Guide your campaign spending with new priority and allocation features

Marketers want more transparency into their ad campaigns and choice over how they direct their ad budgets. Building on updates like Smart Bidding Exploration and campaign total budgets, which put more control into the hands of advertisers, we’re introducing new optional controls in Google Ads: channel prioritization and budget allocation. As these controls roll out globally across Search, Shopping, Performance Max, and Demand Gen, marketers will have even greater flexibility deciding where their budgets flow across Google inventory and partner networks, like Search partners and the Google Display Network.

Choose which channels get funded first

Channel prioritization lets marketers decide where their budgets go first by categorizing inventory as “High priority” or “Low priority” for specific channels or channel groupings. When configured, campaigns will fully fund high-priority channels (within their target when using Target CPA or Target ROAS) before allocating the remaining budget to lower-priority channels. For example, on Search campaigns, marketers can now set Google Search, Search partners, and Google Display Network into different priority levels depending on what they value. In Performance Max and Demand Gen campaigns, Google surfaces like Search, YouTube, Maps, Gmail, and Discover are prioritized together as "Google channels.”

These controls are rolling out at the account and campaign levels, and also apply to shared budgets. Distinct priority tiers can be set across Search, Shopping, Performance Max, and Demand Gen campaign types.

Set spending limits with flexible budget allocation

With this update, we’re also introducing more flexible budget allocation controls at the channel level. When a channel or channel grouping is set as "Low priority," advertisers will be able to specify a maximum percentage of their daily budget to stay within their desired boundaries on those channels. On a best-effort basis, our tools will aim to keep spend on those channels within that limit. This is particularly helpful for campaigns with Target CPA or Target ROAS bidding that are not limited by budget since channel prioritization alone will generally not have an impact there.

These features give marketers more control than all-or-nothing opt-outs. Marketers who have historically opted out of Search partners and the Google Display Network can use this new lever to test these networks with more confidence and clearer limits, rather than turning them off entirely. Marketers who have campaigns currently running on Search partners or the Google Display Network have the option to set a budget allocation should they choose.

Starting in February 2027, for Search campaigns with the Google Display Network turned on, the current spend allocation setup will go away, and advertisers may see a shift in channel spending. To keep their current configuration, they can set the Google Display Network to “Low priority” with a 50% budget allocation.

These optional features are rolling out to Search, Shopping, Performance Max, and Demand Gen over the next months. With these new controls in place, marketers can confidently spend as the holidays approach and meet demand during the peak season. Learn more in our Help Center.