Ways to use automated rules

Microsoft Advertising can save you time by automatically making changes to your campaigns based on criteria you define. These are called automated rules. Here are a few ways to use the rules to help with campaign management.

Microsoft Advertising can save you time by automatically making changes to your campaigns based on criteria you define. These are called automated rules. Here are a few ways to use the rules to help with campaign management (the settings provided are for example only—adjust yours as appropriate for your own campaign and advertising goals):

Start and stop a campaign for a special event, such as New Year's Dayexpando image

Want to display ads for a limited-time-only sale without getting up at midnight to enable that special-event campaign? You can enable the campaign through an automated rule. You can also create a second rule to stop the campaign at the end of the day.

Before creating the rules, you need to create your special-event campaign, complete with keywords and ads. Set that campaign to Paused. Once you've got your campaign ready, create the first rule to start the campaign and the second rule to pause it again at the end of the day:

  1. From the collapsible menu on the left, select Campaigns.

    If you're using the new Microsoft Advertising navigation, from the navigation menu on the left, select Campaigns.

  2. Select the checkbox next to your chosen campaign and then select Automate.
  3. Select Enable campaigns when....
  4. Set the following:
    • Apply to: Selected campaigns
    • Do this: Enable campaign
    • How often: Once, January 1, 12 AM
  5. Select Save
  6. To create a second automated rule for your campaign, from the collapsible menu on the left, select All campaigns > Campaigns > Campaigns.
  7. Select the checkbox next to your chosen campaign and then select Automate.
Avoid costs on poor performing keywords or adsexpando image

Sometimes certain ads or keywords just don't work out. Maybe your ad is getting lots of impressions, but no clicks, or you're getting clicks but no conversions. That's costing you money you don't need to spend. Here's an example of how you can pause ads based on performance criteria.

  1. From the collapsible menu on the left, select All campaigns > Ads & extensions > Ads.

    If you're using the new Microsoft Advertising navigation, from the navigation menu on the left, hover over Campaigns and select Ads & extensions > Ads.

  2. Select the checkbox next to your chosen ad.
  3. Select Automate and then select Pause ads when....
  4. Set the following:
    • Apply to: All enabled ads in all campaigns
    • Do this: Pause ads
    • When: CTR > 2%
    • (Add another) When: Conversions < 2%
    • How often: Daily, 7 AM, using data from Previous day
    • Email results: Only if there are changes or errors
  5. Select Save
Keep your ads on the first pageexpando image

If you've got some keywords and ads that are performing well and want to make sure they are consistently seen by as many searchers as possible, try this:

  1. From the collapsible menu on the left, select All campaigns > Keywords > Keywords.

    If you're using the new Microsoft Advertising navigation, from the navigation menu on the left, hover over Campaigns and select Keywords > Keywords.

  2. Select the checkbox next to your chosen keyword.
  3. Select Automate and then select Increase to estimated top of page bid when....
  4. Set the following:
    • Apply to: All enabled ads in all campaigns
    • Do this: Increase to estimated top of page bid
    • Optional: Select Maximum bid and enter a maximum bid you are comfortable with.
    • When: Avg. pos. > 4
    • How often: Daily, 7 AM, using data from Previous day
    • Email results: Only if there are changes or errors
  5. Select Save
Avoid letting your budget stop your best performing campaignsexpando image

It's your best-performing campaign: Clicks are high and so are conversions. Then suddenly all the clicks stop. What happened? It might be as simple as running out of budget. Now you're losing customers because your ads have stopped displaying. You can automatically increase your budget for that star campaign.

  1. From the collapsible menu on the left, select Campaigns.

    If you're using the new Microsoft Advertising navigation, from the navigation menu on the left, select Campaigns.

  2. Select the checkbox next to your chosen campaign.
  3. Select Automate and then select Change budget when....
  4. Set the following:
    • Apply to: All campaigns
    • Do this: Increase daily budget by 10%
    • Optional: Check Maximum budget and enter a maximum budget you are comfortable with.
    • When: CTR > 2%
    • (Add another) When: Conversions > 3%
    • How often: Daily, 7 AM, using data from Previous week
    • Email results: Only if there are changes or errors
  5. Select Save
Notes
  • Keyword bid automated rules and bid adjustments work independently of each other. If the criteria for both are met on a keyword bid, then both will be applied.
  • If the author of an automated rule deletes his/her account, the automated rule will stop running.

Notify me when

You can also set an automated rule to notify you by email—but not to make any changes—when certain criteria are met.

  1. From the Campaigns, Ad Groups, Ads, or Keywords tab, select the checkbox next to your chosen campaign, ad group, ad, or keyword.
  2. Select Automate and then select Notify me when...).
  3. Create a rule as outlined above.
  4. Select Save.

When the criteria are met, we will send you an email notifying you. You can edit, pause, or delete this rule the same as any other rule (see this article for more information).

Note

These emails will only be sent to the author of the rule. If more than one person with access to the same campaign wishes to receive the same notification, each person will need to create his/her own rule.

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