When to Automate and When Not to With Google Ads

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If you're considering automating parts of your Google Ads campaign, it's important to understand when this strategy can save you time and money - and when it may do more harm than good. In general, aspects of your account that see steady, predictable traffic are good automation candidates. Things like broad matching keyword lists, standard targeting options, and simple bid strategies typically perform well automated since they change incrementally over time. Automating dynamic aspects of your campaign, however, often backfires. New products, seasonal items, auctions with wide day-to-day fluctuations - these are better optimized manually as needed in response to real time traffic trends. Automation can struggle to keep up with rapidly changing environments.

When To Automate

Automation works best when you have: - High ad spend/budget: For larger accounts spending $5,000 or more per month, automation helps scale and fine-tunes ads 24/7 more efficiently than humans alone. - Predictable products/services: Automation thrives with consistent products where prior data can accurately predict future performance. This allows machine learning to set optimal bids. - Limited time for manual work: For very busy managers or those with many accounts, letting automation handle routine tasks frees up time for strategic planning.

When Not To Automate

On the other hand, manual work is still preferable under these conditions: - New/refined products: In early stages or during revamps, human tweaking is better than relying on limited prior data that may mislead automation. - Seasonal/unusual items: Items with irregular or seasonal demand patterns require human judgment calls automation can miss, like bidding adjustments. Overall, the right balance maximizes efficiency without losing performance gains.