How can we help you?
How can we help you?
The following table provides issues that affect Folder performance. How to identify the cause and corrective actions for each issue is listed in the following section.
| Issue | Folder below CPL Target (or above Margin Target) | Folder above CPL Target (or below Margin Target) |
| Keywords Position Capped | • |
|
| Bid Override | • | • |
| Google Optimizer | • | • |
| Conversion Rate / Value Change | • | • |
| Headroom % Change | • | • |
| Some historical dates do not reflect expected performance | • | • |
| Using Min Bid Setting |
| • |
| Latent Conversions / Revenue |
| • |
| Keyword bids using Max. CPL (or Min. Margin %) -i.e., below Min Bid |
| • |
| Lack of Inventory |
| • |
Several of the better performing Keywords may already be in the number one position. Increasing the Boost will increase ad spend on other Keywords which will allow the Folder to hit the CPL or Margin target.
Corrective action: Increase Boost to increase ad spend on less efficient keywords that are not in the top position.
Identify: Filter on Override column for either 'Position' or 'On' in the Keywords tab (or subtab within a Folder), to determine if keywords are set to Override.
Corrective action: Remove Groups containing Keywords on override from Folder or turn off Override.
Marin cannot bid on any Campaigns that are set to use Google Optimizer.
Identify: Google keywords that have a $0 Search Bid and a $0 Group Search Bid are in a Campaign that is using Google Optimizer. Or, drill into a specific Campaign > Settings > Advanced Settings > Bidding Options to see if the Use Google conversion optimizer radio button is checked.
Corrective action: Place all Campaigns that are using Google Optimizer in a separate Folder for easier tracking or turn off Google Optimizer.
No corrective action is needed. The bidding algorithm adapts to the most recent data.
The Headroom % is typically between 10-40% for most Folders. The Headroom % for a Folder does not typically change unless Groups are added, removed, or paused.
Corrective action: Add the Headroom % and Boost columns to the Folder tab. Use the last two weeks of data to determine Headroom % and adjust the Boost accordingly.
Any historical dates that do not reflect expected performance (e.g., days with promotions, holidays, bad conversion/revenue data) should be excluded from bidding.
Identify: Confirm that Conversions data is accurate for all historical dates not excluded from bidding. History tabs can be viewed at the account level or the Folder level to quickly check if conversions appear accurate for all history.
Corrective action: Exclude dates either at the account level (Admin > Optimization > Excluded Dates) or the Folder level (Settings > Excluded Dates) depending on where the data needs to be excluded from.
Identify: Check the Folder > Settings > Bidding page to see if Always keep above bid for first page /Minimum Bid box is checked.
Corrective action: Uncheck the Always keep above bid for first page / Minimum Bid box on the Folder > Settings > Bidding page.
Corrective action: Wait until >95% of Conversions (and corresponding Revenue) have been uploaded for a date range before checking if the Folder is meeting financial objectives.
If Marin calculates a bid that is below the publisher specified Min bid (first page bid), Marin will automatically increase the bid up to the lesser of the Min Bid or the Bid that would achieve the Max. CPL Target. Most clients prefer specifying a Max. CPL, because it helps maintain volume.
Identify: Add the Search Bid and Min Bid columns to the Keywords tab. A keyword bid is being increased (to hit the Max. CPL) if the Search Bid is less than or equal to the Min Bid.
Corrective action: Change the Max. CPL (or Min. Margin %) target in the Folder Bid Settings page. Set the Max. CPL Target equal to the Folder CPL target to turn this feature off. For example, to target a $2 CPL, set both the CPL Target and the Max. CPL Target to $2.
In the lead generation vertical, it is common to run out of inventory. When this happens, it no longer makes sense to bid on affected groups.
Identify: Look at the Rev/Click in the History subtab of the entire account or an individual Folder. The Rev/Click typically drops if there is no inventory, but users are still clicking on the ads.
Corrective action: The most effective method to reduce ad spend after running out of inventory is to Pause affected groups and later unpause the groups when the inventory is replenished. With this methodology, no changes to the bidding solution need to be made.