Google Ads seasonality adjustments allow advertisers to inform Smart Bidding strategies about expected short-term changes in conversion rates. By providing this information, you help the bidding algorithms adapt to temporary spikes or dips caused by specific events. These adjustments are designed to improve performance during brief periods where historical data might otherwise mislead the automated bidding models. Understanding the mechanics of these adjustments is a necessary skill for managing campaigns during high-traffic promotional events or temporary market shifts.
What are the core requirements for seasonality adjustments?
Google documentation notes that seasonality adjustments should only be used for short events lasting from 1 to 7 days where conversion rates will fluctuate significantly. This is a primary constraint because Smart Bidding is generally efficient at learning from trend changes over longer periods. If you apply these adjustments to a long-term event, you may inadvertently disrupt the machine learning process that the system uses to optimize bids for your target conversion goals. When the adjustment period ends, the system returns to its normal bidding behavior, so accuracy in duration is essential.
To ensure your setup is effective, you must identify events that cause a clear, temporary deviation from your standard performance metrics. Think of events like a surprise flash sale, a one-day national holiday, or a technical outage that temporarily pauses your ability to fulfill orders. In a typical account, these events create noise in the conversion data. By labeling these periods, you signal to the bidding engine that the conversion rate dip or spike is an anomaly rather than a permanent change in consumer intent or market demand.
Where can you find the seasonality adjustment settings?
You can access these settings within the Google Ads dashboard by navigating to the Tools and Settings menu. Under the Shared Library section, look for the Bid Strategies folder. Once there, you will find a dedicated tab labeled Seasonality Adjustments. This location is consistent across most account types, though you must have administrative or standard access to modify these configurations. If you do not see the option, verify your access level or check if your account is currently utilizing a smart bidding strategy, as these adjustments only function when automated bidding is active.
How to create a new adjustment
Creating a new adjustment requires specific inputs to ensure the algorithm interprets the data correctly. Start by clicking the blue plus icon to add a new adjustment. You will need to define the start and end dates, the scope of the adjustment, and the expected change in conversion rate. Be precise with your dates, as the system will apply the adjustment for the entire duration you specify. If the event is shorter than one day, the system may not process the adjustment as intended, so sticking to the 1-7 day window is a standard practice for maintaining account stability.
When configuring the adjustment, you will be asked to select the scope. You can apply the adjustment to all campaigns, specific campaigns, or specific bidding strategies. For most accounts, applying it to all campaigns that are affected by the event is the standard approach. You must also provide an estimate of the conversion rate change. If you expect a 20% increase in conversion rate, you enter a 20% adjustment. The system uses this value to calculate the necessary bid adjustments to maintain your target ROI or CPA while accounting for the predicted volatility.
Checklist for your setup process
- Verify your bidding strategy: Ensure you are using Smart Bidding (e.g., Target CPA, Target ROAS).
- Confirm event length: Ensure the event is between 1 and 7 days long.
- Set the conversion rate impact: Use historical data from similar past events to estimate the percentage change.
- Select correct scope: Apply the adjustment only to campaigns that will actually be impacted by the event.
- Review dates: Double-check the start and end times to ensure they align with the actual event window.
How does Alien Road apply these adjustments?
At Alien Road, we use a structured approach to manage seasonality adjustments for our clients. During our initial discovery phase, we document known promotional calendars and potential market events that could impact client performance. When a short-term event occurs, we assess whether an adjustment is necessary by comparing current conversion trends against historical benchmarks. We avoid over-using this feature, as frequent manual adjustments can interfere with the data signals required for long-term bidding performance.
For example, when managing a retail client, we might identify a three-day holiday sale that traditionally drives high conversion volumes. We configure the seasonality adjustment 48 hours before the event begins to ensure the system is ready. After the sale concludes, we monitor the account to ensure that bidding returns to its target metrics without residual impact. This process ensures that we maintain control over account performance during high-stakes periods while allowing the Google Ads AI to handle the day-to-day optimization tasks.
Can you use these adjustments for long-term trends?
You should not use seasonality adjustments for long-term trends or seasonal shifts that last longer than seven days. If you have a peak season that lasts for an entire month, such as the holiday shopping period in December, these adjustments are not the correct tool. Instead, you should rely on your existing Smart Bidding strategy, which is designed to identify and adapt to sustained changes in market behavior over time. Applying a short-term adjustment to a long-term trend can lead to significant bid volatility and poor campaign outcomes.
Smart Bidding models are built to recognize seasonal patterns if they occur consistently year over year. If your conversion rates naturally increase every December, the algorithm will incorporate this into its predictive model. Forcing an adjustment during a long period essentially tells the system that the current data is incorrect, which can hinder its ability to learn the true nature of your seasonal performance. Always prioritize letting the system learn from your conversion data whenever possible to ensure long-term stability.
Best practices for monitoring performance
- Monitor your impression share: Ensure that your ads are still visible during the adjustment period.
- Track conversion volume: Watch for unexpected drops that might indicate the adjustment was set incorrectly.
- Review post-event performance: Check if your campaigns return to target performance within 24-48 hours after the adjustment ends.
- Document all changes: Keep a log of every adjustment you make, including the dates and the estimated conversion rate impact for future reference.
- Maintain clear communication: If working in a team, ensure everyone knows when and why an adjustment was applied to avoid conflicting manual bid changes.
Where to start this week
To start this week, audit your current campaign settings to see if you have any active or legacy seasonality adjustments that are no longer needed. Remove any entries that do not align with the current marketing calendar or that fall outside the 1-7 day requirement. Next, review your upcoming promotional schedule for the next month. Identify any short-term events that may cause a shift in your conversion data, such as a brief sale or a limited-time offer. Draft these in your calendar and prepare the necessary conversion rate estimates for the adjustment settings.
If you are uncertain about the impact of a specific event, it is often safer to let the system observe the data rather than applying an adjustment. You can always gather data from this event to inform your strategy for the next one. Remember that these tools are intended to assist the AI, not replace your oversight of the account. By managing these inputs with care, you help your campaigns maintain their performance targets even when external conditions create temporary ripples in your traffic and conversion flows.
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