How to Change Your Bid Strategy in Google Ads (Without Breaking Your Campaign)

Choosing the right bid strategy in Google Ads can make or break your performance. It’s the difference between spending smart and simply spending. Whether you’re aiming for more conversions, better visibility, or lower cost-per-click, your bid strategy is what controls how your budget works for you.

But what if your current strategy isn’t working? Or what if your goals have changed? The good news is you can switch your bid strategy at any time — as long as you know how to do it safely. In this guide, we’ll show you exactly how to change your bid strategy in Google Ads, when to do it, and what to watch out for.

What Is a Bid Strategy in Google Ads?

Your bid strategy tells Google how to bid in auctions on your behalf. It’s how Google decides how much to pay for each click or impression based on your chosen goals — like conversions, clicks, impression share, or ROAS (return on ad spend).

There are two main types of bidding: manual bidding (where you set your own max CPCs) and automated bidding (where Google adjusts bids based on your goals and signals). Most advertisers today use some form of automated bidding, especially if conversion tracking is set up properly.

Here are a few common bid strategies:

• Maximise Conversions: Google tries to get as many conversions as possible within your budget

• Target CPA: Google aims to get conversions at your target cost per acquisition

• Target ROAS: Google optimises for return on ad spend — great for e-commerce

• Maximise Clicks: Good for driving traffic quickly, but not always the most efficient

• Manual CPC: You control each keyword bid yourself — gives more control but takes more time

Changing your strategy isn’t just about picking a new setting — it’s about matching your bidding method to your campaign goal.

When Should You Change Your Bid Strategy?

Not every campaign needs a bid strategy change. But if performance has flatlined, you're seeing inconsistent results, or your business goals have shifted, it might be time to switch things up.

Here are some common signs you should consider a new bid strategy:

• You’re getting lots of clicks but no conversions: You might be optimising for the wrong outcome

• Your CPA or ROAS is too high: Switching to Target CPA or ROAS can help control costs

• You’re launching a new campaign without conversion data: Maximise Clicks or Manual CPC might be better at the start

• You’ve added conversion tracking: Time to switch from clicks to conversion-focused bidding

• Your campaign has grown: Smart bidding needs data — if you have it, use it

As a rule of thumb, the more data you have (especially conversions), the more effective automated strategies like Target CPA and Target ROAS become.

How to Change Your Bid Strategy (Step-by-Step)

Changing your bid strategy in Google Ads is easy — but doing it at the wrong time or without the right setup can hurt performance. Always check your campaign data and conversion tracking before making changes.

To change your bid strategy in an existing campaign:

1. Log in to your Google Ads account

2. Click Campaigns from the left-hand menu

3. Select the campaign you want to edit

4. Click Settings

5. Under Bidding, click Change bid strategy

6. Choose your new bidding strategy from the dropdown

7. Adjust any optional fields (like Target CPA or ROAS)

8. Click Save

You can change this at any time, but remember — Google’s smart bidding strategies need time to learn. Expect a short adjustment period while the algorithm calibrates.

If you're switching to a smart bidding strategy (like Target CPA or Maximise Conversions), make sure:

• You have conversion tracking set up and working

• Your campaign has enough conversion data (ideally 15+ conversions in the last 30 days)

• You’re patient during the learning phase (performance may fluctuate for a few days)

Understanding the Learning Phase

After changing bid strategies — especially to a smart bidding one — your campaign will enter a "learning phase." This is when Google’s algorithm starts collecting data and testing bidding patterns to optimise toward your goal.

This phase typically lasts around 7 days (or 2 weeks for low-traffic campaigns). During this time, don’t panic if results dip slightly. It’s completely normal.

Tips for managing the learning phase:

• Avoid making other major changes (budget, ads, landing page) at the same time

• Give it time — don’t judge performance too quickly

• Monitor performance, but don’t react to every small change

Once the learning period ends, Google will optimise bids more effectively — that’s when you’ll start seeing the true impact of the new strategy.

Final Tips for a Smooth Switch

Changing bid strategies can feel risky, especially if your campaign has been performing okay. But with the right preparation, it can unlock better efficiency, more conversions, and improved ROI.

Here’s a quick checklist before switching:

• Is your goal clear (clicks, conversions, ROAS)?

• Do you have working conversion tracking?

• Have you reviewed the last 30 days of data?

• Are you prepared for a short learning period?

And most importantly — don’t forget to check performance after the change. Compare metrics like CPA, conversion rate, CTR, and cost-per-click to see if the new strategy is helping or hurting.