Campaign Setup, Line Items, and Bid Strategies
Setup flow
A DSP buy starts with an order (advertiser, budget, flight, frequency cap) and line items beneath it (targeting, bid, budget, pacing, creative). Know the bid strategies: fixed bid (set max CPM), dynamic bid up-and-down (algorithm adjusts to win valuable impressions within your max), and rule-based bidding (optimize toward a goal like CPA or ROAS). Understand pacing (even vs. ASAP) and how budget and bid interact with delivery.
Optimization levers
Line items expose bid optimization, frequency caps, dayparting, and supply source selection. Goal-based bidding requires a conversion signal (pixel or Amazon Attribution) to optimize effectively.
Traps
- Thinking dynamic bidding can exceed the max bid - it adjusts within the cap, not above it.
- Confusing order-level frequency cap with line-item settings.
- Assuming goal-based bidding works without a conversion signal.
- Mixing up even pacing (smooth delivery) with ASAP (spend fast).
Worked example
A retailer wants efficient conversions. Set the line item to rule-based bidding with a CPA goal, ensure the conversion pixel fires, apply even pacing, and set a frequency cap at the order level. If delivery stalls, check audience size, bid competitiveness, and creative approval before raising budget.