How to Track Offline Conversions?
In many industries, advertising isn’t just about getting users to click an ad or fill out a form—it’s about getting them to ultimately complete a truly valuable action offline, such as making an in-store purchase, signing a contract, or buying a product.
The problem is, many ad systems can’t see these offline actions—meaning they can’t determine which ads actually drove results.
Once we can track and feed these “offline conversions” back to the ad platforms, they can use this data to retrain models and optimize targeting, ensuring every budget dollar is spent more intelligently.
The Basic Principles of Offline Conversion Tracking
At its core, offline conversion tracking does one thing: links a user’s online behavior to their subsequent offline actions.
This way, we can truly determine whether an ad click ultimately led to a business outcome, such as a store visit, signed deal, or payment.
What Are Offline Conversions?
“Conversions” often bring to mind online actions like registrations or orders. But in many industries, the most critical conversions happen outside ad platforms, such as:
- In-store consultations, test drives, or voucher redemptions
- Phone sales, on-site signings
- Face-to-face meetings, contract signings (especially in B2B)
Ad platforms can’t see these actions, so businesses must actively feed this data back to close the loop on ad performance.
How to Match Online Behavior with Offline Results?
The key to offline conversion tracking lies in “behavior matching”—connecting a user’s online activity to their offline conversions. Two common methods exist:
Method 1: Through Ad Click IDs (e.g., GCLID, FBCID)
When a user clicks an ad, the platform generates a unique ID attached to the landing page URL. Businesses must save this ID when the user submits a form or enters the CRM.
If the user later converts, uploading this ID and conversion data to the ad platform completes the offline attribution.
Method 2: Through User Identity Matching (e.g., phone number, email)
If ad click IDs aren’t captured, conversions can still be matched by uploading customer details (e.g., phone numbers, emails, names). Platforms use encrypted data for fuzzy matching, linking conversions to past ad exposures.
The Roles of CRM and Ad Platforms in Behavior Matching
In behavior matching, ad platforms and CRMs play distinct but complementary roles.
- Ad platforms: Generate click IDs, receive uploaded data, and optimize models.
- CRM systems: Capture identifiers, record conversions, and organize data uploads—bridging the gap.
In other words, ad platforms “ask for results,” while CRMs “tell them who actually converted.”
| Feature | Ad Platforms (Google, Meta, etc.) | CRM Systems (Salesforce, Zoho, etc.) |
|---|---|---|
| Generates Ad Click IDs? | Yes, automatically | No, only captures/stores |
| Captures User IDs? | No | Yes, via forms, landing pages, or URL parameters |
| Tracks Full User Journey? | No (only clicks/impressions) | Yes (leads, communications, conversions) |
| Determines Conversion? | No (requires uploaded data) | Yes (via system fields or manual input) |
| Uploads Conversion Data? | Provides tools/interfaces | Prepares and uploads data (manual/automated) |
| Used for Model Training? | Yes (trains models on uploaded data) | No (only a data source) |
Comparing Ad Platforms’ Offline Conversion Tracking Capabilities
Major ad platforms have recognized the importance of offline conversions, offering tools and APIs to receive and leverage this data. However, their implementations, technical requirements, and capabilities vary.
We can evaluate platforms across three dimensions:
- Supports offline conversion data uploads?
- Can auto-attribute conversions to ads (via click IDs or user info)?
- Supports using offline conversions as optimization goals (for algorithmic learning)?
Below compares four major platforms:
1. Google Ads
- Methods:
- Offline Conversion Import (GCLID + conversion data)
- Upload via API, CSV, or Google Sheets
- Enhanced Conversions for Leads (hashed emails/phones)
- Matching:
- Ad click IDs (GCLID)
- Hashed user identifiers (phone, email)
- Auto-Attribution: Yes
- Optimization: Yes (supports smart bidding like tCPA/tROAS)
2. Meta Ads (Facebook/Instagram)
- Methods:
- Offline Conversions API
- Manual CSV upload in Events Manager
- Matching:
- Facebook Click ID (FBCID)
- Hashed user identifiers
- Auto-Attribution: Yes
- Optimization: Yes (offline events as ad goals, especially for local services/education)
3. TikTok Ads
- Methods:
- Offline Events API (requires development)
- Matching:
- TikTok Click ID (TTCLID)
- Hashed user identifiers
- Auto-Attribution: Yes (less stable than Google/Meta)
- Optimization: Partial (configurable but less adopted)
4. Twitter Ads (now X Ads)
- Methods:
- Offline Conversion Upload API (partner-focused)
- Relies on third-party integrators (e.g., LiveRamp)
- Matching:
- Twitter Click ID (undocumented, partner-only)
- Limited hashed user identifier support
- Auto-Attribution: Partial (depends on third-party DMPs)
- Optimization: Limited (mainly for reporting, not model training)
| Platform | Supports Uploads? | Primary Matching Methods | Auto-Attribution? | Supports Optimization? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Ads | Yes | GCLID, hashed user info (phone/email) | Yes | Yes | Mature, strong optimization |
| Meta Ads | Yes | FBCID, hashed user info (phone/email) | Yes | Yes | Broad industry coverage |
| TikTok Ads | Yes | TTCLID, hashed user info (phone/email) | Yes | Partial | Basic, evolving fast |
| Twitter Ads | Limited | User info + third-party matching | Partial | Partial | Weak native support |
“No-Upload” Offline Measurement Solutions from Ad Platforms
Traditional offline tracking requires businesses to upload conversion data (e.g., click IDs or user info), which demands technical resources. Some platforms now offer “no-upload” solutions, using their vast user data and AI models to estimate store visits or offline conversions, simplifying measurement for advertisers.
Google Ads: PMax for Store Visits
Performance Max (PMax) campaigns include “store visit conversion” measurement:
- How it works: Google uses device location data and behavior patterns, combined with ad clicks, to infer store visits.
- Features:
- No manual uploads—auto-modeled by the system.
- Supports large retail networks.
- Data feeds directly into smart bidding.
- Ideal for: Retail, dining, auto sales, and other high-foot-traffic industries.
- Limitations:
- Relies on location data (privacy/coverage constraints).
- Only for physical stores (not leads/service conversions).
- Estimates are statistical, not exact.
Meta Ads: Estimated “In-Store Conversions”
Meta offers similar offline visit estimation:
- How it works: Combines user location, behavior, and ad interactions to predict store visits.
- Features:
- No data uploads needed.
- Tailored for local businesses (e.g., restaurants, salons).
- Uses check-ins and page visits for validation.
- Ideal for: Local services, retail, and events.
- Limitations:
- Accuracy depends on device permissions/data completeness.
- Currently limited to select markets.
These “no-upload” solutions lower barriers for businesses, especially those with physical locations but limited tech resources. They also signal a shift toward automated, AI-driven measurement. As privacy regulations evolve, such models will likely become mainstream for offline conversion tracking.