Maximizing Google Ads Performance: Leveraging Secondary Conversions for Better Optimization

In the dynamic world of Digital Marketing, achieving optimal campaign performance requires nuanced strategies. One common challenge faced by marketers is ensuring that Google Ads campaigns learn and optimize effectively, especially when relying heavily on a single conversion action—most often, the purchase. Relying solely on purchase data can sometimes limit the algorithm’s ability to make meaningful adjustments, leading to campaigns that fall into “dormant mode” due to insufficient conversion volume.

Expanding the Conversion Strategy Beyond Purchases

Google Ads offers the flexibility to define multiple conversion actions, providing an opportunity to guide the algorithm with a broader set of meaningful interactions. This approach can enhance learning, prevent campaign stagnation, and ultimately drive more efficient results.

Can You Use Multiple Primary Conversions?

A common question is whether it’s possible to set more than one primary conversion within a campaign—particularly, to include secondary actions alongside purchases. Unfortunately, Google Ads allows only a single primary conversion per campaign for the purpose of bidding and optimization. However, this limitation doesn’t mean marketers are restricted from providing the algorithm with additional signals.

Introducing Secondary Conversions as Helper Signals

While secondary conversions cannot be designated as “primary” in Google Ads, they can be tracked as “secondary” or “assist” actions. By configuring these conversions appropriately—such as adding newsletter sign-ups, account creations, or product page views—you offer the algorithm additional touchpoints to learn from. Over time, these signals can inform your bid strategies and improve overall campaign performance.

Prioritizing Conversions Within the Funnel

Another strategic consideration involves defining the conversion actions that represent key stages of your funnel. For example, you could set:

• A “Final Step” conversion (e.g., adding items to a cart or initiating checkout) as a secondary conversion, indicating strong purchase intent.
• The “Purchase” as your primary conversion, maintaining its priority in the bidding strategy.

This setup allows the algorithm to recognize and optimize for multiple important actions without compromising the primary goal. Adjusting conversion weights within your Google Ads settings enables you to influence how heavily each action impacts campaign optimization.

Conclusion

While Google Ads doesn’t permit multiple primary conversions within a campaign, smart utilization of secondary conversions and conversion weighting can significantly enhance your campaign optimization process. By tracking key funnel actions and intelligently configuring conversion goals, marketers can provide the algorithm with richer signals, reduce campaign dormancy, and ultimately achieve more balanced and effective advertising