Sklik Bidding: Make your Seznam campaigns more effective

Sklik Bidding is a script that helps you automatically check the cost per click (CPC) of your ad reports on Sklik, improving bidding efficiency and saving you time for further development of the client.

How does it work? Sklik bidding tracks the performance of ad sets over a period of time, classifies them into different categories according to their performance, and then adjusts the CPC according to the category. 

The script supports three types of campaigns: 

• Search campaigns - SEA (full-text ads, not branded BRDs),
• Dynamic Remarketing - DRM, 
• Classic Remarketing REM.

Categorizing ad groups

Ad sets can fall into one of four categories:

1. COST: Ad sets that spend money but have no conversions. For these reports, the CPC is reduced to a minimum.
2. TOP: Major ad sets with a PNO/CPA significantly better than the client’s target. Heer, we try to stay on top and maximize CPC.
3. GOOD: Ad sets that meet the client’s PNO or CPA goals. For these ad sets, the CPC increases gradually.
4. EXPENSIVE: Ad sets that do not meet the client’s PNO or CPA objectives. For these ones, the CPC slowly decreases.

Previously, we set everything up using a simple sheet where we entered various conditions and chose which campaign types to use the script on:

Original Sklik bidding setup using sheets.

The output of the script was shown on the next page of the sheet, where the metrics of each ad set for the selected period were clearly listed, along with their performance and their classification in the appropriate group according to performance and the corresponding CPC change:

Output of the script in a sheet.

Currently, we run the script using our script management system Logos. In Logos we have all the scripts in one place in a clear UI and our specialists also receive script reports by email daily. This way, they don’t have to manually deploy scripts into the individual accounts and use Google Sheets, but they can set up and check everything in Logos. Easier management and organization of scripts leads to big savings in work and time for each specialist. 

Logos output in email inbox.

Setting up the Sklik bidding script in Logos.

Sklik bidding output in Logos.

How to set up Sklik Bidding

When using Sklik Bidding, we can specify which types of campaigns we want to focus on. For each type of campaign, we choose the metric to categorize (PNO or CPA), the length of the time period (how many days back starting from today), and which categories we want to track (for example, we may only want to manage ad reports with cost and no conversions, so we choose only the COST category).

Setting thresholds and limits

For each category, we also need to specify thresholds and limits to help differentiate the categories.

Conditions include:

• Minimum number of clicks and Minimum number of conversions: Volume metrics, so that the script does not handle reports with minimal or statistically insignificant volumes.
• Minimum Position: This is the limit of position amongst competitors; above this position, the script will no longer raise the CPC. It is only used for TOP and GOOD reports (SEA campaigns only).
• Maximum metric value: Maximum value for PNO or CPA for TOP and GOOD reports. Minimum for EXPENSIVE reports.

Limits include:

• Percentage Change: By what percentage the CPC should change from the current maximum CPC of the ad report. This will prevent extreme changes.
• Value Limit: The maximum (GOOD, TOP) or minimum (EXPENSIVE) value for the newly calculated CPC.

Specific conditions for categories

Certain categories have specific conditions that the ad sets must meet in order to fall into these categories.

• COST: The ad set must have zero conversions and a cost greater than or equal to the maximum metric (spend).
• TOP and GOOD: The ad set must have clicks and conversions equal to or greater than the category thresholds, the real PNO/CPA metric value must be less than or equal to the specified value, and in the case of SEA campaigns, the ad set position must be equal to or less than the specified maximum position value.
• EXPENSIVE: The conditions are the same as for the TOP and GOOD categories, but the real PNO/CPA metric value must be higher than the specified minimum metric value.

Script Flow

The script progressively runs through the ad sets in the direction COST > TOP > GOOD > EXPENSIVE and tests which category the ad set will fall into based on the conditions. 

Once the ad set is categorized, a new CPC value is calculated using the current maximum CPC of the ad set and a user-defined limit for the percentage change. 

For GOOD, TOP and EXPENSIVE categories, the final CPC value is also limited by an absolute value limit set by the user. Additionally, a CPC limit may be set in the ad report settings in Sklik that the script cannot exceed, so the final CPC value may be further limited by that. This ensures that the script does not set crazy values, but that it stays within the limits.

If we initially want to test how the script works and see how it would perform and change the CPC, we can set it to “observation mode”. This way we can test different condition settings and see if the changes suggested by the script are reasonable.

We will improve your Sklik campaigns as well!

By managing your campaigns efficiently and automating the processes, you can save valuable time and resources. Our team of pros will be happy to help you with your PPC campaigns. Get in touch with us! 

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