Zero conversions in Google Ads: why it isn't the end

It's a familiar picture: ads are running, money is being spent, and Google Ads shows zero. The first thought is that the ads don't bring customers. But a zero can mean two opposite things, and each needs a different fix.

Our own example

An automated audit of our own website showed 2 enquiries in 90 days, neither tagged with where the person came from. The report confidently explained that the usual reason is a visitor refusing cookie consent. We checked by hand, and the cause was different: both enquiries came through the website chat, and the chat simply wasn't passing the source into the system. Once fixed, every enquiry carries its source.

6 reasons your account shows zero

1. Conversions aren't set up, or track the wrong action. A page view or a button click is counted instead of a submitted enquiry.
2. Enquiries bypass the website. A call to the number on your site or a jump to WhatsApp isn't counted without separate setup.
3. The form or chat loses the source. The ad click ID is in the URL but never reaches the enquiry.
4. Cookie consent. Visitors who decline consent aren't counted. For users in the EEA, Google has required Consent Mode v2 since March 2024 — without it, data about those users doesn't reach Google Ads.
5. Tracking broke silently. After a website or form change the tracking code disappeared, and the account just shows zero.
6. Too few clicks. With a few dozen clicks a week, zero enquiries isn't yet a statistic.

How to check in 15 minutes

1. Submit a test enquiry yourself — through the form, the chat and a call. A few hours later, check whether a conversion appeared.
2. Compare with reality. How many enquiries did you get this month in your CRM or inbox, and how many does the account show? A big gap means broken tracking.
3. Check which action is counted. The conversion settings should track an enquiry, a call or a purchase.
4. Ask your agency directly: "How will I know if tracking stops working?" No answer is the problem.

If tracking works and zero remains

• Look at the search terms your ads appear for: often half the budget goes on irrelevant ones.
• Check the landing page: is there a price, an answer to the question and an easy form?
• Compare bids and budget with competitors: sometimes the ads simply don't show at the right moment.

See how we set up tracking that doesn't break silently on the analytics page, and how we run campaigns on the Google and Meta ads page. If enquiries come through chats, read WhatsApp chat or website form.