Inside the conversion action settings in Google Ads, there is a Count setting with two options: Every and One.
Every counts every conversion action a single user takes. If the same user fills out a form three times, that counts as three. Useful for ecommerce where each transaction is genuinely a separate conversion.
One counts a single conversion per ad click regardless of how many actions the user takes. The right setting for most service businesses where each lead is one job.
Google's own help documentation specifies that Lead form actions and similar one off events should typically be counted as One. Yet the default for new conversion actions is often Every, and accounts that were set up years ago tend to still carry that default forward.
Source: Book the call.
Why the wrong setting hurts smart bidding
Smart bidding strategies (Maximise Conversions, Target CPA, Target ROAS) build a model of which clicks are most likely to convert and bid more for them. If conversions are double counted (form fill plus phone call from the same user, or repeat form fills from a returning customer), the model thinks those user types are extra valuable. Bids creep up. The reported cost per conversion stays steady but the cost per actual unique lead climbs.
Two related settings worth checking at the same time
Phone clicks counted as conversions
A click on a phone number link is not a call. Counting click conversions inflates the conversion total without producing real leads. Phone call extension conversions, set to fire only on calls longer than a threshold (Google's default suggestion is around 30 seconds), are a more honest measurement.
Conversion window length
The default is 30 days. For most service businesses the actual buying decision happens within a week of the first click. A 30 day window credits conversions to clicks that did not really cause them, which inflates the apparent value of low quality keywords.
Source: Google Ads Help, About conversion windows.
The fix
- Tools, Conversions, click each conversion action.
- Set Count to One unless there is a specific reason for Every.
- Tighten the conversion window to a length that matches the actual sales cycle.
- Verify the thank you page is firing the conversion using Google Tag Assistant.
- Allow at least 14 days for smart bidding to relearn before judging the impact.
If you want a free conversion tracking audit, the strategy call covers it.
Edited by a human.