Bidding Software to Manage Google Bids

Any feedback from those that have tried it?

[scout]

We're investigating using a bidding software to manage about 30 campaigns and about 20,000 keywords. This software uses rules based bidding to bid to position,CPC, and/or ROI.

I have no qualms about trying something like this at Overture where the bids are so static, but what about Google where every CPC is a unique auction?

It seems like bidding software would have too difficult of time making the correct bids with the complexities presented at Google using their algorythm of max CPC x CTR x rank.

I would like to hear feedback of anyone that has tried to use bidding software to manage Google campaigns.

What worked and what didn't? Do you recommend a bidding software for use at Google that uses rules based bidding? Or is the old fashioned manual way still the best?

[Eurydice]

I tested an automated bid management (ABM) tool a few months ago. But ABM can't manage the strategy. For example, you have to check the Adgroups every day for at least the first month in order to weed out KWs that aren't on-topic. You have to write six to nine ads and test those to find the ones with the best CTR, delete the weak CTR, and then write more ads that are variations of the winners. No automation tool can do this for you. ABM is like cruise control on your car: it's great on the freeway in Nevada, but you still have to drive the car.

[scout]

Did it position your bids where you wanted them, or did you rely on using the Google interface to assign max CPCs?

I am really hesitant to put anything on autopilot at Google that uses rules based bidding using metrics like ROAS and ROI.