Understanding Conversions vs. Conversions by Time: Smarter eCommerce PPC Decisions Made Simple

jax5027
Aug 23
5 min read

Let’s strip back the PPC jargon—what do “Conversions” and “Conversions by Time” really mean, and why should you care if you’re running an eCommerce business in the UK?

Frankly, this is one of those ‘helpful things PPC agencies never explain’ that can mean the difference between successfully scaling your store and flying blind with your Google Ads reporting. If you’ve ever looked at your conversion numbers and wondered why your backend sales figures don’t quite line up, you’re in the right place.

What Are “Conversions” in Google Ads and PPC Reporting?

Conversions sounds simple: The total number of customers who did what you wanted—bought, signed up, registered. You set your goal in Google Ads and your dashboard tells you the number. Job done, right?

Not quite. The “Conversions” metric shows you how many conversions happened according to when the ad was clicked, not when that customer actually finished buying.

Let’s say a shopper, let’s call her Sarah, clicks your ad for luxury candles on a Wednesday but only checks out on Friday after debating which scent will best impress her mother-in-law. The sale is counted as a “conversion” attributed to Wednesday, even though you didn’t get paid until Friday.

This means if you’re looking at last week’s data, you might think Wednesday’s ads did brilliantly, completely missing that Sarah’s decision (and your actual cash) came later. And if Sarah’s click was a week before your report’s timeframe, but she buys within your set date range? That conversion might not even show up at all.

Confusing? Yes. Just another day in PPC reporting land.

Enter: “Conversions by Time”—The Metric Agencies Rarely Mention

If you want to see the real picture, “Conversions by Time” is your friend. This metric counts conversions when they happen, not when a click happened. No more time-warped reporting.

Back to Sarah: With “Conversions by Time”, her Friday checkout appears in Friday’s data, where it belongs.

Why does this matter? Well, now you actually know how much you sold and when, and your numbers will line up with your real bank statements and Shopify dashboard.

Quick Comparison

Metric	Counts Conversion On	Useful For	Sneaky Pitfall
Conversions	Ad click date	Long-term trends	Can mislead on daily spikes
Conversions by Time	Actual conversion date	Real-time decisions	May look lower in first hours

“Why Aren’t My Numbers Matching Up?” (A PPC Founder’s Classic Question)

Ever wonder why your Google Ads report and your backend orders are always out of sync, even though you’re “tracking everything”? It’s probably because you (or your agency) are staring at the wrong conversion metric.

Looking at “Conversions” only is like checking the weather yesterday to decide if you need an umbrella today. Sure, it sort of relates—but it might leave you soaked.

Why This Matters for Your eCommerce PPC Performance

1. Faster, Smarter Optimisation

Want to know today if this morning’s flash sale worked? “Conversions by Time” gives you a nearly real-time answer. No lag, no waiting for Google to catch up with all the shopper hesitancy and last-minute Friday purchases. You see the action when it actually happens.

2. Real Alignment with Your Revenue

If you’re running better-than-average accounting (and let’s face it, who doesn’t want to keep the finance team off their back), you want your ad reporting to match your store’s real revenue. “Conversions by Time” brings your PPC reality closer to your P&L, especially during high-velocity trading like Black Friday or January sales.

3. Sharp Ad Scheduling and Budget Decisions

Imagine you run ads around the clock. Digging into “Conversions by Time” often surfaces discovery gold: maybe everyone’s buying at 8pm, or you’re burning budget when your customers are asleep. Adjusting bids and budgets based on when your sales happen (not just when clicks happen) is a cheat code most agencies don’t hand over.

Examples: See the Difference

Example 1: The “Laggy” Sale

Tuesday: 100 people click your ad.
Thursday: 20 of those finally buy.
“Conversions”: Those 20 sales are attributed back to Tuesday.
“Conversions by Time”: They show on Thursday, matching your real orders.

Example 2: Weekly Sale Spike

Data shows conversions spike every Saturday night.
“Conversions”: Spikes are vague, scattered by click dates.
“Conversions by Time”: Spikes are clear and actionable—you drop your next email campaign right on the Saturday surge.

How to Access and Use “Conversions by Time” in Google Ads

If you fancy actually seeing this yourself, pop into your campaign reporting columns and add:

“Conversions (by conv. time)”
“Conversion Value (by conv. time)”
“ROAS (by conv. time)” — calculated as Conversion Value (by conv. time) ÷ cost

This clarity is especially vital for brands running big-budget campaigns, sales, or launches with sudden traffic spikes and delayed buying behaviour.

Practical Scenarios for UK eCommerce Brands

Scenario 1: You’re Doing a Flash Sale

You launch a 24-hour promo. Your “Conversions by Time” graph shows a spike when the sale actually lands results. Real sales, real-time. That’s what you want for on-the-fly optimisation, not getting misled by a laggy conversion tally based on last week’s clicks.

Scenario 2: Tracking Delivery-Driven Purchases

Let’s say you offer free delivery every Friday. By looking at conversions by time, you’ll clearly see if your delivery push moved the needle (and when customers actually checked out). No guesswork, just actionable data.

Scenario 3: Daily Ad Spend and Hourly Wins

Ever spent the whole week thinking morning ads work, only to find out conversions actually flood in late at night? “Conversions by Time” lays that bare, so you can curb wasted spend and double down on the hours customers splash out.

Conversion Lag: How Long Do Customers Really Take To Buy?

If you operate in a category where people deliberate (think: high-ticket beauty, outdoor gear, or anything you need “permission” from someone to buy), you’ll want to know your conversion lag.

Standard Conversions: Mask lag—makes it seem like people buy instantly
Conversions by Time: Makes lag obvious—you’ll spot the average time to purchase and plan your remarketing smartly

Top Practical Tips

Questions eCommerce Founders Should Be Asking

Are you making changes based on real-time buying patterns or historical click attribution?
How big is your conversion lag, and how are you accounting for it in reporting and optimisation?
If your PPC agency isn’t giving you “Conversions by Time”, do they even know what hour your revenue drops?

If you’re not sure, it’s time to demand clarity. At JudeLuxe, this is baked into every report (see how we do profit-first PPC here).

Wrapping Up (But Don’t Switch Off Yet)

“Conversions by Time” isn’t just some technical setting—it’s the difference between flying blind or piloting your campaigns with pinpoint accuracy. The next time someone hands you a Google Ads report, check which metric they’ve used before you make another business decision.

Feeling like your agency never tells you the bits that really matter? You’re not alone. If you want more of these no-BS guides, check out the JudeLuxe Blog or have a word with us directly (about us).

Now go forth and make data your ally—and remember, if you’re still measuring “conversions” the old way, you’re missing the story behind your sales.