Google has confirmed a change to how three of its Smart Bidding strategies behave. Starting August 17, 2026, Target CPA, Target ROAS and Target CPC will deliver more closely to the target you set, even after you change a campaign budget. The campaigns most affected are the ones currently overperforming against their targets while capped by budget. Google says it will not change any targets or budgets automatically. That part is on the advertiser.
What is actually changing
Today, a budget-limited campaign can drift away from its stated target. If you set an aggressive Target CPA that the campaign could never really hit at scale, the budget cap often held spend down and the campaign ended up performing better than the target on paper. After August 17, the bidding will work harder to hit the target you wrote down, budget changes included.
The group to watch is campaigns that overperform their targets while limited by budget. If a campaign has been quietly beating its Target CPA because the budget kept it small, the new behavior can push it to spend up to the target instead. That can mean a higher CPA than you have been seeing, closer to the number you actually entered.
The Bid Target Adjustment Tool
Google released a Bid Target Adjustment Tool on July 6, 2026 to help advertisers reset targets before the switch. You can read the full detail in the Google Ads Help documentation. The tool suggests target adjustments, but nothing moves on its own. You review, you decide, you apply.
Why this matters
Plenty of accounts have leaned on aggressive targets as a soft spending brake. Set a Target CPA lower than the campaign can realistically deliver, let the budget cap do the rest, and spend stays contained while the reported CPA looks good. That trick stops working the way it used to on August 17. If you never review and reset those targets, CPAs can climb after the change with no other action on your part.
The fix is not complicated, but it does need attention before the deadline. Pull the campaigns using Target CPA, Target ROAS or Target CPC. Find the ones that are budget-limited and beating their targets. Decide what CPA or ROAS you genuinely want each one to deliver at full spend, then set the target to that number rather than to an aspirational figure that only worked because the budget held it back.
What this means for Thai marketers
Any account running Smart Bidding is in scope here, and that covers a large share of active Google Ads campaigns in Thailand. The exposure is not evenly spread. Accounts that set realistic targets and let budgets do the pacing have less to worry about. Accounts that used a low Target CPA as a stand-in for a spending limit are the ones that can see costs move after the change.
Before August 17 is a good window to audit your bid strategies and confirm each target reflects a number the campaign can actually deliver at full budget. Sound conversion measurement makes that judgement far easier, because a clean signal tells you what a realistic target even is. If your tracking has gaps, a clean GA4 measurement setup is worth sorting out first so the targets you set rest on accurate data. From there, a structured review of your Google Ads campaigns can catch the budget-limited overperformers before the change reaches them.
FAQ
Does Google change my targets or budgets automatically on August 17?
No. Google has stated it will not adjust targets or budgets for you. Any change is manual and up to the advertiser.
Which campaigns are most affected?
Campaigns using Target CPA, Target ROAS or Target CPC that currently overperform their targets while limited by budget.
What is the Bid Target Adjustment Tool?
A tool Google released on July 6, 2026 to help advertisers review and reset targets ahead of the August 17 change. It suggests adjustments but applies nothing automatically.
Next step
Give yourself time before August 17 to review the accounts that matter. If you want a second set of eyes on your bid strategies and conversion tracking ahead of the change, our team is happy to help you work through it.
