It’s no secret that Google is pushing advertisers towards greater and greater automation.
From the sunsetting of expanded text ads, to the simplification of keywords, to the launch of Performance Max campaigns, Google has been at the forefront of the march towards greater automation in digital marketing.
So it didn’t come as a complete surprise when we recently set up a campaign and were greeted with the below:
No matter which option we chose for “What do you want to focus on”, Google would only allow us to choose between their automated bidding strategies.
It turns out manual bidding is no longer an option for new campaigns in this account.
At least … it’s not an option when first setting campaigns up.
Once a campaign has been created, we can still (thankfully) switch it to manual by going into the campaign settings.
A sign of things to come
Google must be testing how users respond when the option of manual bidding is removed.
Less experienced advertisers in particular might not realise they can switch a campaign to manual after it’s been created.
Let’s be under no illusions here — Google is laying the groundwork for removing manual bidding entirely.
So whilst nothing has been announced yet, it’s almost certainly on the horizon.
What this means for advertisers like you
We’re big fans of manual bidding, so we’d be sad to see it go.
For small and medium-sized businesses in particular — who might not have the large budgets required to get the most out of smart bidding — manual bidding allows advertisers to ensure they’re paying the right price for each click.
But as the Google Ads platform evolves, marketers have to be ready to evolve with it.
We advise all advertisers to get to grips with automated bidding sooner rather than later. This way you’ll be prepared for when Google finally forces the change.
To prepare, check out our Ultimate Guide to Automated Bidding, which runs you through:
- The different automated strategies available
- When (and when not) to use each one
- Advanced tips on getting the most out of automation
And then get ready to start experimenting.
Looking for more help with your Google Ads? Don’t be shy — get in touch with us today. As a PPC specialist agency, there are few things we love more than talking about Google Ads.
