The best Google Ads bidding strategies to choose

Google Ads bidding strategies are often a headache for newbies. In concrete terms, they help you adjust the amount you are willing to pay to reach your audience with your ads.

Each strategy has its pros and cons.

That's why, as your Google Ads account gains more experience, it can be tempting to test different bidding strategies to find the one that allows you to reach your goals in the most effective way possible.

Sometimes a Google Ads agency does it for you, but you still need to understand it. We're taking stock.

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Google Ads auctions: definition

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The purpose of a Google Ads bidding strategy is to effectively manage how you pay for the visibility and interactions with your ads on the Google network.

Clearly, a Google Ads bidding strategy determines How much are you willing to pay for users to see or engage with your ad, whether through clicks, impressions, or conversions.

Choosing the right bidding strategy is essential: it is a factor that can greatly influence the success of your advertising campaigns by helping you achieve your marketing goals while optimizing your budget.

There are several types of bidding strategies, each designed for specific goals such as maximizing clicks, conversions, or improving ad visibility.

By understanding the particularities of each strategy, you can better align your campaigns with your goals, whether it's increasing traffic to your website, encouraging specific user actions, or maximizing the return on advertising investment.

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Google Ads click-oriented bidding strategies

Google Ads auction: manual CPCs

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With the manual CPC, You have total control over your Google Ads bids. This direct approach allows precise management of your budget.

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✅ Advantages:

👉 Absolute control : you can adjust the auction costs very finely according to the performance of the ads.

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⭕️ Disadvantages :

👉Constant monitoring : this method requires regular attention and a good understanding of the market to be really effective.

💡 When should I use this Google Ads auction method?

• Limited budget : ideal for Google Ads campaigns with limited budgets.
• Specific keywords : perfect for ads targeting very specific keywords with low or medium competition.

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Google Ads auction: maximizing clicks

This Google Ads bidding strategy automates bid management to get the maximum number of clicks.

How does it work?

Google adjusts your bids to maximize the number of clicks while staying within your budget. This simplifies campaign management by letting Google Ads optimize bids for you.

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💡 When should I use this Google Ads auction method?

• Increase traffic : Ideal when the main objective is to increase traffic on your website.
• Promotional campaigns : Perfect for campaigns with a clear objective to increase visibility.

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Google Ads conversion-oriented bidding strategies

Google Ads auction: target CPA and target ROAS

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The Google Ads auctions at CPA (Cost Per Acquisition) target and the target ROAS (Return On Ad Spend) are designed to maximize your conversions and the value of your conversions.

How does it work?

Target CPA auction :

👉 Objective : get the maximum number of conversions at a predefined cost per acquisition.

👉 How it works : Google automatically adjusts your bids for each ad opportunity, in order to maximize the number of conversions while respecting the cost per acquisition you set.

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Target ROAS auction :

👉 Objective : achieve a specific conversion value for each euro spent on advertising.

👉 How it works : Google adjusts bids to maximize the value of conversions, aligning ad spend with the desired return on investment.

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💡 When should I use this Google Ads auction method?

• Target CPA : Use this bidding strategy for campaigns where you have a clear acquisition cost in mind and want to maximize the number of conversions at that cost.
• Target ROAS : this Google Ads auction strategy is ideal if you want to maximize the value generated by your advertising spend, with a specific return in sight for each euro spent.

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Google Ads auction: optimizing conversions and conversion value

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These Google Ads bidding strategies automate bids to optimize your budget in terms of conversions or conversion value.

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✅ Benefits

👉 Maximize conversions : This strategy uses your budget to get as many conversions as possible. Bids are automatically adjusted based on the campaign's historical performance.

👉 Maximize conversion value : here, the bids are adjusted to get the highest conversion value possible with your budget, without targeting a specific ROAS.

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💡 When should I use this Google Ads auction method?

• Optimizing conversions : ideal for campaigns where the main objective is to increase the number of conversions, regardless of their individual value.
• Optimizing conversion value : perfect for campaigns to increase the total value generated by conversions, crucial for high-value products or services.

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Google Ads value-oriented bidding strategies

Google Ads auction: Optimized CPC (eCPC)

Optimized CPC (eCPC) dynamically adjusts your bids to increase the chances of conversion, without requiring constant monitoring on your part.

The eCPC analyzes the conversion potential of each click and adjusts your bids accordingly to maximize conversions.

💬 For example, if Google Ads identifies that an ad placed on a specific search is more likely to convert, based on historical data, it will increase your bid for that search.

Even though eCPC increases bids for clicks with high conversion potential, it strives to keep the average cost per click (CPC) within your budget. Thus, over the duration of the campaign, the total cost remains controlled, while seeking to maximize conversions.

Google Ads Auction: Target ROAS

This strategy is designed for advertisers who are looking not only for conversions but also for ensuring that those conversions are of high value.

How does it work?

By setting up a ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) objective, Google Ads adjusts your bids for each ad in order to maximize the value generated by each euro spent.

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💬 For example, if your goal is to get a 400% ROAS, Google Ads will optimize bids to achieve this ratio of conversion value to advertising cost.

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💡 When should I use this Google Ads auction method?

• Let's say you have an online decoration store : with high-margin products, the store could aim for an ROAS of 500%. By setting up target ROAS, Google Ads prioritizes bids on audience segments and searches that have historically generated high sales, maximizing revenue for a given budget.
• Concierge agency : by offering luxury concierge packages, the agency could define a target ROAS of 600%, seeking to maximize the value of conversions rather than volume. Google Ads will automatically adjust bids to capture users who are most likely to book expensive trips.

By using this strategy, advertisers can align their ad spend with conversion value goals, ensuring an optimal return on investment.

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Visibility-oriented Google Ads bidding strategies

Google Ads auctions: Display and YouTube Ads

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Display and YouTube ads use specific Google Ads bidding strategies to capture audience attention through visual and video content. These platforms offer dynamic ways to engage potential customers beyond traditional search ads.

Unlike search ads, advertising strategies on Display and YouTube exploit user interests and demographics, offering a wider reach across websites and video content. This approach is critical for brands looking to increase awareness and engagement through rich media.

For Maximize the effectiveness of Display Ads and YouTube, you need to employ strategies that target high-value audiences and use compelling creatives. Optimization techniques include:

• Focus on high-performing investments : identify and target the locations where ads get the best results.
• Refining target audiences : use demographic and interest data to refine audiences and reach users who are most likely to be interested in the product or service.
• Ongoing performance analysis : monitor and analyze performance to adjust bids and optimize return on investment.

👉 Find out how we Generate over 420 leads with Google Ads for our client Easy Move

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How to choose the right Google Ads bidding strategy?

The decision between manual and automatic bidding depends largely on your goals, your budget, and your level of comfort with Google Ads.

Here are some key points to help you choose the best option for your needs:

👉Manual Google Ads auctions

Manual Google Ads auctions provide direct control over your advertising spend and allow for precise optimization based on performance and preferences. However, they require active management and in-depth market knowledge to be effective.

👉Automatic Google Ads auctions

Automated auctions use artificial intelligence and Google data to maximize your performance, saving you time while adapting your bids to each situation. This option offers less direct control over your spending, but it is effective in optimizing results based on defined goals. Some automatic strategies require conversion tracking or a minimum budget.

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‍The two decision factors that come into account

Budget

👉 Manual Google Ads auctions : recommended if you have a limited budget or want total control over your expenses.

👉Automatic auctions : ideal if you have a flexible budget and want to maximize performance without constant intervention.

Time and resources

👉Manual Google Ads auctions : require active and regular management. Perfect if you have the time and resources to analyze and adjust your campaigns regularly.

👉Automatic Google Ads auctions : practical if you prefer to save time or lack resources for active management. They automatically adjust bids based on real-time data.

To get the most out of your Google Ads campaign, it is important to choose an auction strategy that fits your goals. Whether you are looking to increase your visibility, maximize clicks, get more conversions, or optimize your return on advertising investment (ROAS), each bidding strategy has its own advantages and adapts to specific contexts.

Want to master Google Ads like an ace? We created a Google Ads training, by email, very easy to follow and of course 100% free.

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