Google Ads is a powerhouse for marketing, leveraging machine learning to optimize campaigns. With a vast landscape of marketing data points to track, automation becomes essential. Google’s automated bidding strategies are designed to help navigate this complexity. However, before these strategies can truly shine, they go through a crucial initial period: the learning phase.
If you’ve launched a Google Ads campaign with ambitious ROAS goals and a dedicated budget, you might find yourself puzzled when initial results are underwhelming. Perhaps your ROAS isn’t hitting targets, or Google isn’t even spending your full budget. This is often tied to the learning phase.
This article dives deep into the Google Ads learning phase, addressing key questions and providing insights to help you optimize your campaign for success.
Decoding the Google Ads Learning Phase
Imagine you’ve just tweaked your Google Ads campaign for better performance, or perhaps you’re running an A/B test. Suddenly, you notice a dip in conversions. Checking your campaign status, you see the label: “Bid Strategy Learning.”
This “learning phase” is a fundamental aspect of Google Ads and other online advertising platforms like Facebook and Instagram. When a new campaign or significant changes are implemented, the ad groups enter this phase. It’s a period of exploration for the algorithms to experiment with ad delivery methods, ultimately aiming for effective strategies and optimal results.
During the learning phase, expect performance to be less stable. Cost-per-action (CPA) might be higher than usual. This variability is inherent to the learning process, and understanding its role is key to achieving long-term campaign success.
When and Where Does the Learning Period Kick In?
The Google Ads learning phase is triggered when you implement an automated smart bidding strategy or make substantial changes to an existing campaign. Google needs this time to gather data and refine your bidding approach. Even while learning, your campaign remains active, allowing you to monitor its progress.
You’ll typically encounter the learning period when initiating or modifying automated smart bidding strategies. These include:
- eCPC (Enhanced CPC)
- Target CPA (Cost Per Acquisition)
- Target ROAS (Return on Ad Spend)
- Maximize Conversions
- Maximize Conversion Value
The learning phase status is usually visible in the campaign-level status column within your Google Ads interface.
Real-World Learning Phase Scenarios
Let’s explore some practical examples to illustrate the learning phase in action across different bidding strategies.
Maximize Clicks Example: Driving Traffic to Real Estate Listings
Scenario: You’re a real estate agency launching a new campaign using the Maximize Clicks bidding strategy. Your objective is to maximize traffic to your property listings with a daily budget of $100.
Learning Phase Experience: In the initial week, you observe fluctuations in cost per click (CPC) and inconsistent ad impressions. This is Google Ads actively experimenting with different bid amounts to identify combinations that yield the most clicks within your budget.
Outcome: By the end of the learning phase, performance stabilizes. CPC becomes more consistent, and you see a steady increase in traffic to your property listings. The algorithm has learned the optimal bidding to maximize clicks within your $100 daily budget.
Target CPA Example: Lead Generation for an Immigration Law Firm
Scenario: You’re managing a campaign for an immigration law firm, aiming to generate client leads with a Target CPA of $20 and a daily budget of $200.
Learning Phase Insights: Initially, the cost per acquisition might exceed your $20 target, sometimes reaching $25 or $30. Google Ads is actively analyzing audience segments and bid adjustments, gathering data to identify the most effective strategy to achieve your target CPA.
Outcome: As the learning phase concludes, the CPA begins to align with your $20 goal. The algorithm has learned which demographics and placements deliver the highest conversion rates at your desired cost, optimizing spending and improving lead generation efficiency.
Target ROAS Example: E-commerce Fashion Apparel Store
Scenario: You run an e-commerce store selling fashion apparel and set a Target ROAS campaign at 500%. For every dollar spent, you expect $5 in revenue, with a daily budget of $300.
Learning Phase Experience: ROAS fluctuates significantly during the learning phase. Some days might show a ROAS of 300%, while others reach 600%. Google Ads is testing various bidding strategies, placements, and audiences to find the optimal mix to meet your 500% ROAS target.
Outcome: After the learning phase, ROAS stabilizes around the 500% mark. Google Ads has learned the strategies yielding the highest return on ad spend for your fashion products, leading to more profitable advertising.
New Service Launch Example: Visa Consultations
Scenario: Your immigration law firm launches a new visa consultation service and uses a Target CPA strategy for lead generation.
Learning Phase Experience: The learning phase might be extended as the algorithm lacks historical data on this new service. You might initially see a higher CPA as the system learns which audiences are most receptive to visa consultations.
Outcome: Over time, as more consultations are booked, the CPA decreases. The algorithm becomes more proficient at targeting users likely interested in your visa consultation service.
Alt text: Diagram illustrating various Google Ads bidding strategies including manual CPC, maximize clicks, target CPA, and target ROAS, showcasing the spectrum from manual control to automated optimization.
What Actually Happens During the Learning Phase?
The specifics of the learning phase are tied to your chosen bidding strategy. Google’s algorithms are constantly learning, processing vast amounts of search data – approximately 40,000 data points per search. This massive dataset forms the basis of your “search profile.”
During the learning phase, expect fluctuations in ad delivery and campaign efficiency. However, pausing optimization efforts due to the learning phase is counterproductive. Instead, focus on understanding how to manage this period effectively and allow your campaign the necessary time to relearn and improve based on implemented changes.
Google Ads Learning Phase Duration: How Long Does It Take?
Smart Bidding algorithms typically require around 7 days to learn. However, this timeframe can vary based on your conversion data volume and conversion delay – the time between a click and a conversion. If you have a substantial amount of conversion data, the learning phase might shorten to 5 days. In other cases, it might extend to the full 7 days.
To monitor progress, check your bid strategy report for insights into the remaining learning phase duration. It’s crucial to minimize campaign changes during this period. After the initial learning phase, allow your campaign to run for a few more weeks to gather further data and solidify performance.
Consider your average conversion lag time. If, for example, it’s around 3 days, wait 3 days post-learning phase before analyzing results to ensure you’re evaluating data-driven outcomes accurately.
Factors Influencing Learning Phase Duration
Several factors can influence how long your Google Ads learning phase lasts:
- Average Cart Value: Lower average cart values can make achieving desired ROAS more challenging, potentially extending the learning phase.
- Conversion Lag: A longer conversion lag (time between initial interaction and purchase) means the algorithm takes longer to gather sufficient conversion data, impacting the learning phase duration.
- New Products or Services: Introducing new offerings can lengthen the learning phase as the algorithm lacks historical data for optimization.
- Number of Products: A larger product catalog can increase the complexity and potentially extend the learning phase, as the algorithm needs to learn performance across a wider range.
- Conversion Volume per Product: Lower conversion volume per product can reduce data reliability and lengthen the learning phase.
It’s also worth noting that your initial Google Ads account activation can take 24–48 hours for Google to review and approve. The learning period of 7 days generally starts after the last significant edit to a campaign.
Changes That Trigger the Learning Period
The algorithmic learning period is triggered by significant campaign changes that require the system to “relearn” and gather new performance data. These changes can disrupt campaign performance temporarily. Avoiding unnecessary changes during the learning phase is crucial. Changes that typically trigger or reset the learning period include:
- Implementing a new Smart Bidding strategy.
- Changing settings within an existing Smart Bidding strategy.
- Budget changes of 20% or more.
- Modifications to conversion setup or conversion tracking.
- Significant structural campaign changes (e.g., restructuring ad groups, adding substantial keywords).
Minimizing the Impact of the Learning Period
While the learning phase is unavoidable, you can take steps to minimize its impact and ensure a smoother transition to optimized performance:
Be Strategic with Budgets
Ensure your budget is sufficient for the algorithm to gather the necessary conversion data. If optimizing for purchases, which are lower-funnel and often higher-cost conversions, a limited budget might hinder the learning process. Avoid abrupt budget increases or decreases exceeding 20%. Implement budget adjustments gradually over days or weeks.
Choose the Right Bidding Strategy
Google Ads offers various bidding strategies tailored to different campaign goals. Select a strategy aligned with your campaign objectives (clicks, impressions, conversions, or value). The right bidding strategy, coupled with effective bid adjustments, is crucial for optimizing ad spend and achieving desired results.
Maintain Conversion Consistency
Consistent and accurate conversion tracking is paramount. Plan any necessary changes to conversion actions and implement them together to minimize multiple learning periods. Accurate conversion data is the feedback loop that drives algorithm learning.
Send Clear Signals to Google
Set up campaigns thoughtfully from the outset. Carefully consider the signals you send to the algorithm, ensuring alignment between your tracked conversions, campaign settings, and overall objectives. Accurate and consistent data from the start sets a strong foundation for effective learning.
Avoid Actions That Reset the Learning Phase
Minimize changes that trigger a reset. If testing new audiences or ad creatives, duplicate the campaign or ad group and make changes in the duplicate rather than altering the original, active campaign. This allows for controlled testing without disrupting the learning process of your primary campaign.
Understanding Bidding Strategies in Google Ads
Google Ads offers a range of bidding strategies to align with diverse business goals. Choosing the right strategy is critical for maximizing campaign effectiveness.
Manual Bidding
Manual bidding gives you direct control over your maximum cost-per-click (CPC) bids. It’s ideal for advertisers who want granular control and have the time and expertise to actively manage bids based on keyword performance. It relies heavily on marketer experience and intuition.
Automated Bidding (Smart Bidding)
Automated bidding, or Smart Bidding, utilizes AI to optimize bids based on your campaign goals. Google’s algorithms automatically set bids to maximize results, whether it’s clicks, visibility, conversions, or conversion value. Various automated strategies cater to different objectives.
Smart Bidding: Auction-Time Bidding
Smart Bidding is a subset of automated bidding that leverages machine learning to optimize for conversions or conversion value in real-time, at each auction. Strategies like Target CPA, Target ROAS, Maximize Conversions, and Maximize Conversion Value fall under Smart Bidding. Auction-time bidding considers a wide range of signals – device, location, demographics, and more – to optimize bids for each individual auction.
Conclusion: Navigating the Learning Phase for Google Ads Success
The Google Ads learning phase is an essential part of campaign optimization. By understanding its purpose, duration, and influencing factors, you can manage it effectively and minimize potential disruptions. Choose bidding strategies aligned with your business goals, maintain consistent conversion tracking, and avoid unnecessary campaign changes during the learning period. Patience and strategic management during this initial phase pave the way for long-term campaign success and optimized performance in Google Ads.
For expert guidance and further assistance with your Google Ads campaigns, contact us to speak with our specialists.
