65% of advertisers use Google Ads Seasonality Adjustments for Black Friday sales

Adriaan Dekker, a Google Ads specialist, conducted a LinkedIn poll asking advertisers about their use of seasonality adjustments for Black Friday campaigns. The poll, which gathered 169 votes, revealed that 65% of respondents implement this advanced Google Ads feature to manage conversion rate fluctuations during the shopping event.

According to the LinkedIn poll by Adriaan Dekker, 65% of advertisers utilize seasonality adjustments for their Black Friday campaigns, while 35% do not implement this feature. The data suggests a significant adoption rate among Google Ads professionals for managing major shopping events.

According to Google Ads Help documentation, seasonality adjustments serve as an advanced tool designed to inform Smart Bidding systems about expected changes in conversion rates during promotional events. The system enables advertisers to prepare their campaigns for significant performance fluctuations during short-term sales events.

The feature applies to multiple campaign types:

• Search campaigns
• Standard Shopping campaigns
• Display campaigns with target ROAS and target CPA bid strategies
• Performance Max campaigns
• App campaigns (beta) using all bid strategies

Google Ads documentation outlines the specific steps for implementing seasonality adjustments:

1. Access the Tools menu in Google Ads
2. Navigate to Budgets and bidding
3. Select Adjustments
4. Choose the Seasonal option
5. Click the blue plus button for a new adjustment
6. Select Conversion rate under Adjustment type
7. Name the adjustment and add an optional description
8. Set event start and end dates
9. Define the scope by selecting campaign types or specific campaigns
10. Input the expected conversion rate adjustment percentage
11. Save and create the seasonality adjustment

Duration and performance considerations

The documentation emphasizes specific timing recommendations:

• Optimal duration: 1-7 days
• Maximum recommended period: 14 days
• Smart Bidding already manages regular seasonal changes
• No negative adjustment needed after the promotion ends

For larger advertisers and agencies, Google Ads provides manager account capabilities:

• Ability to apply adjustments across multiple client accounts
• Option to select campaign types within all linked accounts
• Functionality to choose specific campaigns across accounts
• Maximum limit of 2,000 campaigns per seasonality event

Black Friday represents a prime example of when seasonality adjustments become crucial for campaign optimization. During this major shopping event, conversion rates typically experience significant fluctuations compared to regular trading periods.

For example, if an advertiser anticipates a 50% increase in conversion rates during Black Friday, they can schedule a corresponding adjustment. This informs the Smart Bidding system to optimize bids accordingly during the event period, maximizing campaign performance during these peak trading hours.

The timing of Black Friday requires careful consideration when implementing seasonality adjustments:

• Pre-Black Friday Period
  • Plan adjustments at least 24 hours before the event
  • Consider early-bird sales and pre-Black Friday promotions
  • Account for different time zones if operating internationally
• Black Friday Event Window
  • Core promotional period typically lasts 24-72 hours
  • Falls within the optimal 1-7 day window recommended by Google
  • Matches the tool's design for short-term conversion rate changes
• Extended Sale Period
  • Cyber Monday often follows Black Friday
  • Total promotional period may extend up to 7 days
  • Remains within Google's recommended maximum 14-day adjustment period

According to the Google Ads Help Center, advertisers should analyze historical data when setting adjustment levels:

• Previous year's Black Friday performance
• Recent promotional event conversion rates
• Seasonal trends from the current year
• Competitive market conditions
• Changes in promotional strategy

The system allows for conversion rate adjustments based on:

• Expected increase in conversion volume
• Anticipated changes in customer behavior
• Historical performance during similar events
• Current market conditions
• Promotional intensity

Additional facts about Black Friday seasonality adjustments:

• Ideal for short-term sales events like Black Friday
• Can be scheduled in advance
• Supports multiple campaign types simultaneously
• Automatically reverts after the specified period
• Requires no manual adjustment post-event
• Can be managed across multiple accounts
• Supports international time zones
• Compatible with various bidding strategies
• Allows for device-specific adjustments
• Enables campaign-level customization

Key Facts

• 65% of polled advertisers use seasonality adjustments for Black Friday
• Poll gathered 169 responses on LinkedIn
• Tool supports multiple campaign types and bidding strategies
• Implementation requires manual setup through Google Ads interface
• Feature works best for short-term events (1-7 days)
• Manager accounts can control adjustments across multiple clients
• System automatically returns to normal bidding post-event
• Campaign limitation: 2,000 campaigns per event
• No negative adjustment required after promotion ends
• Available for Search, Shopping, Display, Performance Max, and App campaigns