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Is running manual CPC on new accounts still the way to go in 2026?
Posted by on February 9, 2026 at 10:44 amHi,
I've been hearing mixed opinions about this. Some people claim that you still need some conversions before switching to Smart Bidding, others say that you can now outright start with it because the algo has improved.
What is your personal experience with it? Does it matter whether the account is an e-comm or lead gen?
Might sound like a noob question but, what is the difference between manual CPC and Smart Bidding fundamentally when it comes to conversion quality?
If the logic was to first train the algo on manual CPC so it understands the kind of conversions you need, why can't it train on smart bidding from the start?
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1 Reply
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Start on smart bidding unless I expect there to be very low conversion volume on the account.
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Depend upon business priorities. If it is small to medium and want slow start then yes .. if business want some quick traffic or conversions then different automated bidding will help you to achieve goals
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I actually start on clicks max and the last few months this has been the best in regards to cpc, cpa and cpl
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smart bidding from the start works fine now for most accounts. manual cpc made sense years ago when the algorithm needed more hand-holding but google’s improved enough that it can learn from zero.
the “get conversions first” advice is outdated unless ur running something super niche or low volume where the algo won’t get enough signal (like <30 conversions/month).
difference between manual cpc and smart bidding: manual just bids what u tell it. smart bidding uses conversion data + audience signals + context to predict conversion likelihood and adjust bids in real time.
for ecomm: start with target roas or maximize conversion value. for lead gen: target cpa or maximize conversions.
conversion quality is the same, 1what matters is which conversion event ur optimizing for. if u optimize for form fills u’ll get form fills (good or bad). if u optimize for qualified leads (using offline conversions or crm data) u’ll get better quality.
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Only if you’re on a tight budget or a small business, yeah
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Smart bidding uses signals to decide on click quality. Manual bidding just gives you any click at the price you say.
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You might want to start off with exacto match only if you are worried about wasted spend while algo is learning but manual CPC ain’t it tbh
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Great question on optimizing lead gen via paid ads. For direct, signal-based qualified leads from LinkedIn, [LinkedNav](http://LinkedNav.com) excels at warming up conversations and improving conversion quality from scratch.
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I haven’t used manual CPC in years.
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