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Performance marketingApril 20, 2026 5 min read

Smart Bidding: how to choose the right strategy

An overview of automated bidding strategies and when each one makes sense.

What Smart Bidding is

Smart Bidding is a set of automated bidding strategies in Google Ads that use machine learning to optimise for conversions or their value.

The main ones are Maximise Conversions, Target Cost Per Acquisition (tCPA) and Target Return On Ad Spend (tROAS).

When to choose which

tCPA makes sense when you need to hold your cost per conversion. tROAS when you're focused on value and margin. Maximise Conversions to get going, until you have enough data.

The key is solid conversion tracking and enough data. Without it, the algorithm is flying blind.

How to go beyond Smart Bidding

Smart Bidding optimises brilliantly within the platform. We build on it with our own layer that targets incremental profit across every channel, moving from account management to real growth.

Want the same for your business?

Book a free, no-obligation consultation and we'll talk through your specific case.

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