If you’re running Google Ads and still manually adjusting your bids every week, you’re bringing a calculator to a gunfight. Google’s own artificial intelligence (AI) is already built into your ad account, ready to do this work for you — and it’s not costing you a dime beyond your normal ad spend.
Let’s talk about what to actually do about it.
Google’s Free AI Bidding Is the Move
Google Ads has built-in AI bidding strategies called Smart Bidding. Target return on ad spend (ROAS) and Target cost per acquisition (CPA) use machine learning (ML) to adjust your bids in real time for every single auction — factoring in the device, location, time of day, and audience signals that no human could process manually.
If you’re running 500+ keywords, that could easily represent several hours a week of manual bid adjustments replaced by something that runs continuously in the background. No extra tool to buy. No subscription fee.
**The catch:** Smart Bidding needs conversion data to work well. Google’s documented minimum is at least 15 conversions in the prior 30 days, though many PPC practitioners recommend 30 or more for more reliable results. If you’re not hitting that volume, the AI doesn’t have enough to learn from and your results may be erratic. For low-volume accounts, stick with manual bidding and monthly reviews until your data catches up.
Knowing What Your Competitors Are Doing
The other half of this equation is knowing when your competitors shift strategy. Tools like SEMrush and SpyFu let you enter a competitor’s domain and see their active pay-per-click (PPC) keywords, estimated ad spend, ad copy history, and position changes.
Practical example: a small law firm could monitor when competing firms start bidding on new practice-area terms — say, a competitor suddenly buying “truck accident lawyer [your city].” You’d know within days instead of figuring it out months later when your leads dry up.
SEMrush Pro runs approximately $140/month, though pricing changes frequently — check their pricing page directly before committing. SpyFu offers competitor keyword histories going back over 18 years.
When to Consider Dedicated PPC Tools
Platforms like Optmyzr and Adzooma sit on top of Google Ads and automate rules like “pause any keyword that’s spent over $50 with zero conversions.”
A note on pricing: both platforms have changed their pricing and tier structures over time. Optmyzr has historically started around $249/month on monthly billing, and Adzooma has offered a free tier in the past, but availability and scope may have changed. Check both vendors’ current pricing pages directly before making any decisions.
But here’s the honest answer: if your monthly ad spend is modest, the cost of these tools as a percentage of your budget probably won’t justify itself. Google’s native Smart Bidding plus a monthly manual review is likely enough for smaller accounts.
The sweet spot for these platforms is typically when your ad spend is high enough that manual management is painful but hiring a dedicated PPC person or agency still feels too expensive. For many small businesses, that’s a few thousand dollars a month in ad spend and up.
*All pricing mentioned is approximate and changes frequently. Check vendor pricing pages directly before committing.*
The One Thing to Do This Week
Log into your Google Ads account. If you have at least 15 conversions in the last 30 days and you’re still on manual bidding, switch one campaign to Target CPA or Target ROAS. Give it two weeks of data before judging performance. That single change replaces hours of weekly work with zero additional cost.
That’s the kind of advice we’re here for — specific, honest, and worth your time.