Conversion Value Rules
Paid MediaAlso: Value Rules · Dynamic Conversion Values
Quick definition
Conversion value rules let advertisers adjust the value of a recorded conversion based on who the customer is, where they're located or what device they used. Instead of every conversion counting the same in Google Ads or Meta, the platform applies a multiplier so bidding reflects which conversions are actually worth more.
How it varies across Australia
Adoption of conversion value rules across Australian advertisers is uneven. Businesses running national campaigns with clear regional or audience value differences see the biggest lift. Businesses applying rules without underlying data to justify them often see bidding drift in the wrong direction.
See acquisition performance benchmarks across Australian industries →What it actually means
Most conversion tracking treats every conversion as identical. A Melbourne customer buying a nine-hundred-dollar order counts the same as a Perth customer buying a ninety-dollar one, at least as far as the bidding algorithm is concerned, unless you tell it otherwise.
Conversion value rules fix that mismatch. You set a rule in Google Ads or Meta that says, for example, mobile conversions are worth 20% less than desktop, or customers in a specific state are worth 30% more, and the platform adjusts the recorded value before it feeds the number into automated bidding. The algorithm then chases the adjusted value, not the raw one.
This matters most for businesses using value-based bidding strategies like Target ROAS, where the algorithm is actively optimising toward higher-value conversions. Without value rules, an ecommerce business selling the same product at different margins across segments is training its bidding to treat all customers as equally profitable, which they rarely are.
The catch is that value rules require real evidence. Google's own guidance is blunt about this: rules should reflect known differences in customer value, not hopeful assumptions. A rule built on a hunch just distorts your CPA and skews your attribution reporting toward numbers that feel right rather than numbers that are right.
A conversion value rule is only as honest as the data behind the multiplier. Guess the number and you're just paying the algorithm to chase the wrong customers faster.
How it shows up
Conversion value rules show up inside the conversion settings of Google Ads and the Events Manager in Meta, usually under a section labelled something like 'value adjustments' or 'value rules.' You'll see conditions (location, device, audience) each paired with a percentage adjustment applied to the base conversion value.
They also show up indirectly in reporting. If your reported conversion value suddenly diverges from your actual revenue in your CRM or ecommerce platform, an undocumented or poorly calibrated value rule is a common culprit.
The Australian context
Australian advertisers running campaigns across states often have genuine value differences worth encoding into rules. Regional customers can have different average order value or lower return rates than metro customers, and postage costs eat into margin differently depending on distance from the warehouse. That's a legitimate use case for a value rule.
The trap is applying US-sourced advice about device or audience value multipliers without checking whether the same pattern holds in the Australian market. Device usage patterns and channel behaviour in Australia don't always mirror the US, and a multiplier copied from a global playbook can send your bidding in the wrong direction.
Where people get this wrong
Related terms
Common questions
When should I use conversion value rules?
When you have real evidence that certain segments, like a location, device type or audience, are consistently worth more or less to your business. If you're guessing at the difference, hold off until you have the data to back the multiplier.
Do conversion value rules work with Target ROAS bidding?
Yes, and that's their main purpose. Value rules feed adjusted conversion values into value-based bidding strategies like Target ROAS, so the algorithm optimises toward genuinely higher-value conversions rather than treating every conversion as equal.
Will conversion value rules affect my reported revenue?
They affect the value Google Ads or Meta uses internally for bidding and reporting, not your actual revenue in your CRM or ecommerce platform. Keep both numbers visible so you can spot if a rule has drifted out of line with reality.
How is this different from standard conversion tracking?
Standard conversion tracking just records that a conversion happened, often with a fixed or actual transaction value. Conversion value rules add a layer on top that adjusts that value based on conditions you define, which then changes how the bidding algorithm prioritises future spend.
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About New Rebellion
New Rebellion is a marketing intelligence consultancy. We build tools, score Australian businesses on how their marketing actually performs, and publish Debrief every day. This dictionary is part of how we work in the open.
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