Maximise Conversions, Target CPA, Target ROAS - each bidding strategy suits different situations.
Smart Bidding uses Google's machine learning to optimise your bids in real-time, considering hundreds of signals that manual bidding can't process. But choosing the wrong Smart Bidding strategy can tank your campaign performance. Here's which strategy to use based on your situation.
Maximise Conversions is the best starting point for new campaigns with limited conversion data. It tells Google to get you as many conversions as possible within your daily budget. The downside is it doesn't control how much you pay per conversion - it will happily spend £100 for one lead if that uses your budget.
Target CPA (Cost Per Acquisition) gives you control over your cost per lead. Set your target CPA to a level that's profitable for your business, and Google adjusts bids to hit that target on average. This strategy requires at least 30 conversions in the past 30 days to work effectively - below that threshold, stick with Maximise Conversions.
Target ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) is the most advanced strategy and works best for businesses that track the actual revenue from each conversion. If you know that a boiler replacement lead is worth £200 on average and a service lead is worth £50, Target ROAS can optimise differently for each. This strategy requires at least 50 conversions with value data in the past 30 days.