Maximize Clicks vs Maximize Conversions for small businesses
Updated
Two ways to let Google set your bids
A bid strategy tells Google Ads how much to offer for each click. Two common choices are Maximize Clicks and Maximize Conversions. They sound close. They chase very different things.
Maximize Clicks tries to get as many clicks as possible within your budget. Every click counts the same to it. A click from someone ready to buy and a click from someone just browsing are equal.
Maximize Conversions tries to get as many conversions (sales, calls or forms you count as results) as possible while spending your budget. To do that, Google looks at many signals for each search and bids more when a result looks likely. Google says you must set up conversion tracking to use it.
When Maximize Clicks makes sense
Maximize Clicks is not a bad strategy. It is the right tool in a few cases:
- You do not track conversions yet. Without tracking, Google has nothing to aim at but clicks. Maximize Conversions will not work.
- Your account is brand new. Google suggests click bidding for new campaigns that do not yet have enough conversion data. You can use it to get some traffic while you set up tracking.
- Your goal really is traffic. For example, you want people to read a guide and you do not measure any action after that.
If you use it, think about setting a maximum CPC bid limit, which is the most you will pay for one click. Google says this can help control costs. Google also warns that a limit set too low can hold the campaign back.
When Maximize Clicks wastes money
The problem starts once you track conversions. At that point, you know what a good result is. But Maximize Clicks ignores it.
Because all clicks look equal, the strategy may lean toward cheaper clicks. Cheap clicks are not always bad, but they can come from searches that rarely turn into customers. Your click count goes up. Your leads may not.
Google’s own help says Maximize Clicks is not a good choice if your goals include a specific cost per conversion. For most small businesses, cost per lead or sale is the number that matters.
Before you switch to Maximize Conversions
Switching is easy. Getting value from it takes a little prep.
- Check your tracking. Make a test call or form fill and see if it shows up. Bad tracking leads to bad bidding.
- Count the right things. Google bids on your Primary conversion actions. Make sure those are real results, like calls, booked jobs or sales. If a page view counts as a conversion, Google will chase page views.
- Expect it to spend. Google says Maximize Conversions will try to fully spend your average daily budget. If you have been spending less than your budget, your spend may go up. Set a budget you are fine spending every day.
- Give it time. Google says smart bidding (where Google sets bids for you) can take one to two conversion cycles to adjust. A conversion cycle is the usual time from click to result. Try not to change things often during this time.
You can also add a target cost per conversion. Since June 2026, Google calls Maximize Conversions with a target simply Target CPA. A target gives you more control, but set it too low and the campaign may barely spend.
How to switch
- Go to Campaigns and click the campaign name.
- Open Settings.
- Find Bidding and select Change bid strategy.
- Choose Maximize conversions.
- Click Save.
(If you can’t find it, search for “bid strategy” in the Google Ads search bar.)
A note on small accounts
If your campaign gets only a few conversions a month, Google has little to learn from. Results can swing from week to week. That does not mean you should go back to clicks. It means you should judge over a longer window, like a month or two, and avoid frequent changes.
When to keep Maximize Clicks
Keep it if you have no conversion tracking yet, or if you only care about visits. Once tracking works and shows real results, it is worth moving to a strategy that aims at those results.
SpendCanary flags this when a campaign uses Maximize Clicks even though the account tracks conversions.