Source: Search Engine Roundtable by barry@rustybrick.com (Barry Schwartz). Read the original article
TL;DR Summary of Google Ads Journey Aware Bidding: Enhancing Target CPA Campaigns
Journey Aware Bidding is a new Google Ads bidding strategy launching in 2026, designed to optimize Target CPA search campaigns. It allows the use of secondary conversion actions to influence bidding without counting them as primary conversions. Advertisers must import and categorize all funnel conversion actions accurately to leverage this approach. This bidding method supports complex, multi-step customer journeys efficiently.
Optimixed’s Overview: How Journey Aware Bidding Revolutionizes Google Ads Optimization
Understanding Journey Aware Bidding
Google Ads is set to introduce Journey Aware Bidding in 2026, a bidding type aimed at improving the efficiency of search campaigns using Target CPA (Cost Per Acquisition). Unlike the current Smart Bidding system which focuses solely on primary conversion actions, this new method incorporates secondary conversion actions to better reflect the entire customer journey.
Key Features and Benefits
- Micro-conversion integration: Influences bidding strategies without the need to implement micro-conversions explicitly.
- Multi-step journey support: Accounts for complex customer paths such as leads, marketing-qualified leads (MQLs), sales-qualified leads (SQLs), opportunities, and closed sales.
- Improved bidding algorithms: Leverages secondary conversions to refine bid adjustments and optimize campaign performance more holistically.
Implementation Requirements
To utilize Journey Aware Bidding effectively, advertisers must:
- Import all relevant conversion actions representing the funnel stages into Google Ads.
- Accurately categorize each conversion action within Google Ads, selecting from categories like contact, request quote, submit lead form, book appointment, qualified lead, and converted lead.
- Ensure data consistency and quality to enable the algorithm to interpret the multi-step journey accurately.
By adopting Journey Aware Bidding, advertisers can expect smarter bidding decisions that reflect the full scope of customer interactions, ultimately driving better campaign ROI and more precise targeting based on the entire conversion funnel.
