So you finally did it.
Google Ads kept nudging you:
“Your campaign has enough data — switch to Maximize Conversions.”
You switched… and boom:
✅ Calls started coming in (nice!)
❌ But spend started going crazy (not nice!)
In your case (home health care business), budget was $12.5/day, but Google started spending close to $25/day for a few days. And worst part? You saw bids like $11 per click.
If this is happening to you, don’t panic. Let’s break it down and fix it properly.
Why Google Ads Spends More After You Switch Bidding
When you change from Maximize Clicks → Maximize Conversions, Google enters a learning phase.
During learning:
- Google tests different auctions
- It experiments with new bid levels
- It tries to find users most likely to convert
That’s why you may see:
- Higher CPCs temporarily
- Higher daily spend temporarily
- Weird fluctuations for the first few days
✅ My rule: Give it 7 days if conversions are coming in.
If you’re getting calls consistently, you’re already moving in the right direction.
“Why is Google Spending 2X My Daily Budget?”
This scares everyone the first time.
Google can spend more than your daily budget on certain days if it believes traffic is valuable. The system is designed to average out the spend across time.
But here’s the reality for small budgets:
If you’re on $10–$20/day, even a few aggressive days can feel painful.
So yes — it can “average out”, but you still want control.
That’s where the real fix comes in…
Fix #1: Turn OFF Search Partners (Budget Killer for Small Accounts)
One of the first things I noticed in your situation:
✅ Search Partners was ON
For small budgets, this often causes:
- Spend leakage
- Lower intent traffic
- Less control over placements
- Mixed lead quality
What to do:
Go to campaign settings and uncheck:
- Include Google search partners
Run only on:
✅ Google Search Network (clean and high intent)
This one change alone can stabilize spend a lot.
Fix #2 (Most Important): Stop Trying to “Limit CPC” — Set a Target CPA Instead
You asked:
“How can I limit the amount being spent per click/call?”
If you’re on Maximize Conversions, Google isn’t focused on CPC.
It’s focused on getting conversions — even if it must bid high sometimes.
So instead of fighting CPC, you control the Cost per Action.
✅ The Correct Setting: Target CPA (tCPA)
Path:
Campaign → Settings → Bidding → Maximize Conversions →
✅ Enable Target CPA
Example:
If $11/click feels too high and you want to stay profitable:
Set tCPA to something you can afford, for example:
- $6
- $8
- $10
(depending on your service value and closing rate)
This tells Google:
“Get me conversions, but don’t go crazy. Try to keep cost per conversion around this number.”
That’s exactly what you need when you’re starting on a tight budget.
Fix #3: Give the Strategy Change Time (But Watch These Metrics)
Because you switched bidding strategies, your campaign needs time.
✅ Give it about one week unless spend is completely out of control.
During this week, monitor:
- Conversions (calls) per day
- Cost / conv
- Search terms (to see irrelevant traffic)
- Auction insights (optional)
If calls are consistent, you’re winning — you just need to control the cost.
Fix #4: Your Conversion / Call Tracking Might Be Incorrect (And That’s Dangerous)
This part is huge, and most people ignore it.
If Google thinks:
- One call equals one conversion (even low-quality calls)
- Calls are being recorded incorrectly
- Conversions are missing or duplicated
Then Smart Bidding will learn the wrong signals and bid aggressively in the wrong places.
Quick checklist:
- Are you counting unique qualified calls or every dial attempt?
- Is call conversion set to a reasonable minimum duration? (example: 30–60 seconds)
- Are you counting repeat callers multiple times?
✅ Clean tracking = stable bidding.
Quick Step-by-Step: How to Set Target CPA (tCPA)
- Open Google Ads
- Go to your Search campaign
- Click Settings
- Open Bidding
- Click Change bid strategy (or edit)
- Select Maximize Conversions
- ✅ Turn ON Target CPA
- Enter your number (example: $6)
- Save
Now Google has a clear ceiling mindset for how aggressive it should be.
Common Mistakes That Cause High Spend on Max Conversions
Here are the usual suspects:
- Search Partners ON (big one)
- Broad match keywords with no negatives
- Wrong location settings (targeting “presence or interest”)
- Weak ad quality / landing page (Google charges more to win auctions)
- Bad conversion tracking (teaching the algorithm wrong)
Fix these, and your costs usually normalize fast.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1) Should I switch back to Maximize Clicks?
If you’re getting consistent calls on Maximize Conversions, I wouldn’t go back immediately.
Instead, control it with Target CPA.
Q2) What if my tCPA is set too low?
Then Google may reduce traffic and stop showing ads aggressively.
If volume drops too much, raise tCPA slightly.
Q3) How long should I wait after changes?
For bidding strategy changes:
✅ 5–7 days is a fair window (unless spend is extreme).
Conclusion
If you switched from Maximize Clicks to Maximize Conversions and Google is overspending, here’s the simple plan:
✅ Turn OFF Search Partners
✅ Give it 7 days after switching bidding
✅ Set Target CPA (tCPA) to control cost per call/lead
✅ Fix your conversion/call tracking so bidding learns correctly
That’s how you keep the calls coming… without killing your budget.
Need Help? Hire Ali & Team (Google Ads Partner Company – UAE)
If you want a professional to:
- Fix tracking
- Optimize bidding
- Reduce wasted spend
- Increase calls/leads
We’re a full-fledged Google Ads Partner company based in UAE.
Hire me & my team through: aarswebs.com
Good luck — and scale smart 🚀