Smart CPM

As Google Ads Expert Mc Nair said, setting up a campaign is not a hassle, but executing a campaign successfully that drives results aligning with your goals is an actual task that requires a high level of expertise. With 80% of businesses using Google Ads, securing the first spot on the Search Engine Result Page (SERP) is a challenge in itself. Thanks to automation, this issue has been sorted out by introducing Smart CPM. Let’s find out how Smart CPM helps in maximizing the efficiency of your ads.

 

What Exactly Is SmartCPM? 

Smart CPM is an advertising bidding strategy that simply helps you secure your desired spot by automatically adjusting your bid according to the bids of your competitors. You can understand it as it lets the advertisers set a maximum bid for ad impressions, which they typically won’t pay unless necessary. 

Instead of paying the maximum bid, advertisers pay a price slightly higher than the next highest competitor’s bid. This ensures that they secure their ad position at the lowest possible cost. 

 

How SmartCPM Works? 

Unlike the first-price auction model, in which the advertiser sets their own bid according to manual competitor analysis and market trends, SmartCPM works on the second-price auction model. In this one, the advertiser who bids the highest ranks the highest and ultimately drives more traffic, which significantly boosts the return on investment. 

Let’s understand this with the following example: 

  • There are two advertisers, A and B, who are in the race to rank first on the search engine result page. Now, let’s suppose that advertiser A bids for $0.9 to rank first, and the SmartCPM will adjust the bidding price of advertiser B to $0.95, letting him be at the top.
  • Now, coming to the best part. Even if the budget of advertiser B is $1.5, he doesn’t need to pay as the adjustment of SmartCPM allows him to get the same amount of traffic at $0.95. This means that by just paying a little extra, you cannot only leave behind your competitor but also save some bucks.

 

Benefits of SmartCPM

Here are the reasons why you should go with SmartCPM while going with Google Ads:

  • Prevents Overbidding

Smart CPM helps you avoid the common pitfall of overbidding. Instead of setting a maximum bid that might lead to unnecessary spending, Smart CPM ensures you only pay slightly more than your next competitor. This means you can secure your desired ad placements without inflating your costs unnecessarily, allowing you to win traffic at a more competitive rate.

  • Automates Bidding Process

With Smart CPM, you can automate your bidding strategy, which saves time and reduces the need for constant manual adjustments. The tool automatically adjusts your bids based on competitor actions, and you can pay more attention to the other important aspects of your advertising campaigns.

  • Spend Safely and Keep Costs Under Control

Smart CPM is especially beneficial for advertisers on a budget. It allows you to set a maximum bid while still optimizing your ad spend. By paying only slightly more than the competition, you maintain better control over your overall costs. 

  • Optimize Traffic Costs at the Start

Smart CPM enables you to optimize your traffic costs right from the beginning of your campaign. By allowing for competitive bidding without overspending, you can identify the best placements and strategies early on. This helps you maximize your return on investment (ROI) from the outset and ensure that your advertising budget is utilized effectively.

 

SmartCPM Use Cases  

We expect that you will have a good understanding of SmartCPM and its benefits by now. So, now let’s have a look at the use cases of SmartCPM

  • Optimizing Conversion Cost 

In this scenario, you’re happy with the quality and quantity of the traffic you’re receiving, but the cost per conversion remains high. By implementing a bid cap with Smart CPM, you can control your spending more effectively. 

This means you can maintain your traffic volumes while only paying a price slightly above the second-highest bidder in the auction. This strategy helps reduce overall conversion costs while still attracting the same number of potential customers, making your campaigns more efficient and cost-effective.

  • Be the Winner in Low-Competition Regions

When you’re advertising in Tier-3 countries — where ad costs are lower and competition is less intense—you can significantly increase your traffic by raising your bid cap. For instance, if the average bid for ad views in these regions is between $0.2 and $0.5, setting your bid cap at $1 allows you to dominate the ad auctions in those areas. 

This strategy lets you capture the maximum amount of available traffic at a competitive price, taking advantage of the lower costs and reduced competition in those geographies.

  • Getting Conversions in Competitive Targeting 

In cases where you’re targeting specific placements (such as a whitelist) or have very narrow targeting criteria, the competition for those ad spots can be intense. Since you need to secure this high-quality traffic but aren’t sure how much competitors will bid, you can set your CPM rate at the highest level you’re willing to pay. 

However, with Smart CPM, you only pay a price slightly above the next highest bidder. This approach allows you to secure the best placements without over-committing your budget and make sure that you still get valuable traffic.  

 

Guide to Enable SmartCPM With Clickadu

  1. Login to your Clickadu account. 
  2. Once you are logged in, go to the dashboard page, where you can view your campaigns and statistics. 
  3. Locate the specific campaign for which you wish to enable SmartCPM. This will typically be listed in your active campaigns or in a dedicated section for managing ad zones.
  4. To view detailed statistics for the campaign, you may need to click on the relevant campaign. Look for options that allow you to expand the campaign stats or details.
  5. Within your campaign details, identify the specific ad zone for which you want to enable SmartCPM. Each ad zone will have associated CPM pricing.
  6. Next to the CPM price of the selected zone, you should see a ‘pencil’ or edit icon. Click on this icon to modify the CPM settings for that zone.
  7. In the editing interface that appears, you can enter your desired CPM bid. Ensure that this bid is at least equal to the minimum CPM set for the geographic location (geo) targeted by your campaign. This minimum CPM is crucial as bids lower than this will not be accepted.
  8. After entering your bid, confirm your changes. There may be a save button or confirmation prompt that you’ll need to complete to ensure your new settings are applied.
  9. Once SmartCPM is enabled with your new bid, keep an eye on your campaign performance. Check the dashboard regularly to track metrics such as impressions, clicks, and conversions. This will help you understand how your new bidding strategy is affecting your campaign’s success.
  10. Based on the performance data, you may need to revisit your bids or campaign settings. SmartCPM allows for flexibility, so feel free to make adjustments to optimize your ad performance further.

 

Wrapping Up!

All in all, SmartCPM is a great way to cut costs while still getting your desired results. All you need to do is set up your bidding cap, and it will handle the rest for you. 

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