Webclat / Legal
Webclat / Legal  /  use cases  /  google ads vs case management

Why Google Ads and your case management system disagree

Google Ads reports one number of "conversions" for the month, and your case management system reports a different, usually much smaller, number of new matters - and someone always asks why they don't match.

Short answer

Google Ads counts a conversion the moment a form fires or a call connects; your case management system counts a matter once it's opened and signed - two different events, counted by two different systems, at two different points in the client's journey. The two numbers are supposed to disagree; the question worth answering is by how much, and why. Reconciling them record by record turns a recurring argument into a documented, explainable gap.

The situation

Google Ads reports one number of "conversions" for the month, and your case management system reports a different, usually much smaller, number of new matters - and someone always asks why they don't match.

The pain

Without a record-level reconciliation, the honest answer - they're not supposed to match - sounds evasive even when it's true, and it doesn't tell anyone whether the gap is normal or a sign something is broken.

What we implement

We reconcile the two systems record by record, matching each ad-platform conversion event to a call, form, or intake record, and each of those to a case-management outcome - what's called intake-to-case reconciliation - so the gap between the two numbers is explained rather than argued about.

What you get

  • A documented, explainable answer for why the two systems' numbers differ, ready before anyone asks.
  • Ad spend decisions based on the case-management outcome, not the platform's self-reported conversion count.
  • Early warning when the gap between the two numbers changes in a way that signals a tracking break, not normal variation.

Illustrative: a firm might find Google Ads reports three times as many conversions as new matters opened, and that ratio stays stable and explainable once the funnel stages are mapped - illustrative scenario. The acceptable ratio, if there is one, differs by firm and is not a fact this page can state in general.

Common questions

Should the two numbers ever match exactly?

No - they measure different events at different funnel stages. The goal is an explained gap, not a matched one.

How often should this reconciliation run?

Often enough to catch a tracking break early. Monthly is typical, though the right cadence depends on your lead volume.

Know which cases your marketing actually produced.

A runtime audit of your firm's tracking: every tag, every call and intake integration, and whether the numbers your agency reports reconcile with the matters your firm opened. Evidence, not vibes.

Request an audit