To prepare for Google's August 17, 2026 bidding change, first identify campaigns that are limited by budget and use Target ROAS or Target CPA. Then compare the current target with recent actual performance and decide whether the target still reflects your real business goal.
Do not change every target simply because an update is coming. Google says no action is needed when the current target already represents the outcome you want.
The campaigns that deserve the closest review are those that have been performing materially better than their stated targets while constrained by budget.
Which campaigns should you review first?
Start with campaigns showing a limited by budget status and using Target ROAS or Target CPA. Google says these are the campaigns whose bidding behavior is changing.
Prioritize campaigns where the difference between target and actual performance is large. A Target CPA of $100 with a recent actual CPA around $55 deserves more attention than a target of $100 with actual performance around $97.
The same logic applies to ROAS. If a campaign targets 300% and has consistently produced 550%, ask whether 300% still represents an acceptable return.
Google's official guidance says advertisers should review affected campaigns before August 17.
How do you review a Target ROAS campaign?
Compare the Target ROAS with recent actual ROAS over a meaningful period. Then connect the number with the economics of the offer.
For ecommerce, calculate the ROAS needed after gross margin, shipping, returns, payment costs and other variable expenses. For lead generation, verify what conversion value represents and whether it reflects qualified opportunities or only form submissions.
If recent actual ROAS is much higher than the target and you want to protect that efficiency, you can consider raising the target closer to the performance level you want to preserve.
Do not assume the highest recent ROAS is automatically the best target. A slightly lower but still profitable target may allow more total conversion value.
How do you review a Target CPA campaign?
Compare the Target CPA with recent actual CPA and the maximum acquisition cost the business can accept.
Google gives an example of a budget constrained campaign with a $10 Target CPA that has recently achieved a $5 actual CPA. Under the new behavior, leaving the target unchanged could result in actual CPA moving closer to $10.
If the advertiser wants to preserve approximately $5 performance, Google says the target can be changed to $5. If $7 better reflects the business goal, the advertiser can choose that custom target instead.
This example shows the key principle: use business economics to decide the target, not the old setting.
Should you use the Bid Target Adjustment Tool?
Google has introduced a Bid Target Adjustment Tool to help identify and review potentially affected campaigns. The tool can show recent performance and allow advertisers to apply an updated target.
Use it as a review aid rather than as an automatic decision maker. Recent performance can be affected by conversion delay, seasonality, one large conversion or a temporary demand shift.
Before applying a recommendation, check whether the suggested target is commercially sensible.
For B2B advertisers, also compare the recommendation with CRM outcomes when possible. A low CPA is less valuable if those leads rarely become qualified opportunities.
How large should a target change be?
Google says Smart Bidding reacts to target changes in real time and can perform with both large and small adjustments. There is no universal rule that every advertiser must change targets in tiny steps.
However, the business still needs a clear reason for the number chosen. Moving from a 250% Target ROAS to 500% simply because last week's ROAS was 500% can overreact to noise.
Use a longer period when conversion volume is low. If the business has a long conversion cycle, allow enough time for delayed conversions to appear before judging performance.
After a change, Google recommends waiting one to two conversion cycles before evaluating the result.
When should you leave the target alone?
Leave the target alone when it already represents the efficiency you want the system to pursue. Google explicitly says no adjustment is necessary when the current target aligns with your business goals.
For example, if your campaign targets a $150 CPA, currently achieves $110, and the business is genuinely comfortable acquiring additional qualified customers around $150, keeping the target may make sense.
The new bidding behavior could allow the campaign to pursue more volume while staying closer to that stated target.
The decision should therefore balance efficiency and scale, not simply try to preserve the best historical number.
How should budget changes fit into the decision?
Google's stated goal is to make performance more predictable when advertisers adjust budgets. After the update, budget constrained campaigns should optimize more consistently toward the target as budget increases.
That does not mean every business should immediately raise its budget. First confirm that the target is profitable and that additional conversion volume is valuable.
For B2B companies, check sales capacity, lead quality and pipeline economics before scaling. A campaign can hit its Target CPA while still producing the wrong kind of leads.
You can also review your wider marketing budget allocation before moving spend between paid media, content, SEO and other demand channels.