{"id":8998,"date":"2026-10-19T11:26:35","date_gmt":"2026-10-19T08:26:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ivitskiy.com\/blog\/?p=8998"},"modified":"2026-10-19T11:26:35","modified_gmt":"2026-10-19T08:26:35","slug":"primary-vs-secondary-conversion-actions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ivitskiy.com\/blog\/en\/primary-vs-secondary-conversion-actions\/","title":{"rendered":"Primary vs Secondary Conversion Actions in Google Ads"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
In short:<\/strong> mark an action primary only if it is a real enquiry for your business, because bidding learns from it and it counts in the «Conversions» column. Everything else, from page views to clicks on outside links, belongs under «Secondary (observe only)». After a change, leave budgets and goals alone for 7 to 14 days.<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Every conversion action in Google Ads has a status: Primary or «Secondary (observe only)». A primary action teaches bidding and counts in the «Conversions» column. A secondary action only stays in your reports. You can see and change the statuses under Goals, in the Conversions drop-down, on the Summary page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What should count as a conversion at all is covered in my guide to what counts as a conversion in Google Ads<\/a>. This article is about one decision only: which status each action gets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What it means<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Conversion actions in Google Ads are grouped into conversion goals. Inside a goal you choose which actions are primary: these are used for bidding optimization and included in your reporting. The rest are secondary, and they do not directly optimize your campaign. That is how Google’s help page on primary and secondary conversion actions<\/a> defines it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A primary action lands in the «Conversions» column and steers bids, as long as the campaign uses the goal the action belongs to. A secondary action lands only in «All conversions». There is one exception: an action inside a custom goal is used for bidding whatever its status. Some actions cannot be switched at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to read and set it<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The rule is simple: a primary action should be an event you would pay for as an enquiry. Here is how I sort the usual actions of a plumber, an HVAC company or a dental practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Action<\/th>Primary or secondary<\/th>Why<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Submitted contact or quote form<\/td>Primary<\/td>This is the enquiry, so bidding should learn from it.<\/td><\/tr>
Call from an ad that became a conversation<\/td>Primary<\/td>For many trades a call is the enquiry. Count only calls that turn into a real conversation.<\/td><\/tr>
Booked appointment, or a lead imported from your CRM<\/td>Primary<\/td>Closest to revenue, so bids learn from your most valuable enquiries.<\/td><\/tr>
Click on a phone number on the site<\/td>Secondary until checked<\/td>A click is not a conversation. First find out how many such clicks end in a call.<\/td><\/tr>
Page view, scroll, time on site<\/td>Secondary<\/td>This is behaviour, not an enquiry.<\/td><\/tr>
Click on an outside link or social profile<\/td>Secondary<\/td>The visitor left your site without giving you a contact.<\/td><\/tr>
Conversion created from a Google Analytics event<\/td>Secondary at first<\/td>These are secondary by default, and you can make them primary only inside Google Ads.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Secondary actions stay visible in «All conversions». How that column differs from «Conversions» is explained in my piece on the two conversion columns in Google Ads<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What to do<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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  1. Open Goals, expand Conversions, and choose Summary.<\/li>\n
  2. Write down every action. Next to each one ask yourself: would I pay for this event as an enquiry?<\/li>\n
  3. Find the goal that includes the action you want to change and click Edit goal.<\/li>\n
  4. Under «Conversion action optimization», choose Primary or «Secondary (observe only)», then click Save.<\/li>\n
  5. In the campaign settings, check that the goal holding your primary action is really used for bidding.<\/li>\n
  6. For the next 7 to 14 days leave budgets, targets and other goals alone. Google’s help says frequent changes reset the learning phase of Smart Bidding.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    What not to do<\/h2>\n\n\n\n