Best Google Ads Bidding Strategies for 2025: Smart Bidding vs Manual, Maximise Conversions & More
Jan 14, 2025Choosing the best Google Ads bidding strategy in 2025 can make or break your campaign performance. Whether you’re considering Maximise Conversions, Maximise Conversion Value, or want to know if smart bidding or manual bidding is better, it all comes down to timing and data. If you switch strategies too soon, you risk higher costs and lower returns.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through how Google Ads bidding works today, when to use each strategy, and how to avoid the most common - and expensive - mistakes advertisers make.
Key Takeaways
- Smart bidding strategies like Maximise Conversions and Maximise Conversion Value work best when your account has consistent historical data.
- Avoid launching automated bidding too early—wait until you’ve reached at least 30 conversions per month for reliable results.
- Use manual bidding when you need full control or are starting new campaigns without enough data.
- Choose Maximise Conversions for volume-driven lead gen, and Maximise Conversion Value for revenue-focused ecommerce campaigns.
- Don’t set unrealistic Target CPA or Target ROAS goals—base them on actual performance, not ideal outcomes.
- Allow 4 weeks after making bidding changes to let Google’s algorithm stabilise and learn.
- Always separate budget increases from bidding adjustments to avoid campaign instability.
What Are Google Ads Smart Bidding Strategies?
Google’s Maximized Conversions and Maximized Conversion Value are automated bidding strategies that use machine learning to optimize your campaigns. Their goal is to drive more conversions or higher revenue by adjusting bids in real time based on data from your account.
While these strategies sound like a perfect solution, their success depends heavily on the data available in your account. Without sufficient data, smart bidding can lead to:
- Higher CPCs (Cost Per Clicks)
- Lower volume, meaning fewer conversions
- Decreased ROI, which can negatively impact your bottom line
Smart Bidding vs Manual Bidding in 2025
If you're deciding between smart bidding and manual bidding in 2025, the right choice depends on your campaign maturity, goals, and available data.
Manual bidding gives you complete control over your CPCs. It's useful when you're starting out, running smaller campaigns, or testing new markets where conversion data is limited. You can adjust bids at the keyword level and manually allocate budget based on what’s working.
Smart bidding, on the other hand, uses machine learning to automatically adjust bids based on the likelihood of conversion or revenue. This includes strategies like Maximise Conversions and Maximise Conversion Value, which rely on your account's historical data to make bidding decisions in real time.
|
Bidding Type |
Best For |
Pros |
Cons |
|
Manual Bidding |
New accounts, controlled testing |
Full control, transparency |
Time-consuming, less scalable |
|
Smart Bidding |
Mature campaigns with 30+ conversions/month |
Automated optimisation, scale-friendly |
Needs sufficient data, limited manual control |
If your account has consistent conversion data and your goal is to scale, smart bidding is often the better long-term strategy. But if you’re still building a foundation or want precise control, manual bidding still has a place in your 2025 strategy.
Why Timing Is Crucial for Smart Bidding Success
One of the most common mistakes advertisers make is implementing smart bidding too early. Many are pressured into switching by Google’s persistent recommendations or direct calls from reps urging them to "maximize conversions."
However, introducing Max Conversions or Max Conversion Value too soon can result in the exact opposite of what you want: higher costs and fewer results.
For these strategies to succeed, your account needs to have sufficient historical data. This allows Google’s algorithms to make informed decisions about where and how to allocate your ad spend. Without this data, the system struggles to optimize effectively, leading to poor performance.
Maximise Conversions vs Maximise Conversion Value
Google Ads offers two main automated bidding strategies that sound similar but are designed for different goals: Maximise Conversions and Maximise Conversion Value.
Maximise Conversions is ideal if your objective is to generate as many leads or purchases as possible within a set budget. This strategy doesn’t consider the value of each conversion—just the volume.
Maximise Conversion Value takes it one step further. Instead of focusing on the number of conversions, it prioritises conversions that are worth more to your business. It’s especially useful for ecommerce brands or service businesses with tiered offerings.
When to use each:
- Maximise Conversions: Great for lead generation campaigns where every lead has roughly the same value.
- Maximise Conversion Value: Ideal for ecommerce stores with product-level revenue tracking or businesses selling services with variable pricing.
Before using either strategy, make sure you have:
- Conversion tracking properly set up
- Enough data (typically 30+ conversions/month)
- Clear goals (volume vs value)
How to Choose the Right Bidding Strategy in 2025
With so many options available, choosing the right bidding strategy in 2025 comes down to your goals, budget, and how much historical data your campaigns have.
Here’s how to break it down:
- Brand new campaigns
→ Start with manual bidding or Maximise Clicks until you build up enough conversion data. - Lead generation campaigns
→ Use Maximise Conversions once you’ve hit 30+ conversions/month. - Ecommerce campaigns
→ Use Maximise Conversion Value if you’re tracking revenue or product-level conversion values. - Well-performing campaigns ready to scale
→ Consider Target CPA or Target ROAS, but only once you have stable historical performance and realistic benchmarks.
Quick Tip:
Don't rush into automated bidding. Let your campaigns gather data first. Then, layer in smart bidding with realistic expectations and time for optimisation.
Choosing the right bidding strategy isn't a one-time decision - it’s something you’ll need to revisit regularly as your campaign goals and performance evolve.
The 5 Golden Rules for Google Ads Bidding Strategies in 2025
FAQ
What is the best Google Ads bidding strategy in 2025?
There is no one-size-fits-all answer. For lead generation, Maximise Conversions may be best. For ecommerce, Maximise Conversion Value is often more effective. The right strategy depends on your goals, data, and campaign maturity.
When should I switch to smart bidding?
Switch only after your account consistently generates at least 30 conversions per month. This gives Google’s machine learning enough data to make accurate bidding decisions.
Should I use Target CPA or Maximise Conversions?
Use Maximise Conversions when starting out or if your conversion volume is still building. Once your campaign is stable and has sufficient data, you can consider switching to Target CPA to better control costs.
How long should I wait after making a bidding change?
You should allow at least 4 weeks for the algorithm to stabilise. Avoid making further changes during this period to prevent disrupting the learning phase.
Can I scale my budget and switch bidding strategies at the same time?
It’s not recommended. Scaling budget and adjusting bidding strategy simultaneously can create instability. Focus on one change at a time to keep campaign performance consistent.
What’s the difference between Maximise Conversions and Maximise Conversion Value?
Maximise Conversions aims to get the highest number of conversions, while Maximise Conversion Value focuses on the total revenue or value generated. Use the latter if not all conversions are equal in value.