Conversion goals provide a way to categorise your conversion actions and control campaign optimisation. To improve performance and better align Google AI to your business objectives, you may occasionally want to make changes to conversion goals used for Smart Bidding.
Some of these changes include:
- Change to a new conversion goal: Adding or removing a conversion goal from your campaign settings.
- For example, switch from upper funnel event (add to basket) to lower funnel event (purchases).
- Modify the composition of your goal while maintaining the existing conversion goal settings, whether account level default or campaign level.
- Adding or removing conversion actions from a conversion goal
- Updating the action optimisation setting of a conversion action (primary or secondary)
Smart Bidding will take some time to learn after any changes made to conversion goals or actions. The best practices below will allow you to better understand the implications of these changes on Smart Bidding, and help you mitigate performance disruption following these changes. There are different approaches to take based on the kind of change you want to implement and where your account currently stands in the process.
This is only in scope for Search and Shopping. The workflows below reference conversion goals but are applicable to any combination of changes described above.
Move from target CPA to target ROAS while conversion goal remains the same
Change your bid strategy while your campaign's conversion goal and primary conversion action remains the same.
Bidding scenario
You’re currently using Maximise Conversions or target cost per action (CPA) and want to do the following:
- Switch to Maximise conversion value or target return on ad spend (ROAS) bid strategy
- Continue to target the same conversion goal for your campaign
- Keep the primary conversion action without changing it
For example, you’re using target CPA to bid for online sign-ups. You now want to track values with those sign-ups and use target ROAS to optimise bids.
Learn more about how to Move from target CPA to target ROAS while the conversion goal remains the same.
Move from target CPA to target ROAS and change conversion goal (account-level optimisation)
Optimise your whole account to either a new conversion goal or change a conversion goal by adding a new primary conversion action.
Bidding scenario
You’re currently using target CPA and want to do the following:
- Switch to a target ROAS bid strategy
- Maintain existing account level goal settings but change conversion goal composition
- Optimise to a new primary conversion action
For example, you’re currently using target CPA to bid to your submit lead form goal to track the online form fills. You now want to track online subscriptions using paid subscription goal on target ROAS to optimise bids.
Learn more about how to Move from target CPA to target ROAS and change conversion goal (account-level optimisation).
Move from target CPA to target ROAS and change conversion goal (campaign-level optimisation)
Optimise specific campaigns to a new conversion goal or for an existing conversion goal, add a new primary conversion action slowly across campaigns.
Account level switch is best practice as it is a simplified workflow, but if you're interested in transitioning campaigns gradually, you can follow the campaign-level workflow.
Bidding scenario
You’re currently using target CPA and want to do the following:
- Switch to a target ROAS bid strategy
- Maintain existing campaign level goal settings but change conversion goal composition by
- Optimising to a new primary action in the existing conversion goal
- Implement the change slowly, using campaign-level goals
For example, you’re currently using target CPA to bid to submit lead form goal to track online form fills. You now want to track online subscriptions with values using paid subscription goal, on target ROAS using a campaign level switch.
Learn more about how to Move from target CPA to target ROAS and change conversion goal (campaign level).
Stay on target ROAS and change conversion goal (account level optimisation)
Bid your campaigns to a new account level conversion goal or change an existing account level conversion goal by using a new conversion action with value with similar conversation rate or volume.
Bidding scenario
You’re currently using target ROAS and want to do the following:
- Keep using target ROAS
- Maintain existing goal settings but change conversion goal composition by
- Optimising to a new primary action with similar conversion rate and volume
- Implement account level changes
For example, you’re currently using target ROAS to bid to fill with values using lead form conversion goal. You now want to track and bid to paid subscription goals using online subscriptions with values, but conversion rate and volume are very similar.
Learn more about how to Stay on target ROAS with conversion goal change (account level optimisation).
Stay on target ROAS and change conversion goal (campaign-level optimisation)
Bid specific campaigns to a new conversion goal, or modify an existing conversion goal using a new conversion action with value with different conversion rate or volume.
Account level switch is best practice as it is a simplified workflow, but if you're interested in transitioning campaigns gradually, you can follow the campaign-level workflow.
Bidding scenario
You’re currently using target ROAS and want to do the following:
- Keep using target ROAS
- Maintain existing campaign level goal settings but change conversion goal composition by
- Optimising to a new primary action with different conversion rate and volume
- Implement campaign-level changes
For example, you’re currently using target ROAS to bid to form fills with values using lead form conversion goal. You now want to track and bid to paid subscription goals using online subscriptions with values at the campaign level, but expect a change in conversion rate and volume.
Learn more about how to Stay on target ROAS with conversion goal change (campaign level).
Choosing the right bid strategy
To determine the right bid strategy for you, you must first understand when to use Maximum conversion or Maximum conversion value with or without a target. After which, you’ll be able to assess whether or not you should switch to target ROAS or Maximum conversion value.
When to use Maximum conversion or Maximum conversion value without a target
- You’re comfortable with the bid strategy having full control during the bidding transition.
- You don’t have to make large-scale budget adjustments within the next 4–6 weeks.
- You’re willing to let the bidder find the maximum level of conversion or conversion value.
When to use Maximum conversion or Maximum conversion value with a target (target CPA or target ROAS)
- You would prefer to closely monitor and adjust targets during the bidding transition.
- You’ll have to make large-scale budget adjustments within the next 4–6 weeks.
- You’re held to a strict CPA/ROAS target.
