Target Impression Share Bid Strategy [Full Tutorial]

Target Impression Share is an automated bid strategy that sets your bids to show your ads a specific percentage of the time in your chosen position on the search results page. Instead of optimising for conversions or clicks, Google adjusts your CPC bids to hit your impression share target — making it ideal for campaigns focused on brand visibility or competitive presence.

The three options determine where on the results page Google aims to show your ad: Anywhere on results page targets any ad position and is the most flexible; Top of results page (positions 1–4) targets the first block of ads above organic results; Absolute top of results page (position 1) targets the very first ad slot and typically requires the highest bids. More restrictive placements give Google less room to find impressions, so cost per impression tends to rise as you move down the list.

It depends on your goal and budget. For brand campaigns (where you own the keywords), targeting 90–100% absolute top impression share is common and cost-effective because competition is low. For competitive campaigns, targeting 80–90% top impression share is more realistic — aiming for 100% in a competitive space can drive CPCs up dramatically with diminishing returns. Start with a moderate target and review CPC impact before increasing.

Yes, setting a maximum CPC bid limit is strongly recommended — without one, Google can set very high bids to chase your impression share target, especially in competitive auctions. Set the cap based on your acceptable cost per click. Note that if your max CPC is too low, Google may not be able to reach your impression share target, so monitor Impression Share Lost (due to Rank) to find the right balance.

Yes, but with caution. For competitor campaigns (bidding on a competitor's branded keywords), Target Impression Share can help you consistently appear alongside competitor searches. However, for general non-brand keywords where you want leads or sales, it is usually better to use conversion-focused strategies like Target CPA or Target ROAS — visibility alone does not guarantee business results.

Maximise Clicks optimises bids to get as many clicks as possible within your budget — it prioritises traffic volume. Target Impression Share optimises bids to show your ad in a specific position a target percentage of the time — it prioritises visibility and presence. Use Maximise Clicks when you want volume and have no conversion tracking; use Target Impression Share when consistent placement (especially for brand terms) matters more than raw click volume.