Google Ads is among the most used advertising platforms worldwide by digital marketers.
It offers both manual and automated bidding options, each with advantages depending on your strategy in Google Ads. However, for many, automated bidding is a better choice since it relies on machine learning to optimise bids, helping save time, effort and resources.
There are several types of automated bidding strategies that you can use for different bidding purposes, such as Target CPA Bidding, Target ROAS Bidding, Maximise Conversions, which focuses heavily on conversion volume Bidding, etc. Among these, Maximise Conversions Bidding is an extremely popular strategy used by all types of businesses.
This guide thoroughly examines this bidding strategy and explains how to use it to achieve your business goals within two weeks.
Understanding The Maximise Conversions Bid Strategy
As the name indicates, the Google Ads Maximise Conversions bid strategy allows you to get the maximum conversions depending on the daily budget.
At the same time, it ensures the daily budget is spent as efficiently as possible to maximise the number of conversions. And since it is a fully automated bidding strategy, there is no need to set an individual keyword bid.
Under this strategy, Google selects a Cost-Per-Click (CPC) bid depending on the strategy’s goal. Furthermore, starting in 2021, this strategy will allow you to set a target cost per cost-per-conversion (CPC).
Since Google’s algorithms handle all the bid adjustments in this Google Ads bidding strategy, bids are continuously optimised based on real time contextual signals, which helps advertisers save time.
The conversions are maximised by identifying the most rewarding opportunities within the specified budget. Another advantage of the Maximise Conversions bidding strategy is that it dynamically responds to changing marketing conditions, ensuring the bids are adjusted to maximise different conversion opportunities.
Finally, this bid strategy allows you to focus exclusively on conversions, which makes it ideal for those with limited years of experience or advertisers who have just started using Google Ads, even if it initially results in fewer conversions.
Maximise Conversions Vs. Other Bidding Strategies
Maximise Conversions is a fully automated bidding strategy to get the most conversions, so you do not need to set bids manually for specific keywords.
It also differs from Target CPA and ROAS bidding strategies, which optimise for a specific cost per acquisition or return on ad spend. In contrast, this bidding strategy aims to achieve the maximum conversions irrespective of the individual cost per conversion.
It is most effective when the primary objective of a business is to increase its conversions through sign-ups, leads or sales. In addition, it can be utilised when you do not require a hands-on approach in bid adjustments.
The Max Conversions strategy can be used in industries with fluctuating demand as it easily adapts to rapidly changing market conditions.
Setting Up The Maximise Conversions Bid Strategy
1. Accessing The Campaign Settings
First, log in to your Google Ads account and navigate to the new campaign for which the Maximise Conversions bidding strategy must be used. Then, click on the Settings button on the menu’s left side.
2. Selecting The Maximise Conversions Bid Strategy
In the campaign settings, scroll down to the Bidding section and click the Change Bid Strategy button. Then, click on the Select A Bid Strategy Directly option. Once you reach the Select Bid Strategy window, click the Maximise Conversions option and continue.
3. Setting Conversion Actions
A window will appear showing all the conversion actions for optimising the campaign. You can select the suitable ones by ticking the check boxes next to them. To find specific actions, use the search bar and click on Done when finished.
When selecting conversion actions, ensure they align with the campaign goals, have value and are trackable to achieve an optimal bid. Consider actions that can lead to high-quality leads and continue adjusting to meet your target CPA cost per action over time.
4. Setting The Budget
You must set the daily budget to determine the amount spent each day on the campaign. Different bidding strategies can be compared by entering the appropriate value in the provided box and set a bid limit if needed. This will limit how much Google can increase the bids.
5. Adjusting The Target Settings
The target settings can be adjusted from the Additional Settings menu. The Target Spend option can set the daily average ad spend to get the most conversion value, while the Bid Automation option helps control how aggressively Google adjusts the bids.
6. Saving The Changes
Once you’ve reviewed all selections and adjustments, click the Save button to apply the Maximise Conversions strategy to the campaign.
Maximising Conversion Rates: Tips And Best Practises
1. Proper Keyword Selection
Like other bid strategies, proper keyword selection is important in Maximise Conversions. You should select keywords that align closely with your products or services to attract the target audience as much as possible within your budget.
Negative keywords should also be regularly reviewed and updated to improve ad targeting.
2. Ad Copy Optimisation
Creating attention-grabbing headlines is one of the most effective ways of optimising your ad copy when using automated bid strategies like Maximise Conversions to achieve maximum conversion.
The headlines should highlight the unique value propositions of the products or services. Additionally, create relevant ad descriptions for an enhanced CPC environment and a clear Call-To-Action (CTA).
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3. Use Ad Extensions
Use relevant ad extensions, such as site link extensions, so users can easily access specific website pages, optimising your advertising budget.
Structured snippets can help showcase various offerings by adjusting bids to help optimise ad performance. At the same time, callout extensions can highlight features and advantages to capture the audience’s attention.
4. Improve The Landing Page Experience
The landing page should match the user’s intent and deliver what the ad promises. It should also have a clear CTA to guide users towards the desired actions. Additionally, landing pages should be mobile-friendly, and the page load speed should be optimised for the best experience.
5. Conversion Tracking And Measurement
Regularly review your conversion tracking to ensure data accuracy, and when doing so, consider tracking multiple actions. These can be purchases, sign-ups, or other actions which can provide information about different engagement levels.
Monitoring And Adjusting The Maximise Conversions Bid Strategy
1. Leveraging Other Automated Bid Strategies
While focusing on the Maximise Conversions bidding strategy, you can leverage automated bidding strategies such as using Maximise Conversion Value like the Target CPA strategy to utilise conversion data for bid optimisation, employing the Maximise Conversion Value strategy.
This allows for adjusting bids based on historical data to optimise the desired CPA and maximise the conversion value.
2. Assessing Smart Bidding Techniques
Evaluate your smart bidding techniques by comparing campaign results with the target CPA. Doing so can help you understand how effectively your automated bid strategy aligns with the campaign goals and whether adjustments are needed.
3. Fine-Tuning The Bid Strategy
Adjust the target CPA and budget allocation according to performance trends to refine your bid strategy. Conversion data can identify high-converting keywords and placements so that you can allocate more budget to those areas with optimal ad spend ROAS during the auction time and get as many conversions as possible.
4. Analysing The Campaign Performance
Continuously analyse the performance of your smart bidding Google Ads campaign. Focus on cost-effective conversions and the maximisation of conversion value. Regularly review conversion data to identify areas of improvement and refine your automated bidding strategies for better results.
5. Optimising Bid Adjustments
To optimise Google Ads bidding strategies, you need to observe trends in your conversions and match them with Google Ads campaigns.
Adjustments should be made to get as many conversions as possible while efficiently utilising the ad spend.
Maximise Conversions Vs. Target CPA: Choosing The Right Bid Strategy
While the Maximise Conversions strategy focuses on getting the most conversions within a set budget, irrespective of the CPC, the Target CPA strategy aims to achieve a specific CPA. The former is best suited for Google Ads campaigns with no stringent cost constraints and aims to get as many conversions as possible.
In contrast, the Target CPA bidding strategy is ideal for maintaining a consistent cost for each conversion. This strategy benefits businesses by prioritising ROI and cost efficiency and offers greater control over individual adjustments than Maximise Conversions, which provides more conversions.
Ad spend is also greater with the Maximise Conversions strategy since the Target CPA strategy controls ad spending more rigorously. While both are smart bidding strategies, the Maximise Conversions strategy is ideal when there is no concern regarding varying conversion costs and your main goal is to generate maximum conversions.
On the other hand, the Target CPA bidding strategy is a better choice when maintaining a consistent CPA is vital when running Google Ads campaigns.
FAQs
1. What is the difference between the Maximise Conversions and Maximise Conversion Value Google Ads bidding strategies?
Maximise Conversions strategy and Maximise Conversion Value bid strategy are two bidding strategies that focus on different objectives.
The former aims for the most conversions within a specific budget, while the latter focuses on higher conversion values. Thus, instead of quantity, the Maximise Conversion Value bidding strategy aims to get as much conversion value as possible.
2. Can you control individual keyword bids When using Maximise Conversions bidding in Google Ads?
Unlike manual CPC, Maximise Conversions bid strategy automates adjustments, so it is impossible to manually control specific keyword bids as with a manual bidding strategy. Bids are optimised collectively for max conversions.
3. What happens if the campaign does not have enough conversion data for Maximise Conversions?
The lack of minimum conversion data can prevent the Maximise Conversion bidding strategy from delivering optimal results. In such cases, Google’s algorithm will take time to learn and adjust bids as required. Once sufficient data is acquired, the campaign’s performance can improve.
4. Can you switch from another bidding strategy to Maximise Conversions as a new bid strategy?
If it aligns with the campaign goals, shifting to the Maximise Conversions strategy from any other bidding strategy is possible. However, the impact of such a switch must be analysed to determine its effectiveness.
5. What happens if your daily budget is allocated to a single ad group specifically focused on generating as many conversions using Maximise Conversions?
If the daily allotted budget is allocated to one ad group, the Maximise Conversions strategy will optimise bids within that group to maximise conversions while adhering to the set budget.
Optimise Your Conversion Rate with Google Ads Bid Strategy
In digital marketing, Maximise Conversions is a great strategy for businesses wanting to achieve their conversion goals quickly and efficiently. Depending on the budget, it focuses on getting maximum conversions when running different Google ads. With its dynamic bidding, it can quickly adapt to changes to provide a higher return on ad spend.
The only thing to remember is that since it is an automated bidding strategy, adjusting each aspect of the campaign is impossible if it does not meet the minimum of 30 conversions in most cases. So, it is most suitable for ad campaigns where you want to avoid precise control and prefer to rely on Google’s machine learning algorithms to deliver results.
Brodey Sheppard
Brodey is the CEO of sitecentre®, leading his distinguished Australian digital marketing agency using data analytics and Artificial Intelligence in SEO and Paid Advertising. His adept use of machine learning and AI has gained industry-wide recognition, Brodey has received several industry awards for SEO, Web Design and business, including the Young Small Business Champion Entrepreneur 2023 award. With 15 years under his belt, Brodey is amongst Australia’s most influential digital marketers.
Find them on their website: sitecentre®.
