Everyone using automated bidding now?

It's been a while since I worked seriously with Google Ads. Are people still using manual CPC much, or is everyone moving to automated bidding strategies now? what's actually working in 2026.

Mostly yes, but "everyone moved to automated bidding" hides a lot of nuance. Here's what we see across client accounts at PPC Rebels in 2026:

- Smart bidding (Max Conversions, tCPA, tROAS) works well once the account has clean conversion tracking and enough volume. A rough rule of thumb is 30+ conversions a month per campaign. With good data it usually beats manual.
- Manual CPC, or Max Clicks with a bid cap, still makes sense at launch, on small budgets, in niches with very few conversions, or when you're testing keywords and don't want the algorithm burning budget on broad match while it "learns".
- A common path is to start on manual or capped Max Clicks, collect 15-30 conversions, switch to Max Conversions, then set a tCPA close to what you're actually getting and tighten it slowly. A tight tCPA from day one is the classic way to kill delivery.
- Automated bidding is only as good as the signal. If micro-conversions like page views or button clicks are set as primary, it will optimize for junk. Use real leads or sales, and import offline conversions if the sale closes later in a CRM.
- Be careful with broad match plus smart bidding. It can work, but check search terms weekly and keep a solid negative list.

So manual isn't dead, it's more of a starting tool now. What niche and budget are you planning? That changes the answer a lot.

Smart bidding can save time, but it needs enough conversion data to work properly.

Manual CPC can be useful when you want to avoid spending too much on expensive keywords.

bad conversion tracking can mess up automated bidding pretty quickly I'd sort that out before switching strategies

Recently, I have seen more focus on automated bidding but I wouldn't completely ignore manual CPC and for smaller campaigns and limited data, manual control can still be useful.

Yes, one thing I have noticed is that smart bidding has become a big part of google ads and you should focus on maximize conversions if your main goal is getting leads or sales.

Manual CPC is still useful especially when you want more control over bids or you’re working with a small campaign that doesn’t generate much conversion data.

I think automated bidding is more useful than ever, especially when you have the right data and conversions in your account. It helps Google automatically adjust your bids for better results. In 2026, most people will be using automated bidding, and manual CPC is now very rare. Google’s system is much smarter now and it will give you better results on its own. I think manual CPC is not completely obsolete, it is still useful for those who want to have more control over their bids and budget. It is important to try new methods and regularly review them for better results.