Why is my account counting more conversions than are actually happening.

Hello Aron,

Thank you for using our Microsoft Advertising Learn Q&A Platform! 

I understand that you are concerned about the conversion numbers you are seeing on your Microsoft Advertising account. I hope the information and help resources provided here can be of use to you.

It is not uncommon for customers to notice a discrepancy between Microsoft Advertising conversion counts and those coming from Google Analytics and Google Ads (or your own logs). Google recently moved to a new default attribution model known as data-driven attribution as part of the migration to Google Analytics 4 (GA4), which may be causing large differences in conversion attribution reporting between Google's tools and Microsoft Advertising.

There could be several reasons why conversions may not match. Keep in mind that Microsoft Advertising doesn't expose conversion data to any third-party platform, and each system uses its own logic and goal setup to track conversions. Microsoft Advertising reports conversions on the date of the ad click, whereas some other reporting tools attribute them to the date of the conversion. As such, some level of discrepancies are expected.

Why Microsoft Advertising may not be counting conversions

• Did you install the UET tag across your website (or at least on the conversion pages)?
• Did you verify that the criteria you used in the conversion goal definition matches the conversion pages? Spelling mistakes, incorrect page URL values etc. in the goal definitions cause the UET events on those conversion pages to not match the conversion goal definition. When there is no match, conversions will not be counted.
• Do you have a reasonably sized conversion window? Small conversion windows should be used wisely since users generally spend a few days before making a purchase.
• If you are using Custom Event type goals or tracking Variable Revenue, are you actually customizing the UET tag to send in the custom events/variable revenues and are you using the correct values in the goal definition?
• Are you sure users are actually going to the conversion pages? If testing, note that Microsoft Advertising does not count a conversion unless a user clicks on an advertiser ad before converting on the advertiser's website.
• Validate conversion tracking is set up properly:

1. Create and add the UET tag to all pages of your website. Learn more.
2. On the UET tags page, make sure the tag is Tag active.
3. On the Conversion goals page, create a conversion goal.
4. Trigger an ad on Bing, click the ad, and then convert on the site.
5. In three hours, revisit the Conversion Goals page to see that the goal is counting conversions.

Why Microsoft Advertising may be over-counting

• Did you verify that there is no duplication of the UET tag installation on the site (especially on the conversion pages)? If you have installed the same UET tag twice on the conversion pages, conversions will be double counted.
• Did you verify that there are no duplicate goals? It's also possible that multiple goals match with the one user event thus increasing the number of conversions.
• Did you verify that the goal definitions are the same across all the platforms being compared? Are the conversion windows similar?
• Do you have test/fraudulent/duplicate conversions being generated on your site? Microsoft Advertising currently does not filter those out.
• Are you using the same counting method (Unique vs. All) in your comparisons?
• Note that Microsoft Advertising includes any cross-device conversions that it can identify as part of the conversion count. Google Ads reports those via estimated conversion columns. Google Analytics has a custom solution for cross-device that most advertisers may not be using.
• When comparing, note that Google Analytics does cross-channel attribution which means that some of the conversions that Microsoft Advertising (or Google Ads) take credit for may be attributed to other channels by Google Analytics.

Why Microsoft Advertising may be under-counting

• Did you verify that the UET tag is present across the site (or at least on the relevant conversion pages)?
• Did you verify that the goal definitions are not too restrictive such that they don't count all conversions?
• Is your conversion window too small?
• Are you counting Unique conversions (and comparing to All conversion counts in Google Ads, etc.)?
• Note that if your users are converting directly or via other channels, Microsoft Advertising will not count conversions. They are reported in Google Analytics and Google Ads (if Google Ads determines the conversion was caused by their ad click).

For further information, please see the help pages below:

Why do I see a discrepancy between Microsoft Advertising conversion counts and those from Google Analytics and Google Ads (or my own logs)?

Why am I not recording conversions or tracked revenue?

Test conversion goals and audiences with UET Tag Helper

UET Dashboard

How do I manage my conversion goals?

If you would like to know as well about how Microsoft Advertising is counting clicks, please see: Microsoft Advertising click measurement: Description of methodology

Our support teams are happy to discuss your account in more detail via phone, chat or email to provide review assistance, please see our support page to reach out! 

I hope the information provided here will at least partly answer your question.  If you have any additional questions please do not hesitate to reach out to our support. I have also sent you a private message asking for further details. You are more than welcome to respond to me in case you have any additional questions.

Kind regards, 

Vahid | Microsoft Advertising Support Specialist | 800-518-5689