Online ads can feel confusing without a clear plan on how budgets are spent. The way you bid decides if your ad gets seen, how much you pay, and whether you actually win customers. Choosing the right bidding strategy is what separates wasted spend from meaningful returns. An advertising marketing company usually breaks this down for clients so they can see which method fits their business goals. Let’s walk through both manual and automated strategies one by one in plain language, with their benefits and the role they play in real campaigns.
Manual Bidding Strategies
1. Enhanced CPC (ECPC)
Enhanced CPC is still manual bidding, but smarter. It lets you set your own bids, while the system raises or lowers them slightly if a click seems more likely to turn into a sale. An advertising marketing company often explains this as a middle ground between control and smarter data use. Google’s reports in 2024 showed advertisers using ECPC gained 5–10% higher conversions compared to flat bids. Businesses should always make sure conversion tracking works properly before activating this strategy.
2. Manual CPC
Manual CPC puts the control fully in your hands. You choose exactly how much you want to pay per click. It gives freedom, but also takes more time because bids need constant checking. An advertising marketing company usually recommends this when a business is starting small or testing new keywords. According to Wordstream’s 2024 update, the average cost per click across industries sits around $2.69. With manual CPC, the smartest move is to test bids carefully and not set them too high.
3. CPM (Cost per Mille)
CPM means paying for every 1,000 times your ad is displayed, regardless of clicks. It works best for brand awareness where the goal is being seen. An advertising marketing company often suggests this for fashion or lifestyle brands where visibility matters more than immediate sales. Nielsen research in 2023 showed display-focused campaigns raised brand recall by roughly 30%. The key here is building ads that leave a strong impression because you are paying for views, not actions.
4. vCPM (Viewable CPM)
vCPM is similar to CPM but smarter. You only pay when at least half of the ad is actually visible on screen for one second or more. An advertising marketing company explains this as a way to avoid wasted impressions that no one actually sees. Research from the Interactive Advertising Bureau in 2024 showed viewable impressions increased engagement by about 40%. To get results, businesses need visuals that capture attention quickly, because visibility doesn’t always equal interest.
5. CPV (Cost per View)
CPV applies mostly to video ads. You only pay when someone watches for at least 30 seconds or interacts with your video. This works very well on platforms like YouTube where businesses want viewers to engage. An advertising marketing company often uses CPV for brands that rely on storytelling or customer connection. Statista reported in 2024 that CPV averages between $0.03 and $0.15 depending on targeting. Shorter and focused video ads usually work better since attention drops fast.
6. Target Impression Share
Target Impression Share helps control how often your ad shows in search results. You can choose to appear on the very top of the page or aim for a certain percentage of impressions. An advertising marketing company explains it as a good fit for brands wanting to dominate searches for their own name or category. Google Ads data from 2023 showed that brands focusing on impression share built trust faster with search users. Still, going after 100% visibility can drain budgets, so balance is important.
Automated Bidding Strategies
7. Maximize Clicks
This strategy is simple: the system sets bids automatically to bring the largest number of clicks for your budget. It’s often the first method businesses try, because it builds site traffic quickly. An advertising marketing company usually uses it in early campaigns to bring people in before switching to sales-focused models. According to Google Ads data in 2024, three out of four small businesses started with this bidding aim. To get the most from it, tightening geographic or device targeting is important.
8. Maximize Conversions
Here the system chases not clicks, but actions like sign-ups or purchases. It tries to deliver as many conversions as possible within your budget. An advertising marketing company advises businesses to use this once they have proper tracking of sales or leads. Google reported last year that advertisers using this strategy saw conversion growth of about 20% compared to manual campaigns. To make it work, businesses must track conversions correctly with tools like Google Analytics.
9. Maximize Conversion Value
This method doesn’t just go after the number of conversions, it focuses on the value of those conversions. That means ads favor sales with higher profits instead of cheaper ones. An advertising marketing company often recommends it for e-commerce companies with different margins per product. Deloitte’s 2024 digital study found that this approach increased revenue per click by 16%. Businesses need to assign proper values to each transaction so the system can make accurate bidding decisions.
10. Target CPA (tCPA)
Target CPA works well for businesses that want a clear, predictable cost per lead. You set the target cost per action, and the system adjusts bids to try to match it. An advertising marketing company suggests this mostly for industries like finance, education, or property where lead costs matter a lot. Google Ads insights in 2023 showed an average 15% drop in acquisition costs after businesses applied tCPA for several weeks. To get stable results, the account needs at least 30 conversions per month.
11. Target ROAS (tROAS)
Target ROAS means aiming for a specific return on ad spend. This works perfectly for businesses that want to prioritize profit margins instead of sales volume. An advertising marketing company walks clients through this strategy when revenues per product vary widely. McKinsey Digital’s 2024 report said businesses running ROAS-based bidding saw profitability rise by up to 25%. To succeed, companies must connect accurate revenue tracking to their ad accounts.
12. Smart Bidding
Smart Bidding pulls from several automated strategies and adjusts bids in real time using AI signals. It analyzes things like device, time of day, and audience data before placing a bid. An advertising marketing company usually introduces this to businesses ready for long-term growth campaigns. Google’s 2024 data revealed that 80% of advertisers using Smart Bidding saw stronger results than manual setups. The tip here is patience, because Smart Bidding requires learning time before producing the best results.
Conclusion
Bidding strategies are not one-size-fits-all. Manual methods give control, but require more effort. Automated bidding saves time and often brings higher performance, but only works if tracking and data are reliable. An advertising marketing company helps businesses match the right strategy with their goals, whether brand awareness, leads, or profit growth. By testing and adjusting over time, businesses turn ad spend into steady, measurable results.
