Configure Google Ads Bidding Strategy

Step-by-step

1. Understand the bidding options: Manual CPC, Enhanced CPC, Maximize Clicks, Maximize Conversions, Target CPA, and Target ROAS.
2. For new campaigns with no conversion data: start with 'Maximize Clicks' to gather data, then switch to conversion-based bidding after 30+ conversions.
3. Once you have conversion data: switch to 'Maximize Conversions' or 'Target CPA'. Set your target CPA based on your unit economics.
4. For e-commerce or high-volume: use 'Target ROAS' to optimize for revenue rather than conversion count.
5. Set bid adjustments: increase bids for high-performing demographics, devices, or times of day. Decrease for underperformers.
6. Use portfolio bidding for campaigns with shared goals: group campaigns together and let Google optimize bids across the portfolio.
7. Monitor auction insights: check how your bids compare to competitors. If your impression share is below 50%, you may need to increase bids.
8. Watch for bid inflation: over time, automated bidding can creep up CPCs. Set max CPC limits to prevent overspending.
9. Review bidding performance weekly: check CPC trends, conversion rates, and whether your target CPA is being met.
10. Run bidding experiments: test two bidding strategies simultaneously using Google's experiment feature to find what works best.