Manual vs Automated Bidding

Pros

• +Complete control over bid amounts at the keyword and placement level
• +No reliance on algorithms that may not understand your business context
• +Useful for small accounts or campaigns with limited conversion data
• +Transparent: you know exactly what you're bidding and why

Cons

• −Extremely time-intensive to manage at scale
• −Cannot react to real-time signals like device, location, and time of day
• −Human limitations in processing the volume of data algorithms handle
• −Increasingly disadvantaged as platforms optimize for automated strategies

Pros

• +Processes thousands of signals in real-time to set optimal bids
• +Scales effortlessly across large accounts with many campaigns
• +Adapts to auction dynamics, competition, and user behavior patterns
• +Target ROAS and Target CPA strategies align bids with business goals
• +Improves as more conversion data feeds the algorithm

Cons

• −Requires sufficient conversion data to function well (typically 30+ conversions per month)
• −Less transparency into why specific bid decisions are made
• −Learning periods can cause performance volatility during transitions
• −Garbage in, garbage out , poor conversion tracking undermines automation