Summary
Use store sales and app history signals as instructions. The bidder is bidding the minimum because the only value it can see is online, so a user near a retail store looks worthless to it. Importing store sales and app conversions and setting them as primary goals gives Smart Bidding the proof it needs to bid up on those auctions.
Nitin Batra is a Google Ads Search certified professional who manages Smart Bidding strategies with imported store sales and app conversion data for multi-location retail advertisers.
Last updated: August 22, 2026
To improve the bidder’s conviction on a query like “running shoe”, use store sales and app history signals as instructions so Smart Bidding can see offline and in-app value and bid confidently on nearby, high-value users.
- Add more exact match keywords.
- Increase the daily budget by 20%.
- Use store sales and app history signals as instructions.
- Switch to a manual CPC strategy.
The correct answer is: Use store sales and app history signals as instructions.
Key Takeaways
- – The marketer should use store sales and app history signals as instructions so the bidder has offline and in-app conversion evidence to act on.
- – Import store sales and app conversions under Goals then Conversions, and set them as primary goals so Smart Bidding actually counts them in the bid calculation.
- – Smart Bidding bids to the value it can measure, so any revenue that stays outside Google Ads is invisible and pulls bids down.
- – Adding more exact match keywords, raising budget or moving to manual CPC does not fix the problem, because none of them tell the bidder that nearby users convert offline.
Why does Smart Bidding bid low when store visits are not tracked?
The bidding system calculates a bid from the expected conversion value of that auction. If offline purchases never reach the account, those clicks appear to generate zero value and the algorithm reduces the bid to protect CPA or ROAS. Once store visits or store sales conversions are imported and marked as primary, the same auctions start showing measurable value and bids rise.
Where do I import store sales data in Google Ads?
Go to Goals, then Conversions, then Summary, and choose New conversion action followed by Import. From there you can upload store sales data directly, use a store sales data partner, or connect offline conversion imports with GCLID or enhanced conversions for leads. Store visits, where eligible, appear automatically once location extensions and verified store locations are linked through Google Business Profile.
Is a store visit conversion the same as a store sales conversion?
No. A store visit is a modelled estimate that someone who clicked your ad later entered your physical location. A store sale is an actual transaction you upload with revenue attached. Store sales give the bidder value data, which is what tROAS and Maximise conversion value need, while store visits mainly give volume signals.
How long before Smart Bidding reacts to newly imported store and app conversions?
Expect a learning period of roughly one to two weeks, or until the campaign accumulates enough of the new conversion type to model on. Upload offline data on a regular schedule, ideally daily or every few days, because delayed uploads mean the bidder learns from stale information. Avoid large bid strategy or target changes during that window.