#advancedbidding

It’s 2025—and relying on just Maximize Conversions won’t cut it anymore.

Google’s AI has evolved. So have bidding strategies. If you’re still stuck using outdated tactics, you're likely burning budget and leaving conversions on the table.

In this blog, we’ll break down the advanced bidding strategies that are ACTUALLY working in 2025—whether you’re running lead gen, eCommerce, or local service ads.

Let’s dive in. 💡

🎯 1. Target ROAS + First-Party Data = Retargeting Gold

If you’re running an eCommerce or high-volume lead-gen campaign, Target ROAS (tROAS) still reigns supreme—but only when paired with first-party data.

Here’s what’s working in 2025:

Feeding high-value customer lists from CRMs (like HubSpot or Klaviyo) directly into Google Ads

Optimizing toward high LTV buyers instead of one-time purchasers

Using GA4 audiences to segment hot leads

✅ Pro Tip: Don't let Google guess your high-converting audience. Tell it.

🧠 2. Smart Bidding with Manual Overrides

2025’s secret sauce? A hybrid approach.

You set your campaigns to Target CPA or Maximize Conversions, but…

You layer in manual exclusions and bid adjustments for placements, devices, or even audience segments that consistently underperform.

For example:

Exclude display placements with 0 conversions after 500 impressions

Lower mobile bids by 20% during certain hours if CPA spikes

This lets Google’s machine learning work—but with your human brain guiding it.

📍 3. Geo-Based Bidding for Local Domination

Google Ads now allows hyperlocal bid adjustments based on real-time performance.

Here’s what’s working:

Boost bids in top-converting ZIP codes or city districts

Lower bids in “budget-wasting” areas with poor ROI

Use Location Insertion in headlines to improve CTR and pair it with higher bids for relevant regions

✅ Bonus: Use offline conversion imports from your CRM to train Google on what real customers look like.

⏱️ 4. Time-Based Smart Bidding (Now Enhanced)

Thanks to real-time hourly performance tracking in 2025, you can now:

Boost bids only during your "power hours"

Reduce bids when conversion rates dip (like late night or early morning)

Set up Ad Schedules + Automated Rules in your campaign for:

CPA under $10? Boost budget by 20%.

CTR drops under 2%? Pause low-performing ads.

Google’s AI + your logic = unstoppable.

🧪 5. Portfolio Bid Strategies + Experimentation = Scaling Smart

Advanced advertisers in 2025 are using Portfolio Bid Strategies to:

Manage multiple campaigns under one bid rule

Share performance data across ad groups

Test bidding strategies without killing budget

Pair that with Google Ads Experiments to A/B test:

tROAS vs Maximize Conversion Value

Target CPA with audience layering vs. without

Manual bid caps vs. AI-only optimization

✅ What’s working now: Testing micro-changes weekly—not quarterly.

🚀 Final Thought: Bidding Is No Longer Set-and-Forget

In 2025, Google Ads bidding is no longer a one-size-fits-all game. The best advertisers are combining AI automation with strategic human input.

So, before you launch your next campaign:

Audit your top 10 keywords for bidding waste

Set your campaigns up with custom audiences and LTV data

Use rules and experiments to adapt your bidding as the market shifts