Updated September 2026: Google Ads bidding is much more automated than it used to be. The biggest 2026 change is labeling: Google now shows Target CPA and Target ROAS as standalone Smart Bidding options instead of nesting them under Maximize Conversions or Maximize Conversion Value. The underlying bidding behavior did not change.
Quick answer: Use Maximize Clicks when traffic is the main goal, Manual CPC when you deliberately want manual bid control, Maximize Conversions when you want the most conversions from a fixed budget, Target CPA when average conversion cost matters, Maximize Conversion Value when values differ, Target ROAS when return on ad spend is the constraint, and Target Impression Share for visibility goals.
Google Ads Bidding Strategies in 2026
| Strategy | Best for | Main control | Smart Bidding? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manual CPC | Manual click-bid control | Keyword/ad-group CPC bids | No |
| Maximize Clicks | Traffic | Budget + optional max CPC | No |
| Maximize Conversions | Conversion volume | Budget | Yes |
| Target CPA | Conversions at target average CPA | Budget + tCPA | Yes |
| Maximize Conversion Value | Revenue/value | Budget | Yes |
| Target ROAS | Value at target return | Budget + tROAS | Yes |
| Target Impression Share | Visibility | Impression-share target + max CPC | Automated, but not Smart Bidding |
Important: Enhanced CPC Is Gone for Search and Display
The old version of this article recommended Enhanced CPC (eCPC). That is outdated.
Google discontinued eCPC for Search and Display campaigns effective the week of March 31, 2025. Campaigns not migrated to another strategy effectively moved to Manual CPC.
Official reference: About Enhanced CPC.
What Is Smart Bidding?
Google defines Smart Bidding as automated strategies that use Google AI and auction-time signals to optimize for conversions or conversion value.
The current Smart Bidding strategies are:
- Maximize Conversions;
- Target CPA;
- Maximize Conversion Value;
- Target ROAS.
Google can evaluate signals such as device, location, time, browser, operating system and other auction context when setting bids.
Official reference: About Smart Bidding.
1. Manual CPC
Manual CPC lets you decide the maximum CPC at keyword or ad-group level.
When it can make sense
- you deliberately need very granular bid control;
- conversion tracking is not yet reliable;
- the campaign is small and highly controlled;
- you are troubleshooting traffic before moving to automated conversion bidding.
Main limitation
Manual CPC cannot react to the same auction-time conversion signals Smart Bidding can use. It also requires much more hands-on bid management.
2. Maximize Clicks
Maximize Clicks is an automated strategy designed to get as many clicks as possible within your budget.
Best use cases
- traffic-focused campaigns;
- early keyword/query discovery;
- situations where conversion data is not yet trustworthy;
- visibility/content goals where clicks are valuable by themselves.
Main risk
Cheap clicks are not automatically good clicks. If business results matter, move the success metric toward conversions or conversion value once measurement is reliable.
3. Maximize Conversions
Maximize Conversions uses Google AI to set auction-time bids with the goal of generating as many conversions as possible while using your budget.
Use it when
- you have trustworthy Primary conversion actions;
- conversion volume matters more than maintaining a specific CPA target;
- your daily budget is a meaningful constraint.
Watch out for
If low-quality forms, page views or duplicate events are marked as Primary conversions, Google can maximize the wrong thing very efficiently.
Official reference: Maximize Conversions bidding.
4. Target CPA
Target CPA aims to generate as many conversions as possible around the average cost per conversion you set.
Individual conversions can cost more or less than the target; the target is an average goal over time.
Use it when
- you know what a qualified conversion can cost;
- conversion quality is reasonably consistent;
- you want efficiency control as well as volume.
Do not set tCPA unrealistically low
An aggressive target can reduce eligible auctions and conversion volume.
See my Target CPA Calculator 2026.
5. Maximize Conversion Value
Use Maximize Conversion Value when conversions have different financial value and you want Google to maximize total reported value within budget.
Examples:
- ecommerce products with different prices/margins;
- lead types with different estimated values;
- bookings with different revenue;
- subscription tiers.
This strategy is only as good as the values you feed into Google Ads.
6. Target ROAS
Target ROAS tells Google to maximize conversion value while trying to achieve an average return on ad spend target.
Example:
A 500% target ROAS means you are asking for about $5 in conversion value for each $1 in ad spend on average.
Use it when
- conversion values are accurate;
- profitability depends on value, not just conversion count;
- you have enough data to judge value-based performance.
Main mistake
Using revenue as “value” when margins vary dramatically can make the system favor high-revenue but low-profit products.
7. Target Impression Share
Target Impression Share is for visibility—not direct conversion efficiency.
You can ask Google to show your ad:
- anywhere on the page;
- at the top of the page;
- at the absolute top.
This can make sense for:
- brand defense;
- visibility goals;
- certain highly strategic keywords.
Do not use it simply because being #1 “feels better.” Top position can be expensive and unprofitable.
June 2026 Smart Bidding Label Changes
Starting in June 2026, Google began simplifying how Smart Bidding strategies are named:
- Maximize Conversions with a Target CPA → Target CPA
- Maximize Conversion Value with a Target ROAS → Target ROAS
Google says this is a naming/interface change only. The underlying behavior is the same.
Official reference: 2026 Smart Bidding labeling changes.
August 2026 Update for Budget-Limited Target Strategies
Starting August 17, 2026, Google updated bidding behavior for campaigns that are Limited by budget and use Target CPA or Target ROAS.
Google says the goal is more consistent and predictable performance. Temporary traffic/performance fluctuations can occur around the transition.
This applies across several campaign types, including Search, Shopping, Performance Max and Demand Gen.
Which Bidding Strategy Should a New Campaign Use?
There is no single rule, but I use this framework:
If tracking is weak
Fix conversion tracking first. Maximize Clicks or carefully controlled Manual CPC can sometimes be used while you learn traffic quality.
If you need leads and tracking is reliable
Maximize Conversions can be a strong starting point, then Target CPA can add an efficiency constraint when economics are understood.
If ecommerce values differ
Maximize Conversion Value or Target ROAS can make more sense than counting every purchase equally.
If the goal is visibility
Target Impression Share may fit better than a conversion strategy.
Best Bidding Strategy for Lead Generation
For mature lead-gen campaigns, I usually want Google optimizing toward qualified leads or downstream outcomes, not every raw form submission.
A practical progression can be:
- clean conversion tracking;
- Maximize Conversions;
- import qualified/offline outcomes;
- use Target CPA when you know the acceptable qualified CPA.
Best Bidding Strategy for Ecommerce
For ecommerce, value-based bidding is often more useful because products/orders can have different values.
A common framework:
- accurate purchase tracking and values;
- Maximize Conversion Value;
- move to Target ROAS when you have a meaningful return target;
- improve values further with profit/margin signals where feasible.
Portfolio Bid Strategies
Portfolio strategies let multiple campaigns share one bidding strategy/target.
They can make sense when campaigns:
- share a business objective;
- need a common CPA/ROAS target;
- have enough collective conversion data to benefit from shared management.
Do not combine campaigns with radically different economics just because portfolio bidding exists.
How Long Should You Wait After Changing Bidding?
Do not judge major bid-strategy changes after one or two days.
Consider:
- conversion delay;
- normal weekly variation;
- learning/calibration;
- budget constraints;
- seasonality;
- recent conversion volume.
Avoid stacking multiple changes at once because you lose the ability to understand what caused performance movement.
Bidding Strategy Mistakes
- Using outdated eCPC guidance.
- Optimizing to fake/micro conversions.
- Setting tCPA too low.
- Setting tROAS too high.
- Changing targets every day.
- Judging Smart Bidding before conversion delay resolves.
- Using Maximize Clicks when revenue is the real goal.
- Choosing Target Impression Share to chase vanity position.
- Using revenue values when margins differ significantly.
Google Ads Bidding FAQ
What are the Smart Bidding strategies in 2026?
Target CPA, Target ROAS, Maximize Conversions and Maximize Conversion Value.
Is Enhanced CPC still available?
Not for Search and Display campaigns. Google discontinued eCPC in 2025.
Is Maximize Clicks Smart Bidding?
No. It is automated bidding, but Google’s Smart Bidding category specifically refers to conversion/value auction-time strategies.
Which bidding strategy is best?
The best strategy depends on whether your main goal is traffic, conversions, conversion value, CPA, ROAS or visibility—and on the quality of your conversion data.
Should I use Target CPA from day one?
Google allows Target CPA without conversion history, but the target still needs to be realistic and your conversion tracking needs to be trustworthy.
Related Guides
- Target CPA Calculator
- Google Ads Budget Calculator
- How to Optimize Google Ads
- Google Ads Audit Checklist
Final Takeaway
Choose bidding based on the business outcome, not the strategy name Google highlights in the interface. In 2026, conversion and value-based Smart Bidding are the core performance options, while Manual CPC, Maximize Clicks and Target Impression Share still have valid use cases. The quality of your conversion data and targets usually matters more than the theoretical sophistication of the bidding strategy.