There is no separate Google Ads budget or bid control for AI Mode promotions in Google’s published guidance. Set a campaign’s budget and bidding strategy according to its goal as usual. Google’s separate Promotion mode beta can schedule temporary ROAS-tolerance changes and extra daily budget for peak periods in eligible Search and Performance Max campaigns; access is not guaranteed.
First, identify which “promotion” you mean
Google uses similar language for three different things. The settings and steps depend on which one you have in mind:
- Promotion mode: A beta feature for scheduling temporary ROAS-tolerance changes and extra daily budget during a demand peak.
- Promotions shown to shoppers: Google has described advertising tests and Direct Offers in AI Mode. These are ad formats and offers, not a separate advertiser budget or bid strategy.
- Google Ads promotional credits: Conditional credits applied to future advertising costs after an account meets the offer’s requirements. They are not cash back or a refund.
The distinction matters: an offer shown to a shopper does not itself tell you how much to spend, and an advertiser credit is not a campaign budget setting.
Set the campaign budget and bidding strategy
Choose the outcome first, then set the budget separately. Google says an average daily budget controls overall spend when automated bidding is used; automated bidding adjusts bids, so you do not need to set a maximum bid for it. Google’s setup guidance gives Maximize conversions as an example for sales or leads and Maximize clicks when the goal is click volume. See Google’s bid-strategy and budget setup guidance.
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Choose a strategy that matches the outcome
| What you want to optimize | Strategies Google maps to that goal |
|---|---|
| Clicks | Maximize clicks, an example Google gives when the goal is clicks. |
| Conversion volume, such as sales or leads | Maximize conversions or Target CPA. |
| Conversion value or return on ad spend | Maximize conversion value or Target ROAS. |
Google describes Smart Bidding as using auction-time optimization. Some strategies depend on historical conversion data, and the amount needed varies by campaign type; Google does not establish one universal data threshold. Review Google’s Smart Bidding overview before choosing a strategy.
Set and review the spend limit
The budget affects how often ads can show and how many clicks or conversions may result. Google’s budget guidance says that if a campaign is limited by budget but generating conversions at a reasonable CPA, you can consider raising its budget to capture more demand. If it spends well below its budget and ads are not showing as often as the budget allows, Google suggests considering keyword or location expansion. These are options to assess, not a promise that added spend will be profitable. After a change, review performance and use Budget Simulator or Performance Planner for projections where available. Details are in Google’s budget guidance.
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What Promotion mode changes
Google describes Promotion mode as a beta for peak periods such as seasonal events, flash sales and product launches. It lets advertisers schedule temporary changes to ROAS tolerance and add extra daily budget. Google identifies Search and Performance Max as supported campaign types in its announcement. The ROAS-tolerance adjustment can also be used with campaign total budgets. Read Google’s Promotion mode announcement.
Plan a peak-period change
- Set the campaign’s normal objective, budget and bidding target first.
- Define the promotion dates and the additional spend limit that makes sense for the offer’s economics.
- If Promotion mode is available to your account, schedule the temporary ROAS-tolerance and budget changes for the peak period.
- After the promotion, assess results against its economics before deciding whether to repeat or adjust the change. This is a practical way to evaluate the feature, not a Google-prescribed setup recipe.
Google calls Promotion mode a beta and directs interested advertisers to contact their account team. Its public announcement does not give a complete eligibility list, account rollout schedule or recommended tolerance value, so do not assume the feature is available in every account.
What Google has announced for ads in AI Mode
Google’s May 20, 2026 announcement describes tests of two AI Mode ad formats: Conversational Discovery ads, which use tailored creative in response to a user’s question, and Highlighted Answers, where eligible relevant ads can appear in a recommendation list. Google says these ads remain labeled “Sponsored.” The announcement also says its Direct Offers pilot is expanding, allowing brands to upload offers such as discounts, giveaways and local coupons. Promotion bundling, native checkout for Universal Commerce Protocol merchants and travel offers were described as forthcoming, not as generally available features. See Google’s AI-era Search ads announcement.
That announcement does not describe a dedicated AI Mode budget or bid strategy. Google positions AI Max for Search, AI Max for Shopping and Performance Max as ways to build an advertising foundation, but it does not say that every advertiser must use all three or that any one guarantees AI Mode placement.
Google also reports that 75% of people in a Google-commissioned Ipsos Global Consumer Journeys online survey said they made faster, more confident decisions using AI Mode in Search. The December 2025 survey covered 13,189 adults aged 18 or older who had made a considered consumer-goods purchase in the preceding week and used Google AI Overviews and/or AI Mode for shopping; the global average covered selected countries and was not weighted to reflect population size. That result describes this surveyed group, not all shoppers.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.If you mean a Google Ads promotional credit
Check the Promotions page in your Google Ads account and read the exact offer terms. Offers are selective and have their own qualification rules; Google says credits are applied to future advertising costs after requirements are met, and processing after qualification can take up to 35 days. Its general eligibility categories for new advertisers include an account less than 14 days old at redemption, a valid payment method and no previous Google Ads advertising for the same business through another account. Offers for existing advertisers may be tied to adopting features or reactivating dormant accounts. These are general categories, not a substitute for the terms of your specific offer. See Google’s promotional-offer help page.
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