Google will change how Smart Bidding treats budget-limited campaigns starting Aug. 17, according to Search Engine Land. Google Ads Liaison Ginny Marvin said accounts that have been beating their Target CPA or Target ROAS because of a budget cap will instead settle at the number actually entered as the target.
The goal, Google says, is fewer swings after advertisers raise or lower budgets. In the past, a budget change could send Smart Bidding lurching back toward the stated target, creating short-term instability. Campaigns with no budget ceiling keep working as before, since the target already sets spending in those cases.
Google rolled out account notifications alongside a review tool so advertisers can spot campaigns likely to need a target reset. For any budget-capped campaign, an outdated Target CPA or ROAS number now carries more weight than it did before Aug. 17, since it will directly reset how efficiently the campaign spends.
Search Engine Land reported the details on Aug. 6, 2026, citing Google Ads Liaison Ginny Marvin’s Q&A on the Aug. 17 Smart Bidding update.
