Smart Bidding Exploration now covers Shopping and Performance Max: accept 5% to 30% lower ROAS for extra sales, but not under a portfolio strategy

What changed

Google's help page "How Smart Bidding Exploration for Search, Performance Max, and Shopping campaigns works" sets the rules for the feature beyond Search. On a Target ROAS campaign you pick a tolerance between 5% and 30%, and Google bids against the lowered target on long-tail queries you already qualify for (it doesn't widen broad match or targeting). Google's example: a 200% target with a 10% tolerance becomes an effective 180%, and results should land within about 15% of that over 1 to 2 conversion cycles. In PMax with a Merchant Center feed, one toggle covers both Search and Shopping traffic; PMax without a feed explores Search traffic only. Campaigns shouldn't be budget-limited, or exploration may pause. Shopping and PMax must use campaign-level bid strategies: moving them into a portfolio strategy (in Google Ads or Search Ads 360) switches exploration off. It works with AI Max. The page carries no publish date; PPC Land reported it on Oct 25.

Source

• Google Ads Help: How Smart Bidding Exploration for Search, Performance Max, and Shopping campaigns works ↗
• Google Ads Help: Compare Smart Bidding Exploration to other features ↗
• PPC Land ↗

Logged Oct 25, 2026 · Platform: Google · Impact: Heads up