The Google Ads import tool makes launching on Microsoft Advertising feel effortless — until you check performance a week later and realize you've been burning budget on misconfigured campaigns. Imported campaigns carry over your Google structure, but they inherit assumptions that don't hold on a different network with different auction dynamics.
This post covers what actually needs to change before you push those imported campaigns live: bids, budgets, ad extensions, audience lists, and the final pre-launch checks that prevent the most common wasted-spend scenarios.
How Google Ads Import Works in Microsoft Advertising (and Its Limitations)
The import tool syncs campaigns, ad groups, ads, keywords, and some extensions from a linked Google Ads account. You can run it once or schedule recurring imports to keep structure in sync. What it does well is save setup time — you're not rebuilding campaign hierarchies from scratch.
What it doesn't do: apply Microsoft-specific defaults, translate bid logic, re-link audiences, or rebuild extensions that don't transfer cleanly. The tool treats the import as a structural copy, not a strategic one. Understanding the key differences between the Microsoft Ads and Google Ads platforms is essential before you treat an imported campaign as launch-ready.
Imports also don't carry over conversion actions. Your Google Ads conversion tracking has no connection to UET (Universal Event Tracking), which is Microsoft's tracking pixel. That gap alone can make your imported campaigns look like they're generating zero conversions even when they're not — which leads to bad bidding decisions from day one.
Bids and Budgets: Why You Can'T Just Copy Google Numbers Directly
Google CPCs and Microsoft CPCs don't map 1:1. For most B2B and SaaS categories, Microsoft CPCs run lower — sometimes significantly. Leaving Google bids in place means overpaying for clicks in an auction where you could compete effectively for less. Part of the reason is why bids need adjusting when moving campaigns from Google to Microsoft: the auction is smaller, competition is lighter, and the traffic composition skews older with higher household income.
A reasonable starting point for manual CPC campaigns is to import at 70-80% of your Google bids, then adjust based on actual auction data. For smart bidding, start with a target CPA that reflects your Google performance but give the algorithm 2-4 weeks to gather signal before drawing conclusions. Microsoft's smart bidding needs conversion data to function, and a freshly imported campaign has none.
Budget allocation also needs rethinking. If you're running a $5,000/month Google campaign, don't mirror that directly. Start with a smaller test budget — enough to generate statistically meaningful data — and scale based on actual ROAS and CPA, not assumptions from Google performance.
Ad Extensions and Assets: What Transfers and What You Need to Rebuild
Sitelink extensions, callout extensions, and call extensions typically transfer through the import. Structured snippet extensions also carry over in most cases. What doesn't always survive: image extensions, promotion extensions, and price extensions — these either don't import or import with errors that require manual correction.
Lead form extensions are a particular issue. Google's lead form extensions don't map to Microsoft's lead generation forms, which work differently and live in a different part of the UI. If lead gen forms are central to your strategy, you're rebuilding them from scratch.
After importing, audit every extension category in the Microsoft Ads UI and verify that imported extensions are active and error-free. Extensions with policy flags don't automatically disapprove in the import — they sit as paused without obvious notification. Check the Disapproved items filter in the Extensions tab specifically.
Ad copy itself transfers cleanly in most cases, but Microsoft has different character limits in specific situations and different editorial policies. Run a disapproval check before launch and address anything flagged before pausing, so you don't accidentally go live with gaps in ad coverage.
Audience Lists and Remarketing: How to Reconnect Your Existing Segments
Google Ads audiences — your remarketing lists, customer match uploads, and in-market segments — don't transfer to Microsoft Advertising. This is expected: the two platforms maintain entirely separate audience infrastructure. What the import brings over is the audience targeting settings (bid adjustments, exclusions, targeting mode), but those settings point to empty lists on the Microsoft side.
Before launch, you need to:
- Install UET and collect your own remarketing data. Microsoft's remarketing lists need to be populated through their own pixel. If you're starting fresh, your lists will be empty for weeks. For retargeting campaigns, consider pausing those ad groups until lists reach minimum population thresholds (around 300 users for search remarketing).
- Re-upload your customer match lists. If you're using customer match in Google, upload the same list to Microsoft through the Audiences section. The match rates will differ, but having a list is better than targeting nothing.
- Rebuild in-market and similar audience targeting. Microsoft has its own in-market segments, which are defined independently of Google's. Map your Google in-market targeting to Microsoft's closest equivalents — the categories often align, but the segment names differ.
After fixing audiences, review your audience bid adjustments. Adjustments that transferred from Google were set based on Google performance data. They carry no predictive value on Microsoft and could push your bids in the wrong direction. Reset them to 0% and rebuild based on Microsoft-specific performance data over time. Once campaigns are running, Microsoft-specific targeting options to add that Google doesn't have — particularly LinkedIn profile targeting — are worth layering in once the base campaigns are stable.
A Pre-Launch Checklist for Imported Microsoft Ads Campaigns
Use this before activating any imported campaign:
Conversion tracking
- [ ] UET tag installed on all relevant pages
- [ ] Conversion goals created in Microsoft Ads (not inherited from Google)
- [ ] Test fire confirmed via UET Event Helper
Bids and budgets
- [ ] Manual bids reduced to 70-80% of Google equivalents
- [ ] Smart bidding goals set with conservative targets (loosen after 2-4 weeks of data)
- [ ] Budgets sized for testing, not mirrored from Google spend
Ad extensions
- [ ] All extension types audited for errors or missing assets
- [ ] Image extensions, promotion extensions, and price extensions manually checked or rebuilt
- [ ] Lead gen forms rebuilt natively in Microsoft Ads if relevant
Audiences
- [ ] UET-based remarketing lists created (even if empty at launch)
- [ ] Customer match lists re-uploaded
- [ ] Audience bid adjustments reset to 0% until Microsoft data exists
- [ ] In-market audience targeting mapped to Microsoft equivalents
Ad copy and policy
- [ ] Disapproved ads reviewed and fixed
- [ ] Responsive search ads verified for asset approval status
Network settings
- [ ] Microsoft Search Network vs Audience Network delivery reviewed per campaign
- [ ] Search partners inclusion decision made per campaign (not inherited from Google default)
Once campaigns are running and converting, work through how to monitor post-import performance and optimize to establish a cadence for ongoing management — the import is the starting line, not the finish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Importing Google Ads to Microsoft Transfer Conversion Tracking?
No. Conversion tracking does not transfer. Google Ads uses its own pixel infrastructure, while Microsoft requires its Universal Event Tracking (UET) tag. You must install UET and create new conversion goals in Microsoft Ads before launch, or your campaigns will report zero conversions regardless of actual performance.
How Much Should I Adjust Bids After Importing from Google to Microsoft?
Start by reducing manual CPC bids to 70-80% of your Google bid levels. Microsoft's auction is smaller and less competitive, so direct bid migration from Google typically results in overpaying. Adjust from there based on impression share and actual auction data once campaigns have been running for a week or two.
What Ad Extensions Don'T Transfer When Importing Google Ads to Microsoft?
Image extensions, price extensions, and promotion extensions often don't transfer cleanly or require manual rebuilding. Lead form extensions don't transfer at all — Microsoft's lead generation forms are a separate product that must be set up natively. After any import, audit all extension types in the UI before going live.
How Long Does It Take for Audience Lists to Populate After Switching to Microsoft Ads?
UET-based remarketing lists require minimum population thresholds before they can be used for targeting — typically around 300 users for search remarketing. If you're starting from scratch, expect 2-4 weeks depending on traffic volume before remarketing-focused ad groups are viable. Consider pausing retargeting-dependent campaigns until lists reach usable size.
Key Takeaways
- The Google Ads import tool copies structure, not strategy — campaigns need manual adjustments before they're launch-ready on Microsoft.
- Conversion tracking must be rebuilt from scratch using Microsoft's UET pixel; imported campaigns have no connection to your Google conversion data.
- Start manual bids at 70-80% of Google levels; reset all audience bid adjustments to 0% until Microsoft-specific performance data exists.
- Lead form extensions, image extensions, and price extensions require manual rebuilding after import.
- Audience lists — remarketing, customer match, in-market — must be recreated on the Microsoft side; Google Ads audience data doesn't transfer.
- Use the pre-launch checklist above before activating any imported campaign to prevent the most common wasted-spend scenarios.