Portfolio strategy

You can use portfolio strategies to combine multiple campaigns of the same type and strategy indicators settings. Use this strategy when you don't have enough conversions to train each campaign. Conversions brought by a portfolio strategy are used to train all the campaigns in this strategy. If you add a new campaign to a running portfolio strategy, the campaign achieves the optimization indicators faster.

Portfolio strategies are also useful for advertisers who need to share a single budget across multiple campaigns with different goals. The budget of a portfolio strategy is shared between the campaigns depending on their effectiveness.

Batch strategies are available for Text & Image ads, dynamic ads, and smart banners.

You can create the following types of portfolio strategies to manage your campaigns:

  • Maximum clicks: This strategy combines campaigns aimed at attracting as many users to the site as possible.
  • Maximum number of conversions: This strategy is good for the campaigns aimed at attracting maximum conversions on your website, maintaining a preset cost-revenue ratio, average CPA, or weekly budget.
  1. How to create
  2. How to select a portfolio strategy in the campaign settings
  3. How to create a portfolio strategy based on a regular one
  4. Statistics
  5. Questions and answers

How to create

  1. In the menu on the left, select Library → Portfolio strategies or click Add  → Portfolio strategy.

  2. Enter a name for the strategy.
  3. Set up the strategy using the available parameters. They are similar to the regular Maximum number of clicks or Maximum number of conversions strategies.
  4. Add the campaigns where the strategy will run. Under Campaigns with a portfolio strategy, click Add and select relevant campaigns. Only campaigns of the same type can be combined within a portfolio strategy. For example, dynamic ads with dynamic ads.

    If you add an already running campaign to a portfolio strategy, one campaign in it will be replaced with another, and its results may change. On the other hand, the system will preserve the training data accumulated by the campaign and will use it to manage bids in this campaign.

    You can add up to 100 campaigns to a portfolio strategy.

You can create up to 500 active portfolio strategies.

How to select a portfolio strategy in the campaign settings

In the campaign settings, under Strategies:

  1. Go to the Portfolio tab.
  2. Under Strategy, select the portfolio strategy created.
  3. Go to the strategy settings and double-check them if needed. For example, the weekly budget should be enough for all the campaigns.

How to create a portfolio strategy based on a regular one

Instead of creating a portfolio strategy from scratch, you can use a strategy running in another campaign as a template. For this, in the campaign's settings, under Strategies:
  1. Go to the Portfolio tab.
  2. In the Strategy field, select “From another campaign”.
  3. Specify the source campaign for the strategy.
  4. Go to the strategy settings and double-check them if needed. For example, the weekly budget should be enough for all the campaigns.

After you save the campaign settings, a new strategy is added to the library of portfolio strategies. Two campaigns will be added to the library: the source campaign (that you used to create a portfolio strategy from), and the one that you saved just now.

Statistics highlights

If you create a portfolio strategy based on your campaign settings, the original campaign strategy is elevated from a standard strategy to a portfolio strategy. It does not re-teach itself, but rather retains all the statistics. That's why in the Report Wizard or in the Library of portfolio strategies, you will see statistics on the dates when the strategy was still standard.

Statistics

You can find your strategy statistics in the Library of portfolio strategies. Conversion statistics are based on the goals set for the portfolio strategy.

You can also find statistics in the Report Wizard: select the Strategy cross section, then click the Portfolio strategy filter. To use statistics on campaigns running certain portfolio strategies, select the Strategy and Campaign cross sections.

Questions and answers

How do I delete a campaign from a portfolio strategy?

In the campaign settings, go to the Strategies section. Select “Standard” instead of “Portfolio” and specify its settings.

How do adjustments affect portfolio strategies?

Adjustments will only affect impressions in the campaigns where they were set. The portfolio strategy will aim to bring conversions or clicks and maintain the goal value.

For example, the campaigns A and B are combined into a pay-per-conversion Maximum conversions strategy with pay per conversion. The CPA is RUB300. You set a bid adjustment of plus 50% on smartphones for campaign A. In Campaign A, you pay 450 rubles for conversions from smartphones, but you pay only 300 rubles for them in Campaign B.
For which strategies will portfolio strategies be available? With pay per conversion, based on the cost-revenue ratio (CRR)?

For the Maximum number of clicks and Maximum number of conversions strategies (both with pay per click and pay per conversion).

How many conversions should a portfolio strategy bring from campaigns for better optimization?

At least ten conversions per week in total from all campaigns.

How many campaigns can be combined under a portfolio strategy?

Up to 100 campaigns.

Can I combine different ad formats?

You can only combine campaigns of the same type: Text & Image ads with Text & Image ads, smart banners with smart banners, and dynamic ads with dynamic ads.

I have five campaigns under a portfolio strategy, but one campaign is not bringing me any sales. Will I still spend budget on it or will the algorithm prevent it?

If the campaign doesn't bring sales or brings sales at a high cost, its bids will decrease proportionally to its effectiveness. The algorithm won't stop it, but leave it at minimum bids.

For which campaign types can I use portfolio strategies?

“Text & Image ads”, “Dynamic ads”, and “Smart banners”.

How do I manage campaigns from a portfolio strategy in Direct Commander?

When you access a campaign linked to a portfolio strategy in Direct Commander, you will see a warning. If you edit strategy settings in such a campaign, it will be unlinked from the portfolio strategy and assigned a regular strategy with the same settings. Be careful when unlinking campaigns from a portfolio strategy and check whether the campaign's new weekly budget settings are good for you.