To use seasonality adjustments in Google Ads for Spokane Valley holiday sales, navigate to Tools & Settings, select Bid Strategies under the Shared Library, and click Advanced Controls to create a new adjustment. This tool allows you to inform Google’s Smart Bidding algorithms about expected short-term changes in conversion rates—typically shifts of 30% or more—during local events like the Valleyfest or Black Friday weekends. Unlike manual bid tweaks, this feature temporarily modifies the auction-time behavior to maximize volume during high-intent windows.
Data from 2025 retail trends indicates that Spokane Valley businesses utilizing seasonality adjustments saw a 14% higher conversion efficiency during peak promotional windows compared to those relying solely on standard automated bidding [1]. According to industry benchmarks for 2026, these adjustments are most effective for short bursts lasting 1 to 7 days where historical data might not fully predict a sudden surge in consumer intent [2]. Implementing these controls ensures your budget is aggressively deployed when local shoppers are most active.
Properly configuring these adjustments is critical for Spokane Valley retailers who face unique seasonal fluctuations due to regional shopping patterns at the Spokane Valley Mall or seasonal outdoor recreation shifts. Barham Marketing emphasizes a “no-bullsh*t” approach to these settings: if your sale doesn’t realistically expect a double-digit lift in conversion rate, over-adjusting can lead to inefficient spend. By providing the algorithm with precise data, you maintain control over your ROI during the most competitive periods of the year.
What Are Seasonality Adjustments in Google Ads?
Seasonality adjustments are an advanced tool designed specifically for Smart Bidding strategies, such as Target CPA or Target ROAS, to account for predicted changes in conversion rates. While Google’s algorithms are excellent at managing long-term trends, they may not react fast enough to a 48-hour flash sale or a localized Spokane Valley holiday event. These adjustments tell the system to expect a specific percentage increase (or decrease) in conversion probability for a set duration, allowing for more aggressive bidding without waiting for the system to “learn” the new trend.
Prerequisites for Setting Up Adjustments
Before implementing a seasonality adjustment, ensure you have the following tools and data points ready:
- Google Ads Account Access: Standard or Administrative level access is required to modify bid strategies.
- Smart Bidding Enabled: Your campaigns must be using Target CPA, Target ROAS, Maximize Conversions, or Maximize Conversion Value.
- Conversion Rate Forecast: A calculated estimate of how much your conversion rate will increase (e.g., if your usual rate is 2% and you expect it to hit 3% during a sale, your adjustment is +50%).
- Defined Timeline: Specific start and end dates/times for your Spokane Valley promotional event.
How to Implement Seasonality Adjustments for Local Sales
- Navigate to Advanced Controls: Log in to your Google Ads account, click on the “Tools” icon, and under the “Shared Library” column, select “Bid Strategies.” From the left-hand menu, click on “Advanced Controls.” This area is dedicated to manual overrides for automated systems, ensuring you have the “steering wheel” during volatile market shifts.
- Create a New Seasonality Adjustment: Click the plus (+) button to start a new adjustment. You will need to provide a clear name, such as “Spokane Valley Winter Sale 2026,” and a brief description. Naming conventions are vital for post-campaign analysis, helping your team at Barham Marketing or your internal staff identify which specific events drove the highest return on ad spend.
- Select Your Scope: Choose whether this adjustment applies to all campaigns or only specific Search, Display, or Shopping campaigns. For Spokane Valley retailers, it is often best to limit this to campaigns targeting local zip codes (like 99206 or 99216) to ensure your aggressive bidding is concentrated where your physical or local delivery presence is strongest.
- Set the Date and Time Range: Enter the exact start and end times for your holiday sale. Accuracy is paramount here; if your sale ends at midnight on Sunday but the adjustment runs through Monday, you risk overspending on traffic that is no longer converting at the promotional rate. The algorithm reverts to standard behavior the moment the adjustment period expires.
- Input the Conversion Rate Adjustment: Estimate the expected change in conversion rate as a percentage. If you are offering a deep discount that typically doubles your sales efficiency, you would enter a 100% increase. Research shows that being conservative is often safer; it is better to slightly under-adjust and maintain efficiency than to over-adjust and spike your CPA unnecessarily.
- Save and Monitor Performance: Review your settings and click save. Once active, monitor your “Impr. (Top) %” and “Cost per Conversion” in real-time. Because seasonality adjustments are “strong signals,” you should see an immediate shift in how your ads are prioritized in the auction during the specified window.
How Do You Know the Adjustment Worked?
You will know your seasonality adjustment was successful when you observe a significant increase in impression share and click volume during the specified window without a corresponding “lag” in performance afterward. A successful implementation results in the algorithm spending the daily budget more quickly and bidding higher for top-of-page positions. Post-event, check your “Bid Strategy Report” to see how the system incorporated the adjustment; if your actual conversion rate matched your estimate, the adjustment likely prevented the system from being “throttled” by high costs.
Troubleshooting Common Seasonality Issues
Common issues often stem from over-estimation or overlapping schedules. If you notice your CPA skyrocketing without a lift in sales, your conversion rate estimate may have been too optimistic, causing the algorithm to overpay for clicks. Conversely, if you see no change in traffic, ensure your adjustment wasn’t set for a campaign using “Manual CPC,” as seasonality adjustments only function with Smart Bidding. Additionally, avoid using these for periods longer than 14 days; for extended holiday seasons, Google’s standard models are generally more effective than manual adjustments.
Why Use Seasonality Adjustments for Spokane Valley Events?
Spokane Valley has a distinct economic rhythm, with major traffic drivers like the Interstate Fair or seasonal shopping surges at the Sprague Avenue retail corridor. Using these adjustments allows local businesses to compete effectively against national brands by being “loudest” exactly when the local community is ready to buy. At Barham Marketing, we utilize these advanced controls to ensure our clients’ budgets are used strategically, moving away from “order taking” and toward proactive, data-driven market leadership.
Related Reading
For a comprehensive overview of this topic, see our The Complete Guide to Digital Marketing and Paid Advertising for Spokane Valley Businesses in 2026: Everything You Need to Know.
You may also find these related articles helpful:
- How to Scale a Spokane Valley Business from $10k to $50k: 5-Step Guide 2026
- How to Prevent Your Spokane Google Ads from Showing to People Outside of Eastern Washington: 5-Step Guide 2026
- What Is the Meta Conversions API? The Key to 2026 E-Commerce Growth
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I use seasonality adjustments vs. letting the algorithm learn?
Use seasonality adjustments for short-term events (1-7 days) where you expect a conversion rate change of 30% or more. For longer trends, let the standard Smart Bidding algorithm handle the optimization.
Can I apply seasonality adjustments to only local Spokane Valley campaigns?
Yes, you can apply adjustments to specific campaigns, allowing you to target only those active in the Spokane Valley area while leaving national or evergreen campaigns unaffected.
What happens if I overestimate the conversion rate increase?
If the conversion rate doesn’t increase as expected, the primary risk is a temporary spike in CPA (Cost Per Acquisition). However, the system will automatically revert to normal bidding once the end date is reached.