HubSpot Offline Conversion Import to Google Ads: Complete Setup Guide

If you're spending money on Google Ads for B2B lead generation, you're probably optimizing for form submissions. But form fills don't pay the bills—revenue does. This guide shows you how to import offline conversions from HubSpot to Google Ads, so Smart Bidding can optimize for what actually matters: qualified leads, opportunities, and closed deals.

Table of Contents

• Why Offline Conversions Matter
• How Offline Conversion Import Works
• Prerequisites
• Step-by-Step Setup
• Automation Methods
• Troubleshooting
• FAQs

Why Offline Conversions Matter

The Problem with Top-of-Funnel Optimization

Most B2B Google Ads accounts optimize for form submissions or demo requests. But here's what typically happens:

The result: Google optimizes for any form fill, including tire-kickers, competitors, and unqualified leads. Your best campaigns might have low form-fill volume but high deal-close rates—and Smart Bidding can't see that.

The Solution: Tell Google What Happens After the Click

With offline conversion import, you send CRM data back to Google:

Now Smart Bidding can optimize for revenue, not just clicks.

Real-World Impact

A B2B SaaS company we worked with saw these results after implementing offline conversions:

Related: How to Connect Google Ads to HubSpot for Revenue Attribution covers the conceptual foundation.

How Offline Conversion Import Works

The Technical Flow

1. User clicks Google Ad
   └── GCLID attached to URL (e.g., ?gclid=CjwKCAiA...)

2. User fills out form
   └── GCLID captured in hidden field
   └── Stored as contact property in HubSpot

3. Sales qualifies the lead
   └── Lifecycle stage changes to SQL

4. Automation triggers
   └── HubSpot sends conversion to Google Ads
   └── GCLID links conversion to original click

5. Google Ads receives conversion
   └── Smart Bidding incorporates signal
   └── Attribution reports show true value

What You Need

Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have:

• HubSpot account with Workflows (Pro or higher for custom code)
• Google Ads account with conversion tracking enabled
• Website forms that can capture hidden fields
• Google Ads auto-tagging enabled
• Admin access to both platforms

Enable Auto-Tagging in Google Ads

1. Google Ads → Settings → Account Settings
2. Auto-tagging → Turn ON
3. This appends ?gclid=XXX to all ad clicks

Step-by-Step Setup

Step 1: Capture GCLID on Your Website

Add this code to your website (via GTM or directly):

// Store GCLID in cookie for 90 days
function storeGclid() {
  const urlParams = new URLSearchParams(window.location.search);
  const gclid = urlParams.get('gclid');
  
  if (gclid) {
    const expiryDate = new Date();
    expiryDate.setDate(expiryDate.getDate() + 90);
    document.cookie = `gclid=${gclid};expires=${expiryDate.toUTCString()};path=/`;
  }
}

// Retrieve GCLID from cookie
function getGclid() {
  const match = document.cookie.match(/gclid=([^;]+)/);
  return match ? match[1] : '';
}

// Run on page load
storeGclid();

Step 2: Add Hidden Field to Forms

For HubSpot forms:

1. Edit your form
2. Add a hidden field called "gclid" (or google_click_id)
3. In advanced options, set it to populate from URL parameter: gclid

For custom forms:

<input type="hidden" name="gclid" id="gclid-field">

<script>
  document.getElementById('gclid-field').value = getGclid();
</script>

Step 3: Create HubSpot Contact Property

1. HubSpot → Settings → Properties
2. Create new property:
   • Name: GCLID
   • Internal name: gclid
   • Field type: Single-line text
   • Group: Contact information
3. Map your form field to this property

Step 4: Create Google Ads Conversion Action

1. Google Ads → Tools & Settings → Conversions
2. Click + New conversion action
3. Select "Import" → "Other data sources or CRMs"
4. Choose "Track conversions from clicks"
5. Configure:
   • Name: "HubSpot SQL" (or your stage name)
   • Category: Qualified Lead
   • Value: Enter average value or leave blank
   • Count: One
   • Click-through window: 90 days (match your sales cycle)
6. Save and note the Conversion Action ID

Repeat for each stage you want to track (MQL, SQL, Opportunity, Closed Won).

Step 5: Create the Data Connection

Now you need to send data from HubSpot to Google Ads when lifecycle stages change. There are several methods:

Automation Methods

Option A: Zapier (Easiest, ~$20-50/month)

Trigger: HubSpot → Contact Property Changed → Lifecycle Stage = SQL

Action: Google Ads → Create Offline Conversion

Configuration:

Pros: No code, 15-minute setup Cons: Monthly cost, limited error handling

Option B: Make.com (More Control, ~$10-30/month)

Similar to Zapier but with better error handling and conditional logic.

Scenario:

1. HubSpot Webhook → Lifecycle Stage Change
2. Filter → Only if GCLID is not empty
3. Google Ads → Upload Offline Conversion
4. Error handler → Log to Google Sheet

Option C: HubSpot Workflow + Webhook (Technical)

If you have HubSpot Operations Hub:

Workflow Trigger: Lifecycle Stage = SQL
+ Filter: GCLID is known

Action: Custom Code (Node.js)

const hubspot = require('@hubspot/api-client');
const { GoogleAdsApi } = require('google-ads-api');

exports.main = async (event) => {
  const gclid = event.inputFields['gclid'];
  const conversionTime = new Date().toISOString();
  
  // Your Google Ads API call here
  // Send gclid, conversionTime, and optional value
  
  return { status: 'success' };
};

Note: You don't actually need Operations Hub Pro—Zapier works great and saves significant money.

Option D: Google Ads API Direct (Advanced)

For high-volume, build a custom integration:

1. Set up Google Ads API credentials
2. Build a microservice that receives HubSpot webhooks
3. Transform data to Google Ads format
4. Upload via OfflineConversionUpload service

This is overkill for most businesses but necessary at enterprise scale.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Issue 1: Conversions Not Appearing

Checklist:

• GCLID is captured and stored in HubSpot
• Conversion action attribution window covers the time since click
• Wait 24-48 hours (not real-time)
• Check Google Ads → Tools → Conversions → Click "See matched"

Issue 2: Low Match Rate

Causes:

• GCLID not captured on all conversions
• Contacts without GCLIDs (organic, direct, other sources)
• GCLID expired (>90 days from click)

Solutions:

• Add filter in automation: Only send if GCLID is known
• Check your capture code is running on all pages
• Extend cookie duration if sales cycle is long

Issue 3: Conversion Values Not Showing

Ensure:

• Value is sent as a number, not string
• Currency code matches account setting
• Value field is mapped in your automation

Issue 4: Duplicate Conversions

Prevention:

• Add a "Conversion Sent to Google" checkbox in HubSpot
• Update it after sending
• Filter workflow: Only run if checkbox is not checked

Related: Fix Duplicate Conversions in Google Ads

Best Practices for B2B

1. Start with One Stage

Don't try to import MQL, SQL, Opportunity, and Closed Won all at once. Start with your most valuable conversion (usually SQL or Closed Won), get it working, then add more.

2. Use Appropriate Attribution Windows

For long B2B sales cycles, 90 days is often still not enough.

3. Include Deal Values When Possible

Sending revenue with closed-won conversions dramatically improves Smart Bidding:

4. Monitor Regularly

Weekly review:

• Conversion volume (Google Ads vs HubSpot stage counts)
• Any automation errors (Zapier/Make logs)
• Match rate percentage

Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to common offline conversion import questions.

Need Help Setting This Up?

If this seems complex or you want it done right the first time, book a 15-minute call to discuss a Tracking & Attribution Fix project.

What's included:

• Complete GCLID capture implementation
• HubSpot properties and field mapping
• Google Ads conversion action setup
• Automation configuration and testing
• Documentation for your team