Google Ads is rolling out an important change to how conversion goals are set by default — one that could help advertisers cut wasted spend and keep campaigns focused on what really matters. Starting November 17, new conversion actions created via the API will no longer automatically be set as account-default goals.
What’s Changing?
Until now, when advertisers created new conversion actions through the API, they were automatically added as account-default goals. This meant:
- The new goals became biddable across all campaigns.
- Campaigns sometimes optimized toward irrelevant or low-priority signals.
- Performance could get diluted as campaigns chased too many objectives.
With the update, Google Ads will only set a new conversion action as account-default if all other goals in that category are already default.
Example: If your account already has a non-default Purchase goal, any new Purchase conversions won’t automatically be set as account-default.
Advertisers who still want a new goal prioritized will need to manually set CustomerConversionGoal.biddable = true.
Why This Matters
While the previous system was convenient, it often caused campaigns to optimize toward goals that weren’t strategically relevant — increasing costs and lowering efficiency. This update helps advertisers:
- Keep their conversion goal set lean and performance-driven.
- Avoid wasting budget on irrelevant signals.
- Ensure campaigns are optimizing for meaningful outcomes like purchases, leads, or sign-ups.
What Advertisers Should Do
Ahead of the November rollout, we recommend:
- Review your existing conversion goals — Identify which are truly important and set them as account-default.
- Adjust your workflows — Especially if you rely on the API, ensure your team or platform manually sets new goals as biddable when necessary.
- Monitor campaign performance — After the change, keep an eye on whether your campaigns are still optimizing toward the right outcomes.
Bottom Line
This update is a positive step from Google Ads to help advertisers reduce wasted spend and sharpen campaign performance. By keeping account-default goals intentional and relevant, you’ll have more control over where your ad budget goes — and better results to show for it.
Source: Search Engine Land
