Google adds Promotion Mode, expands Smart Bidding Exploration
▼ Summary
– Smart Bidding Exploration now lets advertisers set a ROAS tolerance to pursue additional conversions from new search queries, leading to an average 18% increase in unique converting search query categories and a 19% increase in conversions.
– Google is expanding Smart Bidding Exploration to Performance Max campaigns without product feeds and opening a beta for Shopping ads.
– Promotion Mode allows advertisers to temporarily adjust ROAS targets and allocate extra daily budget during high-demand periods like seasonal events and product launches.
– Beginning Aug. 17, Google will update bidding target optimization for budget-limited campaigns to deliver more consistent performance aligned with CPA and ROAS targets.
– Starting July 6, advertisers will receive notifications in Google Ads if campaign adjustments may be needed.
Google is rolling out a series of bidding and budget updates, headlined by a new Promotion Mode beta and an expanded rollout of Smart Bidding Exploration. The changes are designed to give advertisers more flexibility during peak seasons and to help AI-driven campaigns uncover new conversion opportunities.
At the core of the update is an expansion of Smart Bidding Exploration, which now allows advertisers to set a return on ad spend (ROAS) tolerance. This feature enables campaigns to pursue additional conversion opportunities from search queries they may not currently be capturing. According to Google, campaigns using this feature see an average 18% increase in unique converting search query categories and a 19% increase in conversions.
The company is extending this capability to Performance Max campaigns without product feeds and opening a beta for Shopping ads across both Performance Max and Standard Shopping campaigns.
For advertisers managing seasonal surges, the new Promotion Mode offers a way to temporarily adjust ROAS targets and allocate additional daily budget during high-demand periods such as seasonal events, product launches, and flash sales. This allows for more aggressive bidding without requiring a full campaign restructuring.
Additionally, Google is updating bidding target optimization for budget-constrained campaigns. Starting August 17, the system will adjust how it manages bids for campaigns limited by budget, aiming to deliver more consistent performance that better aligns with advertisers’ CPA and ROAS targets. Beginning July 6, advertisers will start receiving notifications in Google Ads if campaign adjustments may be needed.
These updates give Google’s AI bidding systems more freedom to find incremental conversions beyond existing keyword and audience patterns, potentially unlocking new demand that campaigns might otherwise miss. The Promotion Mode is particularly relevant for retailers and seasonal advertisers, as it allows temporary adjustments to ROAS targets and budgets during peak demand periods without requiring major campaign restructuring. Meanwhile, the bidding optimization changes aim to make performance more predictable for campaigns that are constrained by budget.
The bottom line: Google’s latest bidding updates are designed to help advertisers find new conversion opportunities, respond more aggressively during peak demand periods, and maintain steadier performance as campaigns scale.
(Source: Search Engine Land)
