Bid Strategy · Lifecycle
Cost Cap, Manual, Automated. Per Phase.
What Bid Strategies Actually Do
Cost cap signals to Meta: keep the average cost per result below threshold X. Manual signals: bid exactly X per result. Automated lets Meta decide. Each has a phase where it wins and a phase where it loses.
01
Cold
Cost Cap: Optimal
02
Mid
Manual: Optimal
03
Hot
Automated: Optimal
The Phase Logic
- Cold-broad scaling: cost cap with a clear threshold (~80% of target CPA)
- Mid-funnel optimization: manual with a bid at 110% of the historical median
- Hot-audience retargeting: automated with a clear account-median limit
- Switch when frequency > 2.8 or ROAS drops below 0.8x target
Example
Running cost cap on a hot audience kills scaling. Running automated on cold burns budget. Phase match is non-negotiable.
When to Switch
Switch triggers are not gut feel. CPM stability over 14 days plus frequency below 2.2 plus audience coverage above 60% triggers a switch from cost cap to manual. Manual with ROAS stability and a CPM drop triggers a switch to automated.
„Bid strategy is a lifecycle choice, not a default setting.”