Short answer: Google Ads has expanded Smart Bidding Exploration beyond Search campaigns. Performance Max and Shopping campaigns that use Target ROAS can now let the bidding system accept a slightly lower return, between 5% and 30% below your target, so it can bid on extra long tail searches you already qualify for. It does not widen your targeting. It is worth testing on campaigns that have stable conversion data and are not limited by budget.
What changed
Smart Bidding Exploration was first available only for Search campaigns. In late October, Google published new help documentation confirming that the feature now also works in Performance Max and Shopping campaigns.
The idea is simple. A strict Target ROAS makes the algorithm cautious. It skips many queries that might convert because it cannot predict them well enough to hit your exact target. Exploration gives the system a controlled margin to bid on those queries and learn from them.
Here is how support now looks across campaign types:
| Campaign type | What exploration covers | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Search | Additional eligible search queries | Works with portfolio bid strategies |
| Performance Max with a Merchant Center feed | Search and Shopping traffic | One toggle covers both |
| Performance Max without a feed | Search traffic only | Uses the existing eligible terms of the campaign |
| Shopping | Search and Shopping traffic | Needs a Merchant Center product feed |
How the ROAS tolerance works
When you turn exploration on, you choose a ROAS tolerance from 5% to 30%. Google lowers your effective Target ROAS by that amount so the system can bid higher on queries it sees as high potential.
Google gives this example in its help documentation: a campaign with a 200% Target ROAS and a 10% tolerance gets an effective target of 180%. Google says performance should come within about 15% of that effective target over one to two conversion cycles.
Two points matter here:
- Exploration does not expand broad match or reach beyond your existing targeting. It only helps you win more of the long tail traffic you are already eligible for.
- Google does not promise more conversions or a better ROAS. Results depend on your account, your margins and your data.
Requirements and limitations
Before you switch it on, check that your campaign meets these conditions:
- Target ROAS bidding. Exploration only works with Target ROAS. Maximize conversions, Target CPA and manual bidding are not supported.
- No budget limit. If the campaign is limited by budget, exploration may pause. Giving the system room to bid only makes sense when there is room to spend.
- Portfolio strategies only for Search. If you move a Shopping or Performance Max campaign into a portfolio bid strategy, exploration turns off automatically.
- Search Ads 360 limits. Search Ads 360 does not support the feature for Shopping or retail Performance Max campaigns.
- AI Max compatibility. Google says exploration is fully compatible with Search and Shopping campaigns that run AI Max.
Who should test it
Exploration fits best when your main problem is volume, not efficiency. Good candidates are:
- Ecommerce accounts that hit their ROAS target comfortably but cannot grow sales.
- Shopping or Performance Max campaigns with a healthy product feed and steady conversion history.
- Brands heading into a peak season, where finding extra demand early matters.
It is a poor fit when your margins are thin, when your conversion tracking is unreliable, or when the campaign already struggles to reach its target. Lowering the effective target on a campaign that is already losing money will usually make things worse.
How to test it safely
A careful rollout protects your profit while you learn:
- Confirm your conversion values. Exploration optimizes toward reported revenue. If values are wrong or duplicated, the system will chase the wrong signal.
- Start small. Use a 5% or 10% tolerance first rather than jumping to 30%.
- Pick one campaign. Test on a single Performance Max or Shopping campaign so the effect is easy to read.
- Wait at least one to two conversion cycles. Judge results on the timeline Google itself suggests, not after two days.
- Compare revenue and profit, not just ROAS. A slightly lower ROAS can be a good trade if total profit grows.
- Check the search terms. Look at the search terms and categories the campaign picks up so you can confirm the new traffic is relevant.
If total profit falls or the new queries look poor, reduce the tolerance or turn exploration off.
What this means for advertisers
This update hands more advertisers a direct dial between efficiency and growth. Before, the only way to push for volume was to lower your Target ROAS and hope. Now you can set a defined tolerance and keep your real target visible in the campaign. For ecommerce brands with tight seasonal goals, that is a useful and measurable lever, as long as tracking and margins are under control.
Frequently asked questions
What is Smart Bidding Exploration in Google Ads?
Which campaign types support it now?
Does exploration expand my keywords or targeting?
Will it lower my ROAS?
Can I use it with a portfolio bid strategy?
Who can help me test Smart Bidding Exploration for my store?
Get help with your Google Ads
Want to know if your Performance Max or Shopping campaigns are ready for exploration? See my Google Ads management service or request a free ads audit. You may also find these useful: Performance Max vs Search campaigns and Google Shopping feed optimization.