Documentation

Enhanced Conversions

Contents

Technological background & challenges The solution: Identity-based matching Implementation Test Legal requirements & consent adjustments First level of the consent banner Second level of the consent banner (provider information)

Tip

Our etracker e-learning platform offers a free video course titled “Conversions and Campaigns,” which explains the topic of “Enhanced Conversions” step by step.

Click here to watch the video:
https://academy.etracker.com/path-player?courseid=conversions-and-campaigns&unit=6a200f3d6bf8df9110024245Unit

To optimize the measurement accuracy of your Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, Meta Ads, TikTok Ads, and Pinterest Ads despite the increasing restrictions on traditional cookie and URL parameter tracking, etracker supports the use of Enhanced Conversions. This feature allows you to no longer transmit conversion data to advertising platforms exclusively via the traditional click ID (e.g., the gclid in Google Ads), but rather to achieve attribution by transmitting additional information. Once configured, Enhanced Conversions can be transmitted to marketing platforms both via a conversion tag and server-side via API.

The conversion tags from the following providers support Enhanced Conversions:

Google Ads
Microsoft Ads
Meta Ads
TikTok Ads
Pinterest Ads

The transmission of Enhanced Conversions via API currently works for the following providers:

Meta Ads
TikTok Ads
Pinterest Ads

With the ongoing transition to the Conversion APIs for Google Ads and Microsoft Ads, it will also be possible to report Enhanced Conversions.

LinkedIn and Outbrain generally do not support Enhanced Conversions.

Technological background & challenges

Until now, success measurement was primarily based on an ID that was given as a URL parameter when an ad was clicked on. However, this system is susceptible to browser measures and extensions:

Click IDs: Safari’s “Link Tracking Protection” (LTP) automatically removes known tracking parameters, such as the GCLID, from URLs when a user clicks on a link from a known “tracker” domain (such as Google or Facebook) while in Safari’s private browsing mode. Something similar happens in the Firefox browser via “Enhanced Tracking Protection” (ETP) when tracking protection is set to “Strict.”
Cookie Duration: If the link click originates from a domain classified by Apple as a “tracker” and the landing page uses URL parameters (such as gclid or fbclid), the cookie duration is reduced to 24 hours. This can be prevented when using etracker analytics by selecting the option to use a custom tracking domain.
Ad & Tracking Blockers: Browser extensions can block tracking scripts (such as the etracker code), which prevents both URL parameters and conversions from being tracked. When using etracker analytics for tracking, this can be mitigated by using a dedicated tracking domain.
Other restrictions: The measurement chain can also be interrupted by domain and device changes, redirects or by rewrite/redirect modules.

The solution: Identity-based matching

With Enhanced Conversions, etracker uses a robust process to close these gaps. Instead of relying solely on technical identifiers, the conversion event (e.g. after a purchase or registration) includes existing customer data such as the e-mail address.

Pseudonymization: Before the data is transmitted to advertising platforms, etracker converts it locally into a cryptographic hash (SHA256). Plain text data is never transmitted.
Matching: The ad provider (e.g., Google) checks internally to see if this hash matches a user who previously clicked on an ad.
Attribution: If a match is found, the conversion is precisely attributed – even without a click ID and across device boundaries.

Implementation

Use of Google Ads and Microsoft Ads

Before you begin configuring etracker, you must ensure that you have enabled “Enhanced Conversions” in your advertising platform accounts.

Implementing Enhanced Conversions is particularly easy and convenient using the etracker tag manager:

To do this, you’ll first need a DataLayer or DOM variable that retrieves the user’s email address. You’ll then use this variable for a variable of the “User-provided data” type.

The rest happens automatically:

If you use conversion tags from Google, Microsoft, Meta, TikTok, or Pinterest, the data is sent encrypted via the tags after you have given your consent.

If server-side conversion upload via API is enabled, the data is encrypted locally in the user’s browser using SHA-256 before being sent to etracker and, from there, to the marketing platforms’ servers. As a result, these platforms never receive the actual email addresses, but only cryptic values (e.g., d5a671c…) to match them with their own hashed user data. The etracker consent manager ensures that user data is collected and sent only with prior consent.

Test

To test whether the data was successfully read, you can perform a conversion on your page and check for the key “et_tagManagerVars” in the browser’s session storage. The variables and their Contents are displayed there in a structured format. There must be an entry for the variable that read the email address and an entry for the variable that, in turn, references the previous variable.

{ "11": { "id": "11", "type": "value", "selector": "service@justrelate.com", "selType": "", "attr": "" }, "17": { "id": "17", "type": "user", "selector": "[[11]]", "selType": "", "attr": "" }, "Determined email address": { "id": "11", "type": "value", "selector": "service@justrelate.com", "selType": "", "attr": "" }, "email to be hashed": { "id": "17", "type": "user", "selector": "[[11]]", "selType": "", "attr": "" } }

You can test whether the values have been successfully transmitted to the ad networks as follows:

Conversion Tag Variant:
Open your browser’s Developer Tools, complete a conversion, and search for the network requests made by the conversion tag.

There must be an “em” (email) entry with the following sample content: “tv.1~em.c7b8f1e75575d558679f3f7a846d06083e150cb2976fbd39f950dd53fed16682” Here, “tv.1” indicates the version of the format (Type/Version 1). This is followed by the information that it is a hashed email address (em). After the period (.), the actual SHA-256 hash value of the email address follows (c7b8f1…).

Server-side via API:
Unfortunately, it is currently not possible to test or view the data transmitted by etracker to the ad networks via API.

Legal requirements & consent adjustments

The use of Enhanced Conversions is subject to strict data protection requirements due to the processing of hashed personal information: The transmission of the enhanced data may only take place if the user has actively and knowingly consented in the consent dialog.

In this process, etracker analytics automatically ensures that Enhanced Conversions are transmitted only with consent. Without consent, however, server-side transmission is based solely on click IDs.

To comply with the disclosure requirement, adjustments to the consent dialog are necessary. The changes depend on how the enhanced conversions are transmitted. The text in bold simply highlights the additions to the standard text and does not have to be included as is.

First level of the consent banner

Customize the text under the menu item consent manager → Configuration menu item:

Case 1: Server-side only via API

Consent 1st layer

We use cookies that are necessary for the operation of our website. If you give your consent, we and {placeholder number of services} partners use additional cookies to determine the number of unique visits and to learn more about the cross-visit use of our services, which helps us to make improvements (statistics). In addition, we may also transfer hashed personal data to advertising partners to improve the measurement of ad performance. Click on “Settings” to find out more about the purposes and providers. You can change your consent at any time for the future by clicking on the floating icon on each page.

Cases 2 and 3: Server-side via API and through conversion tags / via conversion tags only)

Consent 1st layer

We use cookies that are necessary for the operation of our website. If you agree, we and {placeholder number of services} partners use other cookies and process personal data. We use this to integrate third-party content, perform tests and offer enhanced functionalities and personalization (functional), determine the number of unique visits and the success of advertisements across various contact points (statistics) and show you advertisements based on your surfing behavior on this or other websites (marketing). With your consent, we can share a pseudonymous customer identifier, such as an encrypted e-mail address, with our advertising partners for this purpose. Our advertising partners process this data outside the European Economic Area. They create a profile of your interests. If you click on “Settings”, you can adjust your consent. You can also change your consent at any time. You can do this via the icon that you always see at the bottom of the page.

Second level of the consent banner (provider information)

Customize the text under the menu item Tag Manager → My Providers (depending on the advertising platforms involved):

etracker

Provider:
etracker

Description of the service:
etracker analytics is a data protection-friendly solution for web analysis. The etracker consent manager module is used for consent management. Script codes from other tools can be integrated via the etracker tag manager module. In combination, the etracker tag manager and consent manager make it possible to opt out of certain cookies and services with the appropriate consent. Even if statistical cookies are rejected, usage data is collected in accordance with the legal requirements of the EU GDPR and TDDDG.

With consent, cookies are used, and email addresses provided as part of a conversion are hashed locally (SHA-256) and transmitted to advertising partners in encrypted form. Advertising partners such as Google compare this matching data with logged-in account data to attribute a conversion to an ad.

Purpose
Statistics: We use the service for statistical usage analysis of this website and to measure the success of our online marketing measures as well as for consent and tag management.

Data Controller:
JustRelate Deutschland GmbH

Processed data:
IP address
Browser and device information (e.g. operating system)
Referrer URL
Timestamp of the visit
Information on the use of the website
Cookie information and encrypted email addresses (matching data) after consent
Geographic location

Data recipient:
None

Maximum limit for the storage of cookies:
720 days

Transfer to third countries:
Matching data is transferred to advertising partners (Google Ireland Ltd., Meta Platforms Ireland Ltd. and/or TikTok Technology Ltd.) and possibly to the USA after consent has been given.

When using Enhanced Conversion via conversion tags (for example):

Google

Provider:
Google Ads

Service Description:
Google Ads is an online advertising service that allows companies to promote their products and services through ads (known as Google Ads) within the Google Display Network. Using conversion tracking, companies can track what happens after a customer interacts with an ad. Conversions refer to customer actions that the company has defined as valuable. Google Ads Remarketing enables companies to target users within the Google Display Network who have already interacted with their website or app.

We use the “Enhanced Conversions” function of Google Ads to measure the effectiveness of our advertising campaigns and to correctly assign conversions even without cookies. The email addresses you enter as part of a conversion are hashed locally (SHA-256) and transmitted to Google in encrypted form. Google matches this data with logged-in Google accounts in order to assign the conversion to an ad.

Purpose:
Marketing: We use conversion tracking as part of Google Ads to measure the success of our advertising campaigns and calculate advertising costs fairly. We also aim to show you ads that are of interest to you in order to make our website more appealing to you.

Processing company:
Google Ireland Limited

Processed data:
IP address
Browser and device information (e.g. operating system)
Referrer URL
Timestamp of the visit
Information on the use of the website
Cookie information
Encrypted email address
Geographic location
Online identifiers
Hashed contact information

Data recipient:
Alphabet Inc.
Google LLC
Google Ireland Limited

Maximum limit for the storage of cookies:
1 year

Transfer to third countries:
For data transfers to the USA, the provider’s parent company has signed up to the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which ensures compliance with the European level of data protection on the basis of an adequacy decision by the European Commission.

TikTok

Provider:
TikTok

Description of the service:
TikTok is part of the Chinese parent company ByteDance, a company that specializes in the development of social media and entertainment platforms. Based on the interests and user behavior of TikTok users, advertising can be displayed on the platform and the success of the advertising measures can be measured in order to carry out targeted advertising campaigns.

In addition, we use the “Advanced Matching” function, in which hashed e-mail addresses are transmitted to TikTok in addition to the usual conversion events in order to improve the assignment to TikTok ads.

Purpose:
Marketing: We use TikTok Pixel and TikTok Conversion Pixel to display interest-based advertisements on TikTok. The pixel links the behavior of users on the website and app with user profiles.

Processing company:
TikTok Technology Limited

Processed data:

IP address
Browser and device information (e.g. operating system)
Referrer URL
Timestamp of the visit
Information on the use of the website
Cookie information
Encrypted email address
Geographical location
Online identifiers
Hashed contact information

Data recipient:
TikTok Technology Limited represented by TikTok Germany GmbH

Maximum limit for the storage of cookies:
13 months

Transfer to third countries:
TikTok Technology Limited transfers personal data to third countries such as China, Singapore and the USA. This is done for purposes such as platform improvement, service provision or compliance with legal requirements. TikTok uses measures such as standard contractual clauses or binding corporate rules to ensure compliance with applicable data protection law.