Google is introducing a significant update to how average daily budgets are paced in campaigns that use ad scheduling — and it could materially increase monthly spend for some advertisers.
The change, rolling out from 1 March, adjusts how Google distributes budget across campaigns that run only on selected days or hours.
What is changing?
Under the new logic:
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The existing rule allowing up to 2x daily overspend remains in place.
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The 30.4x average daily budget monthly cap remains unchanged.
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Campaigns will still not run outside scheduled hours or days.
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However, Google will now proactively pace spend to reach the full 30.4x monthly ceiling — even if ads run only part-time.
In practice, this means Google will push harder to use the entire allowable monthly budget within the campaign’s active schedule.
A simple example
Consider a campaign that:
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Runs only on weekends
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Has a $100 daily budget
Previously, spend may have aligned naturally with the limited number of active days — roughly eight days per month — leading to total spend of about $800.
Under the new pacing approach, Google may spend up to $200 (2x the daily budget) on each active day. That could bring total monthly spend closer to $1,600 — effectively doubling previous outlay while still remaining within billing caps.
Why this matters
Many advertisers rely on ad scheduling to control spend — for example, running ads only during weekends, evenings or peak trading hours. Historically, this structure often resulted in lower total monthly spend because the budget was effectively constrained by fewer active days.
With the update, that natural suppression disappears.
Google will now attempt to maximise spend within the permitted schedule to hit the full monthly allowance. For brands that set daily budgets with an assumed limited monthly outcome, this could lead to overshooting planned marketing targets.
The strategic impact
This update does not raise budget limits. Instead, it changes how assertively Google uses them.
For performance-focused advertisers optimising toward conversions or revenue targets, the impact may vary depending on demand signals and bidding strategy. But for brands tightly managing cash flow, retail calendars or promotional windows, recalibration may be necessary.
The change also reflects a broader trend in automated ad platforms: systems are increasingly designed to fully utilise allocated budgets unless explicitly constrained.
What advertisers should do now
To avoid unintended increases:
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Audit campaigns using ad scheduling.
Identify which campaigns run on limited days or hours. -
Recalculate true monthly goals.
Work backwards from your intended monthly spend — not from daily assumptions. -
Adjust daily budgets accordingly.
Lower daily budgets if you previously relied on restricted schedules to limit total spend. -
Monitor performance closely during rollout.
Watch for sudden increases in cost, impression volume or pacing behaviour.
A broader takeaway
Brands will always need media, and platforms will always optimise toward fuller budget utilisation. As automation becomes more aggressive, advertisers must be equally proactive in defining financial guardrails.
This update is less about raising ceilings and more about how quickly those ceilings are reached. For marketers, clarity on pacing mechanics is no longer optional — it is essential to maintaining control over both performance and profit.