Best practices
Search campaigns using Target ROAS will have the option to enable Smart Bidding Exploration in campaign settings or portfolio bid strategy settings. Consider the following:- Targeting: It's recommended to leverage Target ROAS bidding with broad targeting (this could be non-brand broad match keywords, DSA, or AI Max) to scale performance further by exploring new segments of performance opportunity.
- Lower ROAS: Be prepared for a reduction in ROAS performance during the exploration.
Note: You'll be able to indicate your tolerance for lowered ROAS performance using a custom slider. When Smart Bidding Exploration is enabled, you’ll find your updated "effective" ROAS target in the bid strategy report in Google Ads.
- Unconstrained Budgets: Smart Bidding Exploration will not be effective if campaigns are limited by budget. If a campaign is limited by budget when Smart Bidding Exploration is enabled, an alert will appear.
- Target changes: Enable Smart Bidding Exploration with your existing ROAS targets. It’s not suggested to increase ROAS target to offset Exploration, because this will limit the ability to drive increased traffic diversity.
- Other campaign changes: As with Smart Bidding more generally, making noteworthy changes, or changes to measurement setup, targeting, creatives may lead to performance fluctuations. If you make these kinds of changes while using Smart Bidding Exploration, be sure to give the system time to adjust (approximately 2-3 conversion cycles) before assessing performance again.
- Avoid using CPC bid limits: For exploration, bid limits aren't preferred as they restrict the ability to go after different search terms. Give the system time to recalibrate post removal of bid limits (over 2 conversion cycles or 2 weeks) and then opt into Smart Bidding Exploration.
- Use a campaign experiment to isolate results from other factors like seasonality.
- Avoid testing Smart Bidding Exploration in brand new campaigns, instead test in a well-established campaign for optimal performance. If you do test in a new campaign, wait for the initial ramp-up period, which could be 2-3 conversion cycles or 7 days, before evaluating performance.
Experiment best practices
Running an experiment is recommended in order to isolate the test from other factors like changes in seasonal demand. Turn on Experiment sync. Keep all variables between the trial and control arm constant. Enabling Smart Bidding Exploration within campaign or portfolio bid strategy settings should be the only variable that is different between the base and trial arms. Don’t attempt to test other variables simultaneously. Keep the following in mind:- Ramp up time: Prior to enabling Smart Bidding Exploration in the trial arm, wait 2-3 conversion cycles or 7 days (whichever comes first) to ensure that base and trial arms have comparable spend and performance. Exclude that time period from performance evaluation.
- Duration: Next, enable Exploration in the trial phase and test for 6+ weeks, noting that it might take 1-2 additional weeks for Exploration to fully ramp.
- Avoid major changes: After you opt in, don’t adjust the Target ROAS.
- Focus on key metrics: Enable Bidding Exploration in the trial arm.
Note: To compare Traffic Diversity metrics, compare the respective Bid Strategy reports for the control and trial arm.
- Avoid new campaigns: It isn’t recommended to test Smart Bidding Exploration in a new campaign. For optimal performance, test in a well-established campaign.
