A Comprehensive Guide to AdWords Smart Display Campaigns

The Google Display Network is a vast network in the digital world. It helps not only by displaying ads to people who are looking for your brand but also to people who might be interested in your brand and are occupied currently with some other work like browsing another website, watching a video on YouTube, checking their mail, reading reviews or using their mobile apps.

Google display network offers umpteen ways of targeting your ad but finding the best targeting might seem to be a tough job at times. For this reason, Google has made it easy and has introduced smart display campaigns where our job is just to provide ad assets and set a target CPA, and Google does its best to drive as many as conversions as possible. The ad’s adaptability allows you to expand your reach without you having to create dozens of ads in all the combinations of ad types and sizes.

In these types of campaigns, Google sets its target audience and placements which it feels is worth spending for. Smart display campaigns are used when the advertiser wants to target additional customers beyond the manually targeted audience. As per google, the daily budget should be 10-15 times the target CPA bid.

Eligibility Criteria for running a Smart Display ad

Unfortunately, smart display ad option may not be open for all the accounts. The advertisers have to check if they are capable of running a smart display ad before they plan. There is a passing criterion of at least 50 conversions on the display network and 100 conversions on the search network in the past 30 days without which running the ad might not be possible.

Setting up a Smart Display Campaign

Creating a smart display campaign is very simple. The process is similar to that of a display ad creation. When you promote the ad,  click on “Marketing objective radio button.” In the drive action objective, select an appropriate option which then lets us know if our account is eligible to create a smart display campaign.

Once you have created the campaign, set the campaign budget, and the target CPA goal.

We provide only the ad assets, Google then scans your website and selects appropriate images with which it creates a series of responsive ads to be tested.

Size Restrictions for a Smart Display ad

Be aware of your asset size restrictions before you start, so you have all your ducks in a row before you start creating your SDC.

• Headlines: 25 Characters
• Descriptions: 70 Characters
• Display URL: No limit
• Final URL: no limit
• Images (optional): 1200 x 627 (1 MB limit)
• Logos (optional): 1200x 1200 or 1200 x 300 (1 MB limit)

Optimization techniques

Automated bidding

The smart display bids are based on target CPA where the performance data suggests the highest likelihood of conversion occurrence. The bid is automatically set higher, and when there is a minimum probability of conversion,  it is set lower.  The campaign should start optimising in two weeks or after 50 conversions, whichever comes first.

Note: Google does not guarantee to stick to the target CPA, it may vary according to various factors.

Automated targeting

As the name suggests, the targeting is based on tracking which demographics, locations, etc. help in more number of conversions for the ad.

Smart display campaigns cover two targeting methods; automated remarketing where ads are targeted to the website visitors and automated targeting where people just above the buying phase of the marketing funnel are targeted.

If a remarketing campaign is already created in another campaign, the ad with higher relevance shows up.

Apart from these, site category exclusions can also be specified.

Note: Avoid going for smart display campaigns if you have a very specific target audience in mind.

Automated Ad creation

This feature is similar to that of a responsive ad. We enter the ad copies, images, logos, etc. and google assembles it into various types, sizes and shapes based on where the ad appears on the google display network.

Also, read our blog on the most definitive guide to optimising your AdWords campaign.

Benefits of Smart Display

• A lot of time and energy can be saved as you need not create different ad sizes manually.
• A successful conversion rate can be achieved.
• Smart display ads help you discover which of your ad copies or images have worked well for your brand.

Have you created your smart display campaign? Do share your learnings and experience with us in the comments section below