Google Ads API v26 changes conversion settings and travel targeting

What changed

Start with the breaking changes

Google Ads API v26 removes enhanced_conversions_for_leads_enabled. Integrations reading that account-level setting should use ConversionTrackingSetting.enablement_setting instead. The release also introduces effective_enablement_setting for the effective configuration.

Hotel-specific bid-modifier fields become travel-wide fields, with matching enum and error-name changes. Google says existing criterion IDs and bid behaviour remain unchanged. This is a schema migration, rather than evidence that a campaign’s targeting has changed.

Local Services Performance Max creation requires country_code and listing_id. Check creation workflows separately from reporting jobs: a read-only dashboard and a campaign builder do not exercise the same API paths.

Plan the upgrade around the integration

Google’s upgrade checklist directs developers to update client libraries and endpoints, inspect the release notes and compare the versioned protocol definitions. Its v25-to-v26 comparison uses the latest v25.2 definitions as the starting point.

PMC recommends listing the requests the integration actually makes before planning the change. For reporting, compare returned fields and downstream column mappings. For campaign creation, have the integration owner review required inputs and existing error handling. Keep the migration review separate from any decision to change advertising settings.

A new release does not establish that a particular connector has adopted it. Ask your reporting or automation supplier which version it uses and how it validates the affected workflows. PMC has reviewed the documentation, not executed or certified an account integration.

Why it matters for advertisers

Conversion diagnostics and travel reports can depend on exact field names. A version change deserves a scoped validation plan, even when the account’s underlying campaign settings stay the same.