Google Ads
Google Ads Promotion Mode: How to Run a Black Friday Sale Without Wrecking Your ROAS
Google has published a help page for Promotion Mode, a beta setting built for short sales. Here is what it changes, what it needs from your account, and how to use it without burning margin.
Key takeaways
- Promotion Mode is a Google Ads setting for sales that last 3 to 14 days. It lowers your Target ROAS for that window and can add an extra daily budget.
- Google describes it as an open beta, so it may not appear in every account yet. Check your campaign settings before you plan around it.
- It only works on Search and Performance Max campaigns that use campaign-level Target ROAS. Target CPA and Maximize Conversion Value are not covered.
- Google says new campaigns should be built at least 48 hours before the promotion starts. For Black Friday on 27 November, that means getting set up by 25 November.
- Work out your break-even ROAS first. A lower target only helps if the extra sales still leave you with profit.
What changed
On 4 November 2026, Google Ads published a help page called About Promotion Mode, Google Ads Help. Search Engine Roundtable reported the new document the same day. The page describes a setting for short sales: you pick a start and end date, and Google temporarily lowers your Target ROAS and, if you want, adds extra daily budget for that window.
Google labels it an open beta. That matters. Beta features can change, and not every account sees them at the same time. Everything below comes from that help page, and where something is our own judgement we say so.
What Promotion Mode does
Normal Target ROAS bidding holds your return steady, which is exactly what you do not want when you are trying to win more volume during a sale. Promotion Mode lets you relax the target for a fixed period so the system can bid on a wider range of searches. Google says it is powered by Smart Bidding Exploration.
When the promotion ends, your original Target ROAS and budget come back. You do not have to remember to reverse anything.
Google gives this example: a campaign with a 500% Target ROAS and a $100 daily budget, a 20% tolerance and a $50 extra daily budget. For the five days of the promotion, the effective target becomes 400% and the daily budget becomes $150.
Who can use it today
The requirements are fairly narrow, so read this list before you build a plan around it.
- Campaign types: standard Search and Performance Max. Google says Retail support is due in November 2026.
- Bidding: Target ROAS only, set at campaign level. Portfolio bid strategies and shared budgets are not supported for now.
- Length: 3 to 14 days.
- Tolerance: you can lower the Target ROAS by 5% to 90%.
- Extra budget: optional, and only for campaigns on an average daily budget. With a campaign total budget you raise the total yourself.
- Performance Max: the exploration effect applies to the Search portion only, so a campaign that serves mostly on other channels will see less impact.
If your account runs Target CPA or Maximize Conversion Value, this setting is not for you yet. Do not switch bidding strategy a few weeks before Black Friday just to use a beta feature.
How to set it up
Google lists these steps for an eligible campaign.
- In Google Ads, go to Campaigns, then open the campaign’s Settings.
- Under Budget and bidding optimization, expand the Promotion mode panel.
- Tick the box to ramp up spend on promotion dates.
- Enter a start date and an end date, 3 to 14 days apart.
- Set your Target ROAS tolerance.
- Add an extra daily budget if you want one, then save.
During a live promotion you cannot move the start date. You can shorten the end date, or extend it as long as the whole window stays within 14 days. Baseline targets and budgets can only be changed from inside the Promotion Mode settings while it is active.
What it means for your Black Friday plan
The risk with any sale is chasing revenue that does not pay. A lower Target ROAS buys more clicks and more orders, but each order returns less per ad dollar. So start with your numbers, not the slider.
Break-even ROAS is simply 1 divided by your profit margin before ad spend. If your margin after product cost and shipping is 40%, break-even is 250%. A campaign sitting at 500% has plenty of room. A campaign at 300% does not, and a 20% tolerance would push it to 240%, below break-even. Those figures are an illustration, not a benchmark. Use your own margin.
In our experience the safest approach is to start with a modest tolerance and check results daily. If you see that sales are rising but profit is not, tighten the window rather than hoping the final days make up for it. This is our judgement, not a Google recommendation.
Mistakes to avoid
Google’s own guidance points to several traps.
- Building the campaign too late. New campaigns should be ready at least 48 hours before the start date. Existing campaigns should already have run for at least one full conversion cycle on a daily budget.
- Capping the budget. If the campaign is budget-limited, exploration may stop working. Leave headroom.
- Setting CPC bid limits. Google advises against them during a promotion.
- Overreacting afterwards. If you changed targets and budgets a lot, allow one to two conversion cycles for performance to settle before judging the results.
- Weak tracking. Promotion Mode optimises toward the conversion value you report. If purchase tracking is wrong, a looser target simply scales the error.
What to do next
Black Friday 2026 falls on 27 November and Cyber Monday on 30 November. Here is a sensible order of work.
- Check whether Promotion Mode appears in your campaign settings, and which campaigns qualify.
- Confirm purchase tracking and conversion values are accurate this week.
- Calculate break-even ROAS for your main products.
- Choose your dates, within 14 days, and set the tolerance and extra budget.
- Review results daily and be ready to shorten the window.
If you would rather have an expert check your account before the sale, our Google Ads management team can review your setup, and our Shopify store work covers the tracking and product feed side. Get in touch for a free audit.
Sources
- Google Ads Help: About Promotion Mode, Google Ads Help (reviewed 5 November 2026; the page shows no update date).
- Search Engine Roundtable: Google Ads New Help Document For Promotion Mode, 4 November 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What is Google Ads Promotion Mode?
It is a setting for short sales. You choose a start and end date, and Google temporarily lowers your Target ROAS and can add an extra daily budget during that window. Your normal targets return when the promotion ends. Google describes it as an open beta.
How long can a Promotion Mode promotion run?
Between 3 and 14 days. During a live promotion you cannot change the start date, but you can shorten the end date or extend it, provided the total stays within 14 days.
Does Promotion Mode work with Target CPA or Maximize Conversion Value?
No. Google says it is for campaigns using Target ROAS at campaign level. It is not compatible with portfolio bid strategies or shared budgets at the moment.
Which campaign types support Promotion Mode?
Standard Search and Performance Max campaigns. In Performance Max the exploration effect applies to the Search portion, so campaigns that mostly serve on other channels will see a smaller impact. Google says Retail support is planned for November 2026.
How much can I lower my Target ROAS?
You set a tolerance between 5% and 90%. In Google’s example, a 500% Target ROAS with a 20% tolerance becomes an effective 400%.
Will Promotion Mode make me spend more than my daily budget?
Only if you choose to add an extra daily budget, which is optional and available for average daily budget campaigns. Google says standard spending limits still apply, so you will not be billed more than twice your daily budget in a single day.
How early should I set up a Black Friday campaign?
Google advises building new campaigns at least 48 hours before the promotion starts, and says existing campaigns should have run for at least one full conversion cycle on a daily budget. For a start on Black Friday, 27 November 2026, aim to be ready by 25 November.
Is Promotion Mode the same as seasonality adjustments?
No. Google says Promotion Mode is scoped at the campaign strategy level, while seasonality adjustments can apply at campaign-type level. Promotion Mode also always uses Smart Bidding Exploration while a promotion is active.
Where we can help
Want a second pair of eyes on your sale setup before 27 November? We will review your account and tell you plainly what is worth changing.
Keep reading
Planning a Black Friday push?
Tell us about your store and your margins. We will check your tracking, bidding and budget before the sale starts.
Written by the MAQ Digital Media team. Platform features, policies and interfaces change often, so check each platform’s current help documentation before acting on any step. Last reviewed 5 November 2026.