Using Algorithmic Optimization


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Algorithmic optimization maximizes a campaign's performance by adjusting bid prices and status to reach the tactic's KPI goals. See Optimization for more information.

After setting up algorithmic optimization, select the domains and exchanges that you want the tactic to run on and finish setting up your tactic.

Even after turning on optimization, you should still check tactics regularly to make sure that they're achieving the results that you're looking for. For help troubleshooting tactic performance, contact Basis Support.

To enable algorithmic optimization:

  1. Go to the Tactic Editor:

    1. Select Main Menu [] > Campaigns.

    2. Select the campaign and media plan.

    3. From the tactic's Options [], select Edit.

  2. On the Optimization tab, select Algorithmic.

    The algorithmic radio button option in the optimization tab

  3. Select an Optimization level: Placement or Domain.

    Optimizing by domains considers all placements in the domain together. See Switching Between Optimization by Placements and Domain for more information.

  4. Select the Goal Type:

    • Cost Per Click (eCPC): The cost to acquire a click.

    • Cost Per Acquisition (eCPA): The cost to acquire an acquisition or a conversion.

      • If you want to only include primary conversions in the optimization, select Optimize for primary conversion. The tactic must have at least one primary conversion it you select this option.

    • Cost Per Completed Video (eCPCV): The cost to run a video to completion.

    • Click-Thru Rate (CTR): The ratio of clicks to impressions.

    • Video Completion Rate (VCR) The percentage of video views that were 100% viewed.

    If the tactic is already optimized and you change its goal type, optimized bids reset to the tactic's default value and the learning period begins again. Any domains, exchanges, and placements that stopped bidding will remain off.

  5. Enter the target Goal:

    • Cost Per Click (eCPC): The maximum cost per click that your tactic should reach (between $0.01 and $100.00).
    • Cost Per Acquisition (eCPA): The maximum cost per acquisition that your tactic should reach. Must be between $0.01 and $10,000.
    • Cost Per Completed Video (eCPCV): The maximum cost per completed video view that your tactic should reach. It must be a value between $0.001 and $100.000.
    • Click-Through Rate (CTR): The minimum click-through rate that your tactic should achieve. It must be a value between 0.01% and 10.00%.
    • Video Completion Rate (VCR) The minimum video completion rate that your tactic should achieve. It must be a value between 0.01% and 100.00%.

  6. On the General tab, enter the Max Bid, which is the largest CPM allowed for the tactic ($0.15 - $100.00 USD).

    As of October 18, 2023, the separate max bid amounts for bid multipliers and optimization have been replaced by the new Max Bid on the General tab. The separate max bids are no longer available for new tactics. Existing tactics that use bid multipliers and optimization will continue to use the old max bids, but you can't edit them. To change the max bid for existing tactics, enter the Max Bid on the General tab. After saving, the separate max bids for bid multipliers and optimization are removed from the tactic.

  7. Under Advanced Settings, select On to access more options. You should change all of the default values for the advanced options based on the tactic's goals.

    The advanced setting section with the fields described below

    For eCPC, eCPA, and eCPCV:

    1. Enter the Min Bid, which is the smallest CPM amount allowed for the tactic. The minimum bid should be smaller than the tactic's Default Bid.

      • By default, the optimizer turns placements or domains off when they reach the minimum bid. Select Keep placements/domains on when they reach the Min Bid to force them to stay on at the minimum bid value.

    2. Enter the Learn Budget, which is the amount of money spent while learning how the tactic performs on different domains and placements. This is the minimum amount of the tactic's total media spend required before the optimizer starts changing the CPM bid prices of individual placements or domains. The Learn Budget must be lower than the tactic budget.

    3. Enter the Bid Step, which is the amount that the CPM bid increases or decreases the budget by every 12 hours. Bid Step should be lower than Max Bid.

    For CTR and VCR:

    1. Enter the Imp. Threshold, which is the minimum amount of impressions required in a two-week period before the optimizer turns off a placement or domain if it is not meeting the optimization goal.

    2. Enter the Bid Step, which is the amount by which the CPM bid increases or decreases every 12 hours. Bid Step should be lower than Max Bid.

    3. Select when you want to turn placements off. You can either turn placements off when the performance falls below the goal and the average, or when it falls below the goal only.

  8. Select Save.