TL;DR
- Manual CPC = You set bids; Google won’t optimize toward placements or outcomes. Good only when you need full keyword-level control and you’re ready to manage bids daily.
- Target Impression Share (TIS) = You tell Google where to show (Anywhere/Top/Absolute Top) and how often (impression share %). Great for brand protection, category awareness, and competitive terms. Use a max CPC cap to avoid runaway spend.
- For most B2B search campaigns competing on high-intent queries, TIS is usually a stronger starting strategy than Manual CPC, especially when your goal is visibility vs immediate CPA.
Why This Debate Still Matters in 2026
B2B search is crowded. If your competitors own the absolute top slot, your CTR, QS, and lead volume suffer—even with great ads. That’s why controlling visibility with Target Impression Share often outperforms Manual CPC, which offers control but no placement smarts.
What Each Strategy Actually Does
Manual CPC
- You set maximum CPCs at campaign/ad group/keyword level.
- Google shows your ads if bids and quality meet auction thresholds.
- No built-in learning about which placements drive outcomes.
- Pros: Full control, predictable max bids, useful for testing.
- Cons: Time-heavy; easy to underbid and lose top visibility or overbid without guardrails.
Target Impression Share (TIS)
- You set a target impression share %and a placement goal:
- Anywhere on results page
- Top of results page
- Absolute top of results page
- Google automatically adjusts bids to hit that goal.
- Add a Max CPC bid limit to prevent overpaying.
- Pros: Control over visibility; great for brand, competitor terms, and new categories.
- Cons: Can chase expensive clicks if you set unrealistic targets or skip CPC caps.
When to Use Each (B2B Scenarios)
Choose Target Impression Share when:
- You must protect your brand against competitor bidding.
- You’re launching a new product/category and need immediate visibility.
- Your market has few high-intent keywords and you MUST appear on top.
- Your CTR is weak because you’re stuck mid-page.
Choose Manual CPC when:
- You’re running tight branded or long-tail campaigns and want fixed bids.
- You need temporary keyword-level control for a structured test (e.g., isolate a cluster and learn true CPCs without automation noise).
- You operate in niche geos where auctions are thin and automation gets jumpy.
Don’t forget other strong options:
- Maximize Clicks: Useful as a short runway to build data (never leave it running too long without conversion goals).
- Maximize Conversions / Target CPA: Prefer these once you’ve got 30–50 recent conversions and clean conversion tracking.
How to Set Up Target Impression Share Safely
- Pick the placement: Start with Top of results (absolute top is pricier; test later).
- Set the target %: Begin at 60–70% for awareness play; 80–90% for brand defense.
- Cap your Max CPC: Add a ceiling based on historic CPCs (e.g., 1.2× your average non-brand CPC).
- Use Auction Insights: Identify which domains you really need to outrank; adjust your target based on their overlap and position rates.
- Protect budgets: Use dayparting and geo filters; tighten match types and negatives to keep spend focused.
- Review weekly: Compare IS (Search top), Absolute top, Overlap rate, Position above rate, and Budget lost (IS).
Example: Competitive B2B Niche
- Market: Industrial SaaS with 8–12 core keywords
- Problem: Manual CPC produced fluctuating positions and low CTR
- Fix: Switched to TIS (Top) with 75% target, Max CPC at $8 (avg CPC $6.50)
- Result: Top IS rose from 34% → 78%, CTR +41%, qualified leads +24%, CPA flat → improved after we layered audience signals and hour/day bid adjustments.
Common Pitfalls (and Fixes)
- Setting 100% IS on Absolute Top from day 1 → Costs explode. Fix: Start with Top at 60–70% + CPC cap.
- No CPC cap on TIS → Unbounded bids. Fix: Always set a max CPC at or slightly above historic CPCs.
- Thin negatives → TIS chases junk terms. Fix: Build a strong negative list; monitor search terms weekly.
- Expecting CPA miracles → TIS is for visibility. Fix: Once you’ve grown CTR and data, test Max Conversions/TCPA.
Migration Playbook (Manual CPC → TIS)
- Export baseline: CPC, CTR, Top IS, Abs. Top IS, Conv. rate, CPA.
- Duplicate campaign (or switch in-place during a calm period).
- Set TIS (Top), Target 70%, Max CPC cap.
- Keep budgets steady 10–14 days; monitor Auction Insights.
- Iterate: raise/lower target by 10% steps based on cost/lead quality.
- Graduate: once you have 30–50 conversions in 30 days, trial Max Conversions or TCPA.
FAQs
Is Manual CPC dead? No, but it’s niche. Use it for controlled tests, brand, or long-tail where automation adds little.
What if my TIS campaign spends but leads don’t improve? Lower the target IS, cap CPCs, tighten keywords and negatives, add audience layering, and A/B test ads.
Can I run TIS on Performance Max? TIS is a Search bidding strategy; PMax uses its own goal-based bidding.
Recommended Next Steps
- Start a 14‑day TIS (Top) test with a CPC cap and weekly Auction Insights review.
- After 30–50 conversions, test Max Conversions/TCPA against TIS.
- Need help choosing targets? Contact me for a quick audit.
Related Reads:
CTA: Want me to review your Auction Insights and set realistic TIS targets? Book a consultation.