A challenge I’ve found with conversion tracking is that it requires a user to visit a specific page with conversion tracking code installed in order to register as a conversion ie a landing page. This doesn’t always work and makes it difficult to track different forms of conversion such as clicks to third party sites. When faced with this scenario for a client I had to find a solution to track a conversion based on click from an ad. Below is the method and code used to do this using jquery , Google adwords and some html.

First create an html file with your campaigns conversion tracking code from google adwords and add it to your site files.

<html>
<body>
    <!-- Google Code for Conversion Page -->
    <script type="text/javascript">
    /* <![CDATA[ */
    var google_conversion_id = xxxxxxxxx;
    var google_conversion_language = "en";
    var google_conversion_format = "3";
    var google_conversion_color = "ffffff";
    var google_conversion_label = "_ArfCLPt9QMQrcfZ2AM";
    var google_conversion_value = 0;
    /* ]]> */
    </script>
    <script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/conversion.js">
    </script>
    <noscript>
    <div style="display:inline;">
    <img height="1" width="1" style="border-style:none;" alt="" src="http://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/conversion/xxxxxxxxx/?label=_ArfCLPt9QMQrcfZ2AM&amp;amp;guid=ON&amp;amp;script=0"/>
    </div>
    </noscript>

    <script type="text/javascript">

      var _gaq = _gaq || [];
      _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-xxxxxxxx-1']);
      _gaq.push(['_setDomainName', 'yourdomain.com']);
      _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);

      (function() {
        var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true;
        ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js';
        var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
      })();

    </script>
</body>
</html>

Next add a class to the links or elements you want to track as conversions via click. I added

.clickAction to various buttons and links around the page. Now to create the action add the code below to your header or external js file inside of your document ready function. This script requires Jquery So you will need to have that also installed on your site.
note: I wrote this for a WordPress site so update the url path to the html file based on your configuration

$('.clickAction').click(function(){

  $('<iframe id="converter" height="1" width="1" name="converter">').attr('src', <?php bloginfo('template_url'); ?>/tracking.html').appendTo('body');

});

Now any item with the class .clickAction when clicked with load a 1px by 1px transparent iframe at the bottom of the page and register as a conversion. This approach is pretty simple so feel free to reach out if you have questions. Happy analyzing.

Developing online stores while attempting to optimize for conversion is a breeding ground for invention and progression. One issue several store owners are guilty of is over loading their shopping cart with walls of text regarding policies, shipping rules, and (hopefully) clear contact information. While this is all relevant information, visual appeal is the key to converting visitors into customers. One solution I have developed is a simple ‘show/hide’ script written in jQuery that provides a header sentence that is hidden until clicked upon expanding your policy information. Use this to clean up your latest shopping cart enhancements and enjoy the benefit of reduced cart abandonment.

<style type="text/css">
.msg_wrap {
  margin: 2em;
}
.msg_body {
  display: none;
  padding: 1em 0;
}
</style>

<script type="text/javascript">
$(document).ready(function() {
    $('.msg_toggle').click(function(e) {
        e.preventDefault();
        $(this).next('.msg_body').slideToggle();
    });
});
</script>

<div class="msg_wrap">
  <a href="#" class="msg_toggle"> (click to read more) </a>
  <div class="msg_body">
      I'm text that is hidden until the header is is clicked.
  </div>
</div>

I myself use this implementation frequently if information is needed in the cart but space is limited. A word of caution; do not to let this idea enable over saturation of content and information. Customers want the basic information and quick shout-outs on topics like returns, warranties, and contact information. Links to these pages such as Policy and Shipping can give your customers the choice of reading your agreements or ignoring them to keep checking out. You do not want to freak a customer out by providing a ridiculous amount of information and policy that may in turn cause them to shop elsewhere like Amazon or Overstock. Just my two cents here, but this has been a proven tactic to help drive sales for store owners.