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How to Use Device Bid Adjustments in Google Shopping

  • Anirban Sen
  • Apr 21
  • 3 min read

Updated: Apr 22

Device bid adjustments in Google Shopping let you increase or decrease your ad bids for desktop, mobile, and tablet users based on performance. This ensures your budget is spent effectively on devices that deliver better results. Here's the process simplified:

  • Analyze device performance: Check metrics like ROAS (Return on Ad Spend), conversions, and cost per conversion for each device.
  • Set bid adjustments: Use Google Ads to modify bids by percentage for desktop, mobile, or tablet at the campaign or ad group level.
  • Track results: Monitor metrics like ROAS, conversion rates, and total spend using Google Ads reports. Adjust bids every two weeks based on trends.

Getting Started


Device Performance Metrics

  • ROAS by device: Tracks how much revenue is generated for every ad dollar spent on each device.
  • Conversions per device: Counts the number of transactions completed on each device.
  • Cost per conversion: Measures the ad spend required to achieve a single conversion, broken down by device.

These metrics will help you fine-tune device bid adjustments in the following step.


Setting Up Device Bid Adjustments


Locating Device Settings

To adjust device bids in Google Ads, go to your Shopping campaign, then navigate to Settings > Devices. Click the pencil icon next to desktop, mobile, or tablet to modify bids. You can then set percentage adjustments based on how each device performs in terms of ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) and conversion rates.


Adjusting Bid Percentages

Start with desktop as your 0% baseline. From there, increase or lower bids for mobile and tablet devices to align with their ROAS and conversion performance.


Campaign-Level vs. Ad Group-Level Adjustments

You can apply bid adjustments at the campaign level for overall consistency across your campaign. Alternatively, make changes at the ad group level to fine-tune bids for specific products or product groups.


Device Bid Adjustments in Google Ads | How to Set It Up


Performance Tracking

Once your adjustments are live, it's time to monitor how they're performing. This helps you confirm their impact and fine-tune your bids as needed.


Reading Performance Reports

Head to Google Ads Campaign > Devices report to keep an eye on critical metrics like:

  • ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) for each device
  • Conversion rates
  • Cost per conversion
  • Click-through rates (CTR)
  • Total spend per device

Use the date comparison tool to spot trends by comparing week-over-week or month-over-month performance for each device.


Analyzing Results

Evaluate each device's performance by comparing it to these benchmarks:

  • Desktop ROAS as your baseline
  • Your target cost per conversion
  • Historical conversion rates for context

Pay attention to devices that show:

  • ROAS falling below your campaign average
  • Increasing costs per conversion
  • Dropping conversion rates
  • Noticeable shifts in traffic volume

These patterns can signal where adjustments are needed.


Regular Review Schedule

Stick to a bi-weekly review routine to stay on top of performance:

  • Every 14 days, check device metrics for any fluctuations.
  • Investigate unexpected performance changes.
  • Compare current data to the previous period for insights.
  • Adjust bid percentages based on:
    • ROAS trends
    • Shifts in conversion rates
    • Seasonal influences
  • Keep a record of all changes for future reference.

Up next, we’ll dive into troubleshooting common challenges with device-level bidding.


Fixing Common Problems

Once you've tracked your device metrics, follow these steps to address bid-adjustment problems. These methods can help ensure your device bid adjustments reflect actual performance trends.


How to Balance Device Bids

Align device bids with each device's return on investment (ROI). Make adjustments in small steps - around 5–10% - based on the conversion rate and ROI for each device [2].


Addressing Performance Drops

  • Look at recent device metrics to spot any declines, then revert those device bids to levels that were previously stable.
  • Keep a record of effective bid ranges, and exclude devices with fewer than 50 conversions to avoid unreliable data [2].
  • Wait at least a week between bid changes to collect enough data for accurate analysis.

Use U.S. campaign data to identify how different devices perform in terms of conversion rates and average order values. Adjust your Shopping campaign bids accordingly based on these insights [3].


Summary

Now that you know how to set and track device bids, here’s a quick recap to streamline your process:

  • Analyze device performance to establish baseline bids.
  • Adjust bids for mobile, desktop, and tablet incrementally, typically in 5–10% steps.
  • Keep an eye on device metrics every two weeks to stay updated.
  • Fine-tune your bids based on U.S. usage patterns and your recorded results.

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