Target and Max CPA/ROAS bidding are the most common automated bid solutions used by Google Ads accounts.
There are some subtle differences between how these two systems work that can cause dramatically different results.
In our last SMX Session, one of the sections we covered was target vs CPA bidding. Here’s a 17 minute, highly detailed video, on the differences between the bid methods that examines which you should use based upon your budget, targets, and goals.
Errata & Clarifications:
We hope you enjoy the video and learn some valuable tips on choosing and managing your bid methods.
Irit
Hi
Thank you for this great video.
If you have enough budget, would you combine two campaigns?
1. Max – with a lower budget
2. Target – with a higher budget?
Thanks
Irit
Andrew
Thanks Brad,
If you are setting up a new search campaign and would like to ultimately use Target CPA or Target ROAS would you first set the bidding setting to “Conversions” without a target CPA?
I read somewhere a few months back that this is recommended until such time as the campaign is achieving 30 conversions per month – and thereafter switching to Target CPA or Target ROAS as the campaign should already have a reasonable amount of data from which to start refining bids towards the Target cost or return.
Thank you
Last time I looked at this the setting in Google was actually called Maximize conversions – now the equivalent seems to simply be “what do you want to focus on? – Conversions – set a target cost per action (optional)
David
Hi Brad, thank you so much for the very detailed video.
I have a campaign that is on target CPA (ex. $30/lead) yet has a lost share impression rank of > 90%.
I have around 15 conversions per month, so it’s right on the threshold of having enough conversion data.
Should I rise the target CPA in order to recuperate on the lost impressions, or remove the target CPA (and switching to max conversions) and then try to accumulate as much impressions while monitoring the impact on the CPA ?
Thank you so much.
Ben
Hi Brad,
Thank you for the great video.
Regarding bidding, would you suggest to follow Google Ads recommendations regarding having a budget that is in average 10X your bid for TCPA?
Thank you!
Ben