channels for investment
Click book covers to find out more
Importance of view through conversions
People do not always click on your display ads before completing a conversion. Many times they just see your ad before completing a conversion on your website.
Without ad clicks data, it becomes very difficult to understand the performance of a display ad campaign.
Here, view-through conversions come to your rescue and help you in understanding the performance of your display ads just on the basis of ad impression data.
With the help of view through conversions data, you can determine the websites which are most effective in generating conversions via display ads and target them separately in order to maximize conversions.
Note: View-through conversions are reported only for display network ads and video ads on Youtube, and not for search network ads.
Get the Free E-Book (52 Pages)
When view through conversions are recorded and reported by Google Ads
The view-through conversion is recorded and reported only when the following three conditions are met:
#1 The user has only viewed but not clicked on your display network ad before completing a conversion on your website.
For example, in the following scenario, a view-through conversion will not be recorded and reported by Google Ads:
- a user saw one of your display network ads and then clicked on it.
- the user later completed a conversion on your website.
#2 The user has not clicked on any other, of your display network ad and/or any of your search network ad after viewing your display ad and before completing a conversion on your website.
For example, in the following scenario, a view-through conversion will not be recorded and reported by Google Ads:
- a user saw one of your display network ads.
- the user later saw another, one of your display network ad and clicked on it.
- the user completed a conversion on your website.
Similarly, in the following scenario, a view-through conversion will not be recorded and reported by Google Ads:
- a user saw one of your display network ads.
- the user later saw one of your search network ads and clicked on it.
- the user completed a conversion on your website
#3 The user has completed conversion on your website within 30 days after viewing your display network ads.
For example, in the following scenario, a view-through conversion will not be recorded and reported by Google Ads:
- a user saw one of your display network ad but does not click it.
- the user later completed a conversion on your website but after 30 days of viewing your display network ad.
#4 The user does not return to your website via Google ads after viewing a display ad and before completing a conversion on your website.
For example, in the following scenario, a view-through conversion will not be recorded and reported by Google Ads:
- a user saw one of your display network ad but does not click it.
- the user returned to your website via Google Paid search ad or display network ad to complete a conversion.
A view through conversion can become a click-through conversion
A view-through conversion becomes a click-through conversion when a user clicks on a display/search network ad after viewing a display ad and before completing a conversion on your website.
A single display ad impression can result in multiple view through conversions
For example, in the following scenario, a single display ad impression can result in 3 view-through conversions:
- a user saw one of your display network ads but did not click it.
- the user returned to your website directly or via organic search or referral and completed three conversions on your website.
Other Articles Related to Attribution Modelling in Google Ads
- Guide to Attribution Modelling in Google Ads (Google Adwords)
- Which Attribution Model to use in Google Ads (Google Adwords)?
- Cross device attribution reports in Google Ads (Google AdWords)
- How to change Attribution Model in Google Ads (Google Adwords)
- Data Driven Attribution Model in Google Ads (Google Adwords)
- Setting up Data Driven Attribution Model in Google Ads (Google Adwords)
- Store visit conversion tracking in Google Ads (Google AdWords)
- Understanding the Analytics behind Google Ads (Google Adwords)
- Cross Account Conversion Tracking in Google Ads (Google Adwords)
- Assisted Conversions Report in Google Ads (Google Adwords)
- Understanding Conversion Paths in Google Ads (Google Adwords)
- Understanding Search Attribution Reports in Google Ads (Adwords)
- How to test Attribution Model in Google Ads (Adwords)
Register for the FREE TRAINING...
"How to use Digital Analytics to generate floods of new Sales and Customers without spending years figuring everything out on your own."
Here’s what we’re going to cover in this training…
#1 Why digital analytics is the key to online business success.
#2 The number 1 reason why most marketers are not able to scale their advertising and maximize sales.
#3 Why Google and Facebook ads don’t work for most businesses & how to make them work.
#4 Why you won’t get any competitive advantage in the marketplace just by knowing Google Analytics.
#5 The number 1 reason why conversion optimization is not working for your business.
#6 How to advertise on any marketing platform for FREE with an unlimited budget.
#7 How to learn and master digital analytics and conversion optimization in record time.
My best selling books on Digital Analytics and Conversion Optimization
Maths and Stats for Web Analytics and Conversion Optimization
This expert guide will teach you how to leverage the knowledge of maths and statistics in order to accurately interpret data and take actions, which can quickly improve the bottom-line of your online business.
Master the Essentials of Email Marketing Analytics
This book focuses solely on the ‘analytics’ that power your email marketing optimization program and will help you dramatically reduce your cost per acquisition and increase marketing ROI by tracking the performance of the various KPIs and metrics used for email marketing.
Attribution Modelling in Google Analytics and Beyond
Attribution modelling is the process of determining the most effective marketing channels for investment. This book has been written to help you implement attribution modelling. It will teach you how to leverage the knowledge of attribution modelling in order to allocate marketing budget and understand buying behaviour.
Attribution Modelling in Google Ads and Facebook
This book has been written to help you implement attribution modelling in Google Ads (Google AdWords) and Facebook. It will teach you, how to leverage the knowledge of attribution modelling in order to understand the customer purchasing journey and determine the most effective marketing channels for investment.
About the Author
Himanshu Sharma
In Google Ads, there is a metric called ‘view-through conversion’ which is used to measure the performance of your Google Display Network ads.
View through conversions happens when a user completes a conversion on your website within 30 days, after viewing (but not clicking) one of your display network ads.
For example, in the following scenario, a view-through conversion will be recorded and reported by Google Ads:
- a user saw one of your display network ads but did not click it.
- the user returned to your website directly or via organic search or referral and completed a conversion on your website.
- the user returned to your website within 30 days after viewing your display network ad.
Get my best selling books on Attribution Modelling
- Learn to implement attribution modelling in your organisation
- Understand the customer purchase journey across devices
- Determine the most effective marketing channels for investment
Click book covers to find out more
Importance of view through conversions
People do not always click on your display ads before completing a conversion. Many times they just see your ad before completing a conversion on your website.
Without ad clicks data, it becomes very difficult to understand the performance of a display ad campaign.
Here, view-through conversions come to your rescue and help you in understanding the performance of your display ads just on the basis of ad impression data.
With the help of view through conversions data, you can determine the websites which are most effective in generating conversions via display ads and target them separately in order to maximize conversions.
Note: View-through conversions are reported only for display network ads and video ads on Youtube, and not for search network ads.
Get the Free E-Book (52 Pages)
When view through conversions are recorded and reported by Google Ads
The view-through conversion is recorded and reported only when the following three conditions are met:
#1 The user has only viewed but not clicked on your display network ad before completing a conversion on your website.
For example, in the following scenario, a view-through conversion will not be recorded and reported by Google Ads:
- a user saw one of your display network ads and then clicked on it.
- the user later completed a conversion on your website.
#2 The user has not clicked on any other, of your display network ad and/or any of your search network ad after viewing your display ad and before completing a conversion on your website.
For example, in the following scenario, a view-through conversion will not be recorded and reported by Google Ads:
- a user saw one of your display network ads.
- the user later saw another, one of your display network ad and clicked on it.
- the user completed a conversion on your website.
Similarly, in the following scenario, a view-through conversion will not be recorded and reported by Google Ads:
- a user saw one of your display network ads.
- the user later saw one of your search network ads and clicked on it.
- the user completed a conversion on your website
#3 The user has completed conversion on your website within 30 days after viewing your display network ads.
For example, in the following scenario, a view-through conversion will not be recorded and reported by Google Ads:
- a user saw one of your display network ad but does not click it.
- the user later completed a conversion on your website but after 30 days of viewing your display network ad.
#4 The user does not return to your website via Google ads after viewing a display ad and before completing a conversion on your website.
For example, in the following scenario, a view-through conversion will not be recorded and reported by Google Ads:
- a user saw one of your display network ad but does not click it.
- the user returned to your website via Google Paid search ad or display network ad to complete a conversion.
A view through conversion can become a click-through conversion
A view-through conversion becomes a click-through conversion when a user clicks on a display/search network ad after viewing a display ad and before completing a conversion on your website.
A single display ad impression can result in multiple view through conversions
For example, in the following scenario, a single display ad impression can result in 3 view-through conversions:
- a user saw one of your display network ads but did not click it.
- the user returned to your website directly or via organic search or referral and completed three conversions on your website.
Other Articles Related to Attribution Modelling in Google Ads
- Guide to Attribution Modelling in Google Ads (Google Adwords)
- Which Attribution Model to use in Google Ads (Google Adwords)?
- Cross device attribution reports in Google Ads (Google AdWords)
- How to change Attribution Model in Google Ads (Google Adwords)
- Data Driven Attribution Model in Google Ads (Google Adwords)
- Setting up Data Driven Attribution Model in Google Ads (Google Adwords)
- Store visit conversion tracking in Google Ads (Google AdWords)
- Understanding the Analytics behind Google Ads (Google Adwords)
- Cross Account Conversion Tracking in Google Ads (Google Adwords)
- Assisted Conversions Report in Google Ads (Google Adwords)
- Understanding Conversion Paths in Google Ads (Google Adwords)
- Understanding Search Attribution Reports in Google Ads (Adwords)
- How to test Attribution Model in Google Ads (Adwords)
Register for the FREE TRAINING...
"How to use Digital Analytics to generate floods of new Sales and Customers without spending years figuring everything out on your own."
Here’s what we’re going to cover in this training…
#1 Why digital analytics is the key to online business success.
#2 The number 1 reason why most marketers are not able to scale their advertising and maximize sales.
#3 Why Google and Facebook ads don’t work for most businesses & how to make them work.
#4 Why you won’t get any competitive advantage in the marketplace just by knowing Google Analytics.
#5 The number 1 reason why conversion optimization is not working for your business.
#6 How to advertise on any marketing platform for FREE with an unlimited budget.
#7 How to learn and master digital analytics and conversion optimization in record time.
My best selling books on Digital Analytics and Conversion Optimization
Maths and Stats for Web Analytics and Conversion Optimization
This expert guide will teach you how to leverage the knowledge of maths and statistics in order to accurately interpret data and take actions, which can quickly improve the bottom-line of your online business.
Master the Essentials of Email Marketing Analytics
This book focuses solely on the ‘analytics’ that power your email marketing optimization program and will help you dramatically reduce your cost per acquisition and increase marketing ROI by tracking the performance of the various KPIs and metrics used for email marketing.
Attribution Modelling in Google Analytics and Beyond
Attribution modelling is the process of determining the most effective marketing channels for investment. This book has been written to help you implement attribution modelling. It will teach you how to leverage the knowledge of attribution modelling in order to allocate marketing budget and understand buying behaviour.
Attribution Modelling in Google Ads and Facebook
This book has been written to help you implement attribution modelling in Google Ads (Google AdWords) and Facebook. It will teach you, how to leverage the knowledge of attribution modelling in order to understand the customer purchasing journey and determine the most effective marketing channels for investment.
About the Author
Himanshu Sharma