Advertisers with Media Optimizer Premium Only

(Facebook Accounts) Build Target-centric Ad Sets

Facebook requires the same targeting for all ads within an ad set.

The best practice is to use a unique set of targets for each ad set; don't duplicate any of the targets in another ad set. You can configure multiple targets for each ad within an ad set, but you must use targets that are used exclusively for that ad set.

You can also include one general ad set with broader targets, which can overlap with the targets used in the other ad sets.

Create Separate Campaigns for Search and Content

For search engine accounts, create ad groups for search networks and content networks in separate campaigns to prevent any algorithmic changes that the search engine makes to its content network from affecting spend on search, and vice versa.

It's especially important to create separate search and content campaigns in Google AdWords because Media Optimizer can't optimize bids for Display Select (combined search and content) campaigns; Google doesn't provide data from the Google Display Network for Display Select campaigns. However, Media Optimizer can still optimize ad group-level bids for content-only campaigns.

(Dynamic Search Ads) Create Separate Ad Groups for Each Dynamic Search Target.

When you create a campaign for dynamic search ads, create one ad group per dynamic search target, and include another ad group that targets all criteria.

Create Separate Campaigns for Regions with Unique Conversion Rates

Use the Geo Distribution Report to see the geographical distribution of your site traffic and conversions. Based on the revenue per click for each region, create separate campaigns for any regions whose conversion rates are significantly different than the others. Do not replicate tail terms in these campaigns.

(Retail Businesses) Create Separate Campaigns for Each Vertical and Separate Ad Groups for Each Brand

This prevents any changes in user behavior, channel algorithms, and the quality scores for one vertical or brand from affecting spend on the others. It also gives you the flexibility to put the campaigns in separate portfolios if seasonality creates dramatic changes in performance.

(Retail Businesses) Create a Separate Campaign for Product Listing Ads

If you advertise for products in Google Merchant Center or Bing Shopping, create a separate campaign for the ads to better track their performance. Within the campaign, create one ad group for each product target. Include an ad group that targets all products, with the lowest bid you're willing to pay for a click for any product, to ensure coverage of your full product line.

Make Sure Ads and Landing Pages Are Relevant

All ad copies or images must follow the search engine, social network, or display network's guidelines and should give users an accurate idea of what to expect when they go to your landing page. In addition, the ad copy should follow best practices to ensure good performance, and you should test all ad copy. The optimization capability ranks the ads for each portfolio using the click-through rate and the revenue per click to identify the highest-performing ads; based on this information, the "Status Recommendation" column on the Ads tab includes a recommendation for whether you should keep (Hold) or pause (Pause) each ad to ensure that business and optimization objectives are met.

In addition, the landing page should provide the expected information and provide a positive user experience. If you test different page layouts and messaging for your landing pages, you'll be able to provide the best possible user experience and, as a result, improve your conversion rates.

Note:  Ad copy and landing page testing services are available at no cost for advertisers with full-service contracts.

Use Exact Match for Brand Keywords

If you have search engine accounts, create exact match keywords for each of your brand terms.

Constrain Brand Keywords to High Positions When They Warrant It

In some cases, it's beneficial to ensure that your brand keywords are always shown in the top sponsored ad positions on search engines, but first you should to determine which brand terms are worth constraining to high positions and which are not. By studying the patterns of paid search keywords in conversion path trends, you can determine whether or not brand terms warrant high exposure. When they do, you can implement position constraints on those terms.

For campaigns with Media Optimizer conversion tracking, use the Keyword Assist Report to study the mix of paid search keywords in each conversion path. When a large number of brand-to-non-brand conversions occur for a keyword — even if they don't involve direct conversions on the brand keyword — then placing the brand keyword in a high position will improve overall conversions for the portfolio. For example, if you see that 480 conversions occurred when users first clicked an ad for the brand keyword "Acme Shoes," then clicked an ad for the non-brand keyword "leather shoes," you can conclude that the brand keyword led to those conversions and is worth bidding to top positions.

For more tips on determining if you should use keyword constraints on your brand keywords, see "Adjust the Brand Strategy." For more information about bid unit constraints, see "About Labels and Constraints."

Create Negative Keywords and Websites as Appropriate

Typically, you should create negative keywords only for search terms that receive impressions but never lead to conversions. Similarly, you should exclude websites only when ads on specific sites produce impressions but never lead to conversions, or of course if the site is prohibited because of the advertiser's business policies.

Caution:  Use caution in excluding sites from your campaigns because content and market changes may rapidly change the value of a site's traffic.