Should you start a Google Ads campaign on Maximize Conversions or Maximize Clicks?

By: Jyll Saskin Gales, Google Ads Coach

If you're new to Google Ads, you might be wondering which bidding strategy is the best starting point. Should you go for Maximize Clicks to gather data or jump straight to Maximize Conversions? Many experts advise against using Smart Bidding strategies like Maximize Conversions without sufficient data, but I'm here to challenge that notion.

Maximize Conversions Wins, Even With No Account History

Even if you're starting from scratch with no account or conversion history, I still recommend using the Maximize Conversions bidding strategy. Here's why:

Auction-Time Signals

Maximize Conversions leverages not only your historical data (which you might not have yet) but also a vast array of real-time signals present at auction time. These signals include device, location, time of day, audience segments, language, browser, operating system, and more, depending on your campaign type. By incorporating these signals, Maximize Conversions can quickly identify patterns and optimize your bids for better results.

Focus on Conversions

While Maximize Clicks aims to get you as many clicks as possible, it doesn't necessarily prioritize the quality of those clicks. Maximize Conversions, on the other hand, is specifically designed to focus on driving conversions, which is ultimately what matters most for your business.

Faster Learning Curve

Maximize Conversions can quickly pick up on what's working and what's not, allowing you to optimize your campaigns for conversions faster than if you were using Maximize Clicks. This means you can start seeing results sooner and make data-driven decisions to improve your campaigns over time.

Choose Maximize Conversions over Maximize Clicks

Maximize Clicks might seem tempting as a way to gather data, but it often leads to low-quality clicks that don't translate into conversions. This is because the strategy prioritizes volume over quality, resulting in lower bids that attract less qualified traffic.