My Google Ads Conversion Tracking Doesn't Seem to Be Working (But I Set it Up EXACTLY Like Shopify

Technical Q&A

Topic summary

Main issue: Google Ads purchase conversion tracking on a Shopify store is not firing.

Key details:

  • Followed Shopify help to add the Global Site Tag in theme.liquid and placed both the global site tag and the purchase event snippet in Settings > Checkout > Additional Scripts.
  • Code uses gtag.js for Google Ads and an event snippet with send_to, value from checkout subtotal divided by 100, currency USD, and transaction_id set to order number.
  • Global Site Tag appears on most site pages but not in the checkout flow; the event snippet is also not visible there. Testing reached the Pay button without completing payment.
  • A real sale from Google Ads did not register as a conversion, hours after the purchase.
  • Store uses the Minimal theme on a fresh install.

Clarifications:

  • Global Site Tag (gtag.js) loads Google’s tracking library; the event snippet is intended to fire a conversion on purchase.

Outcome:

  • No resolution yet. Open questions: why tags are absent on checkout pages and why conversions failed to record despite a sale. Code snippets are central to understanding.
Summarized with AI on February 16. AI used: gpt-5.
1

I setup Conversion Tracking in my Google Ads Account, EXACTLY how it said to do it in the Shopify Help Files.

I did “Purchase Conversion” just like it said.

I added the Global Site Tag From Google, in my “Theme.Liquid file”, exactly like it said.

I added the global site tag AND the Event Snippet Code, in: Settings / Check Out, then at the bottom, where it says “Additional Scripts”.

Here is what I put in “Additional Scripts”:

NOTE: I replaced my Google ID Number With “xxxxxxxxxxx” in this example, because I didn’t want to make my google ads ID Public.

Anyways, I can see the global site tag code everyone on my site EXCEPT for in the “Check Out” area.

And I can’t see the “Event Snippet Code” in the Checkout Area either.

I am talking about the are that you are brought to when you add something to your cart, and then click on “Checkout”.

I didn’t actually pay for the items, but I got to the point where it gives you the “Pay” Button.

Also, I had a sale today, and that didn’t show up as a conversion either, even though it was Google Ads / PPC that made the sale. And this way many hours ago.

What the heck am I doing wrong? I literally did everything exactly as the instruction said.

I am using the Minimal Theme. And it was a fresh install that I did a few weeks ago…