Google Ads network mix and bidding-goal diagnostic — the real builder, run on generated data. No figure here is a real campaign.
back to the portfolio →Google Ads diagnostic — Ember & Ashes
Funnel data shows Google Ads at 23% register rate, against 65% on the healthy channel. This report looks for the root cause: campaign type, network mix, conversion-action config, device split.
1,450
Conversions (GA)
AppsFlyer installs: 1,450
22.76%
AF Register / install
330 registers via AppsFlyer
What's holding Google Ads back
⚠
100% of App campaign spend is on 'Install volume' goal, not 'In-app actions / value'
Same trap as TikTok: cheap-install optimization finds users who tap Install reflexively, not users who actually register. Switch the campaign goal from Install volume to In-app actions (UAC for Actions) with your registration event as the target. Requires the registration event to be defined as a Conversion in Google Ads (see section 4).
ℹ
1 register-like conversion action(s) exist, but none are flagged as Primary
Google Ads campaigns optimize toward Primary conversions only. Account-default Primary is usually 'App install'. Mark your registration action as Primary (and unmark Install if needed) so Smart Bidding actually learns toward registration.
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AppsFlyer measures Google Ads at 23% register/install rate
Below the Facebook benchmark (~65%). With 1,450 installs in the window producing 330 registrations, you're not far from healthy but there's room. The levers above (switch to In-app actions goal, primary conversion = register, reduce Display share) typically lift this 10-20 points.
1.Network mix (Search / Display / YouTube / Play Store)
Where Google delivered your ads. Display Network = third-party sites and apps (Google's equivalent of TikTok Pangle / Facebook Audience Network). Search & Play Store = high-intent. YouTube = mid-intent.
| Network | Spend | Share | Impressions | Clicks | Conversions | CPI |
|---|
| SEARCH | $899.00 | 31.0% | 3,720 | 198 | 449 | $2.00 |
| YOUTUBE | $841.00 | 29.0% | 3,479 | 185 | 420 | $2.00 |
| CONTENT | $754.00 | 26.0% | 3,120 | 166 | 377 | $2.00 |
| MIXED | $406.00 | 14.0% | 1,680 | 89 | 203 | $2.00 |
2.Device breakdown
| Device | Spend | Share | Conversions | CPI |
|---|
| MOBILE | $2.6k | 91.0% | 1,319 | $2.00 |
| TABLET | $203.00 | 7.0% | 101 | $2.01 |
| OTHER | $58.00 | 2.0% | 29 | $2.00 |
3.Campaigns by spend
| Campaign | Channel | App bidding goal | Spend | Conversions | CTR | CPI | Target CPA |
|---|
| VN_EA_UAC_Install | MULTI_CHANNEL • APP_CAMPAIGN | OPTIMIZE_INSTALLS_TARGET_INSTALL_COST | $1.7k | 841 | 2.77% | $2.00 | — |
| VN_EA_UAC_Action | MULTI_CHANNEL • APP_CAMPAIGN | OPTIMIZE_IN_APP_CONVERSIONS_TARGET_CONVERSION_COST | $1.2k | 609 | 2.85% | $2.00 | — |
4.Configured conversion actions
What Google Ads is set up to count and optimize toward. Only Primary conversions are used for Smart Bidding. A registration event must be both configured here AND marked Primary for the algorithm to learn toward it.
| Name | Category | Type | Status | Goal flag | Click window (days) |
|---|
| First open | DOWNLOAD | FIREBASE_ANDROID_FIRST_OPEN | — | Primary | 30 |
| Registration | SIGNUP | FIREBASE_ANDROID_CUSTOM | — | Secondary | 30 |
5.Conversion action volume in window
Which events Google actually counted in this period. Useful to spot dormant events (Google can't optimize toward an action it isn't receiving).
| Conversion action | Count | Value |
|---|
| First open | 0 | 0.00 |
| Registration | 0 | 0.00 |
6.AppsFlyer reconciliation
Google Ads counts conversions; AppsFlyer measures attributed installs. Discrepancies are normal due to attribution windows and view-through.
| Google Ads | AppsFlyer | Δ |
|---|
| Installs / Conversions | 1,450 | 1,450 | +0.0% |
| Registrations (AppsFlyer) | — | 330 | — |
| Register / install (AppsFlyer) | — | 22.76% | — |