About bidding in App campaigns

In App campaigns, you’re able to optimize your targeting and bidding for specific campaign objectives like getting more app users or more in-app actions from your new users, and even a target return on ad spend. This article describes the different optimization and bidding options available, and how to set those bids based on your objectives.

Before you begin

If this is the first time you're using an App campaign, it's best to start by learning about App campaigns. When you're ready to create your campaign, you can follow the instructions in Create an App campaign.

How it works

When you create your App campaign, you can choose to optimize your campaign based on which type of user is most valuable to you. Before you can optimize for in-app actions, you'll need to set up those actions as conversion events within Google Ads, or use Firebase. Learn more about Mobile app conversion tracking.

The simplest way to track all of your app conversions is to use Google Analytics for Firebase for your app reporting. After you've linked Firebase and Google Ads, you'll be able to bid on in-app events that you've set up as conversions. Learn more about Tracking mobile app conversions with Firebase.

Bidding strategies for App campaigns

Let’s take a look at how you can plan your campaign strategy around specific bidding types.

All bidding strategies for App Campaigns are “Target” strategies which seek to deliver the selected performance over the period of your in-app event’s conversion window. Auction fluctuation may cause performance that is above and below your target in a given day; however, the campaign will seek to deliver the selected performance over time. Learn more about Optimizing conversion windows for App campaigns.

Use the Bid Guidance widget

The Bid Guidance widget is designed to help you set the right bids to achieve your App campaign goals. Learn more About bidding tools for App campaigns.

Focus on getting more installs (Target cost per install and Maximize conversions campaigns)

For campaigns focused on app installs, you can choose to set a bid or not set a bid. If the checkbox to set a bid is checked, this is called a target cost per install (Target CPI) campaign. It lets you choose how much you're willing to pay to acquire a new user for your app.

When you set your bid, you're telling Google Ads the average amount you'd like to spend each time someone installs your app. Keep in mind that your budget will be used to get as many installs as possible at your set amount. So, if you set your average daily budget for $100, and your target cost-per-install is $2, you're aiming for about 50 installs per day from your ads.

If the Cost-Per-Install checkbox within Campaign Settings isn't checked, this is called a Maximize conversions campaign. This campaign type will automatically set the right bids for you to provide you with the highest install volume at scale for your campaign’s budget.

Note: For Maximize conversions campaigns with small budgets, the optimal bid per conversion may be higher than your budget. Maximize conversions campaigns with small budgets may not be able to get any conversions. Learn more about Maximize conversions bidding.

Focus on driving selected in-app actions (Target cost per action campaigns)

For campaigns focused on in-app actions, you'll set a target cost for driving in-app events. This is called the target cost per action (Target CPA). It lets you choose how much you're willing to pay for a new user for your app who is more likely to complete the in-app event you selected.

When you set your bid, you're telling Google Ads the average amount you'd like to spend each time someone installs your app and performs the specific in-app action. Keep in mind that your budget will be used to get as many installs as possible at your set amount. So, if you set your average daily budget for $300, and your target cost-per-action is $10, you're aiming for about 30 actions per day from your ads.

Determine your bid strategy for in-app actions

When it’s time to pick a bid strategy, use a budget-weighted average of your existing in-app action bids as a starting point. This section will walk you through how to find that average.

In your Google Ads account, click the Campaigns icon .
Click the Insights and reports drop down in the section menu.
Click Report editor.
Click the plus button , then select Table.
Enter “Conversion” in the search field, then drag Cost / all conv. into the center of the page.
Click the filter icon , enter “Conversion” in the search field, select Conversion action name, then click Apply.
Find the action that relates to your campaign optimization strategy, then look at the “Cost / all conv.” column for that action to see your average.

Focus on driving pre-registrations

For campaigns focused on pre-registrations, you’ll set a bid for pre-registrations of your app or game. This is called the target cost-per-pre-registrations. It lets you choose how much you’re willing to pay to get a new user to pre-register for your app or game.

When you set your bid, you’re telling Google Ads the average amount you’d like to spend each time someone pre-registers for your app. This campaign type uses the Target CPA bid strategy to help you get the most conversions at or below your target cost-per-pre-registration.

Focus on hitting a return on ad spend (Target return on ad spend)

Target ROAS (tROAS) requires the Google Analytics for Firebase SDK. However, tROAS allows for optimization of any first-party in-app event, including events from the Google Analytics for Firebase SDK or Google Play codeless conversions (Android only), both of which must pass a dynamic revenue value.

This bid strategy is recommended if you seek a specific Return-on-Ad Spend from your app campaigns.

For campaigns focused on achieving a return on ad spend, you'll set a target return on ad spend value as a percentage of value per spend. It lets you choose how much dollar value you want back for every dollar you spend.

When you set your target ROAS, you're telling Google Ads the average value you want back for every dollar spent. Keep in mind that your budget will be used to get as much value as possible at your set amount. So, if you set your average daily budget for $300, and your target ROAS is 20%, you're aiming for about $60 of value from your ads over the time window associated with your in-app event.

Depending on your campaign’s daily budget, it's important to note that a trade-off exists between your Target ROAS and campaign scale. A higher ROAS target will narrow the pool of potential installs, whereas a lower ROAS target will typically enable the campaign to have more potential to scale.

If you have run Target cost per action (tCPA) campaigns in the past, your historically achieved Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) is recommended to be used to calculate your initial tROAS target. Learn more about how to Set a recommended initial Target ROAS for your App campaigns.

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