How-to · Updated October 11, 2026
Move from a Smart campaign to a standard Search campaign
Updated October 11, 2026
1 hour
To move from a Smart campaign to a standard Search campaign, switch the account to Expert Mode, build the Search campaign from the Smart campaign's themes, locations and budget, then pause the Smart campaign. Pick conversion goals that stand for real leads, because Smart campaign conversion actions can stay in the account after the switch.
Before you start
- Standard or Admin access to the Google Ads account. Standard access can edit campaigns.
- The Smart campaign's settings, written down: keyword themes, ad text, landing page, locations, ad schedule and budget.
- Conversion tracking for your website forms or calls. Google requires at least one conversion goal to create a Search campaign.
Build the Search campaign in Expert Mode
Build the Search campaign first, outside Smart Mode, so the Smart campaign keeps running until the new ads are live.
- If Google Ads opens on the Smart campaign dashboard, the account is in Smart Mode. Google says advertisers who aren't in Smart Mode can use the other campaign types, so switch to Expert Mode first. Google's current help pages do not give the click path; if the option is not in front of you, ask Google Ads support.
- Go to Campaigns within the Campaigns menu, click the plus icon and choose New campaign.
- Choose the Leads objective (or Sales, if that is what you want), then under Select a campaign type choose Search.
- Under Use these conversion goals for campaign performance optimization, Google preselects every account-default goal. Keep only goals that stand for a real lead, such as a form submission or a tracked call. Later, the campaign's Conversion goals setting can switch to campaign-specific goals.
- Decide on Include Google search partners and Display Network. A Smart campaign chose where ads showed; here you do. Untick both to start on Google search results alone.
- Create one ad group per service with keywords from the keyword themes, matching ads, and that service's page. A Search campaign supports several landing pages; a Smart campaign supports one at most.
- Enter a daily budget, review the issues Google lists, and click Publish.
Google says ads are typically approved within one business day; showing can take a few days.
Pause the Smart campaign once the Search ads run
Pause the Smart campaign, rather than removing it, once the Search ads are approved and showing, so you can resume it if needed.
- Click the name of the Smart campaign. Under the campaign name, click its status, then click Pause campaign, and Pause campaign again to confirm.
- Choose Forever, or until I resume, not Temporarily, which restarts it on a set date. Click Pause.
A paused campaign does not accrue charges, though Google may still bill for charges from while it ran.
Keep Smart campaign actions out of your lead count
The Smart campaign's conversion actions can stay in the account after you pause it, so sort them out before you judge the new campaign.
- Go to Summary in the Conversions drop-down of the Goals menu and look for actions that came with the Smart campaign. Google's developer reference lists four conversion action types that come from Smart campaigns: tracked calls, ad clicks to call, Maps clicks to call and Maps directions.
- They record Smart campaign activity, not Search leads: Google says conversion actions in Smart campaigns don't report stats in Results reporting for non-Smart campaigns. Map directions are not leads either, so keep them out of any total you compare with your own record.
- Where Google lets you, click Edit goal on the goal that holds them, set them to Secondary (observe only) under Conversion action optimization and click Save. Google notes some actions can't be set as primary or secondary; if the choice is not offered, read results by conversion action instead.
Check it worked
After a week or two of traffic, open Campaigns, click Segment and under Conversions choose Conversion action. The Search campaign's rows should show only your lead actions, and the Smart campaign no new cost since you paused it.
Compare it with your own record of calls and form fills, not the Smart campaign's old totals, which can include map directions and call button taps.
What the Smart campaign did that you now set yourself
Google's comparison lists the jobs that move to you:
Bidding: a Smart campaign manages it; a Search campaign needs a bid strategy you choose, such as Maximize clicks or Target CPA.
Assets: Google AI creates sitelink, callout, location and call assets for a Smart campaign; a Search campaign needs some set up by hand.
Keywords: a Smart campaign generates them from keyword themes; a Search campaign needs keywords, match types and ad groups set up manually.
Why the old numbers will not line up
A Smart campaign's dashboard reports call clicks (taps on the ad's Call button), verified calls and map actions (clicks on the business pin or for directions). A Search campaign's Conversions column counts only Primary actions in the goals it uses. A drop after the switch can mean a stricter count, not fewer leads; your call log and inbox say which.