How can I tell the conversion date?

Adwords posts the date that the click happened but it doesn't tell me when the conversion occurred.

Does anyone know of a way to get this info?

 

The date assigned to a conversion is when the PPC ad was clicked. Since Google will track a conversion up to 30 days after the click, the date you see is not associated with the conversion. You should save the conversion date on your website through another process. Here is what Google says.

http://adwords.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=6352&topic=83

 

Hmmm - You think they'd be able to give you the conv date as well.

What are the common methods that you use to get this?

 

Well, if you are selling widgets on your website then you want to record the date/time when each order is completed. If visitors are signing up for a newsletter then record the date/time when they have subscribed. Include this information with each order/subscribe record in your database.

 

Thanks for your help so far

I have reports on when sales take place (date/time) but can't tie them to the PPC campaign since the date in the adwords report is only the click. They may be completing the sale in a different user session / date (high value items).

We have many sales from a variety of sources so it's tricky to connect the dots.

 

Tag the inbound visitors as they come in. Mark their cookie or session variable depending on how they arrive at your website and then save that with your conversion.

 

i am really intrigued by this concept of a 'research sale' - where people come in initially through PPC, like what they see, leave, do some more research at competing sites, etc. - then return later and buy through another unattributed channel. this adwords conversion tracking tool doesn't seem like it describes this customer pattern very well.