Offline conversion import for calls

What is offline conversion import?

Offline conversion import (OCI) is Google Ads' way of accepting conversions that happen outside its tags, such as a phone call, a signed contract or a sale in your CRM. Google matches each one back to the original ad click. Its help article describes the process.

For calls, the “offline” part is the conversation. Google sees the click and the landing page, but not what happened on the phone. OCI closes that gap.

Why does offline conversion import matter for calls?

It lets Google optimise for outcomes, not activity.

• Bidding stops rewarding keywords that bring long but worthless calls.
• Value-based bidding can favour searches that lead to bigger jobs.
• You can report cost per qualified call and cost per sale, not just cost per call.
• Agencies can prove results with recordings behind every conversion.

Without OCI, Google only knows about the calls it connected or the forwarding numbers it showed.

Which call outcomes should I import?

Start with one clear stage, then add more once data is flowing.

Call Bullet's count rule covers the first two directly: every call over your minimum seconds, or only calls labelled as a lead.

How do I set up offline conversion import for calls?

The steps are the same whether you run one site or many client accounts.

1. Make sure auto-tagging is on in Google Ads so every ad click carries a GCLID.
2. Install the Call Bullet swap script or WordPress plugin so the click ID is stored with the visit.
3. Connect Google Ads in Call Bullet and choose or create the import conversion action.
4. Choose your stage: all qualified calls, or labelled leads only.
5. Set the value mode and a default value in pounds.
6. Set a delivery delay so labels and values are in place before upload.
7. Run the validation check, then switch sending on.
8. Make the import action primary in Google Ads and set older call actions to secondary.

For the field-level detail behind each upload, read importing call conversions to Google Ads.

What about enhanced conversions and privacy?

Enhanced conversions for leads let Google match offline conversions using hashed customer data, such as an email, when a click ID is missing. Call Bullet has an enhanced conversions setting in its Google Ads connection for accounts that use it.

Under UK GDPR and PECR, the click ID is collected through your website, so it should be covered by your cookie consent and privacy notice. Call recordings also need a lawful basis and a clear notice to callers. Call Bullet's call recording and AI policy explains how recordings are handled.

How do I measure whether OCI is working?

Compare cost per qualified call before and after switching the primary action, over at least four weeks.

In Google Ads, add the import action as a column and check it against Call Bullet's count of qualifying ad calls for the same period. Small differences are normal because Google reports by click date. In Call Bullet, the call drawer shows each upload's status, so you can quickly spot calls that were not sent and why.

If Google still reports far more calls than real enquiries, read why Google Ads calls do not match real enquiries.

What is a realistic example?

A Bristol 0117 solicitor spends around £3,000 a month on Google Ads. Before OCI, bidding learned from every call over 60 seconds, including existing clients chasing case updates. After switching to labelled leads only, with a £400 default value, Google receives about half as many conversions but each one is a new enquiry. Over the following weeks, spend shifts away from broad informational searches towards service-specific ones. The figures are illustrative; your own results depend on the account.

How does offline conversion import compare with other options?

OCI is the most accurate option, but it needs a little more setup than Google's built-in tools.

For businesses where a phone call is the main conversion, the extra setup pays back quickly, because bidding stops spending on clicks that only produce noise. For a business that takes a handful of calls a month, Google's built-in options may be enough to start with; switch to OCI once you have enough calls for the difference to matter. Call Bullet keeps the setup short: connect Google Ads, set your rules and run the validation check.

What are the most common OCI mistakes?

Most problems come from a few repeat errors that are easy to avoid.

• Leaving Google's own call actions primary, so each call is counted twice.
• Importing every call with no minimum length or labels, which teaches bidding nothing new.
• Setting no value, so value-based bidding has nothing to optimise.
• Changing the primary action and judging results after only a few days, before the learning period ends.
• Forgetting to install the swap script on new landing pages, so their ad visitors have no stored click ID.

Check these once a month and offline conversion import will keep giving bidding a reliable picture of which ads bring customers. If results look odd, the call drawer in Call Bullet shows exactly which calls were sent and why others were skipped.

Frequently asked questions