What this assignment produces: A clear-eyed audit of every conversion action in your account, and one honest paragraph about what you've been accidentally training the algorithm to do.

Why it matters: You can't fix the reward function until you know what reward function you currently have. Most people have never written this down explicitly. Writing it down is the first moment of real clarity.

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Instructions

Step 1 — Export your conversion actions.

In Google Ads, go to Goals → Conversions → Summary. Export or manually copy every conversion action that is currently included in your "Conversions" column (marked as Primary or Secondary). Include any that are excluded/observation-only as a separate section.

Step 2 — Complete the table below for each primary conversion action.

Conversion action (name)	What actually happened in the real world?	If this number goes up, who wins? (Google algo / your fee / sales / nobody)

Step 3 — Write one honest paragraph.

Finish this sentence in plain language:

"Right now we are accidentally teaching Google Ads to…"

Don't overthink it. Write the first honest answer that comes to mind. That's the one that matters.

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Assignment complete when: You have a filled table and a written paragraph you could read out loud in a client meeting without cringing.

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Module 2: Mental Models (Before Tactics)

Module objective: Build the conceptual vocabulary you need to make smart decisions about conversion roles, learning loops, and the gap between CRM truth and Ads signal, before you touch a single setting.

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