Primary and Secondary Conversions determine how your conversion actions are used for bidding and reporting in Google Ads.
Primary Conversions
Primary conversions are the actions that:
- Count in the “Conversions” column
- Are used for Smart Bidding optimization
- Directly influence automated bid strategies (like Target CPA or Target ROAS)
Examples:
- Purchases
- Qualified leads
- Subscription sign-ups
These are your main business objectives — the actions you truly want to optimize for.
Secondary Conversions
Secondary conversions:
- Appear in the “All conversions” column
- Are not used for automated bidding
- Are mainly for analysis and insight
Examples:
- Add to cart
- Newsletter sign-ups
- Page views
- Micro-engagement events
These actions help you understand user behavior but don’t steer bidding algorithms.
Why the distinction matters
If you accidentally mark a micro-conversion as Primary, Smart Bidding may optimize toward low-value actions instead of real revenue-driving outcomes.
In short:
Primary conversions drive optimization. Secondary conversions provide insight.