Video bidding and budget management
What this domain tests
This domain tests bid strategy selection by campaign subtype and budget mechanics. You need to know which bid strategies are available for reach, view, action, and Demand Gen campaigns, and how budget, target, and learning periods interact.
Bid strategy rules
- Video reach campaigns typically use Target CPM; you are buying impressions efficiently.
- Video view campaigns use Target CPV; you set the maximum you will pay for a view.
- Video action campaigns use Target CPA, Target ROAS, Maximize conversions, or Maximize conversion value; they need conversion tracking and enough conversion volume to learn.
- Demand Gen campaigns use conversion-focused strategies such as Maximize conversions, Target CPA, or Target ROAS.
Budget mechanics
Budgets can be daily or campaign total, and shared budgets spread spend across campaigns. A daily budget is a pacing target, not a hard cap; spend can vary by day but is managed over the month. Major bid or budget changes can trigger a learning period, so avoid daily edits. Set targets from historical economics, not from a desired number with no supporting data.
Worked example
A Video reach campaign has a $6,000 budget and a $12 Target CPM. At full delivery, $6,000 ÷ $12 × 1,000 = 500,000 impressions. If actual CPM rises to $15, the same budget buys 400,000 impressions. To secure 600,000 impressions at $12 CPM, the planner needs $7,200. This shows why a CPM target and a budget must be checked together; the budget, not the bid alone, sets the impression ceiling.
Traps that cost marks
- Confusing CPV with CPC; a view is not a click.
- Setting a Target CPA below the unit economics and expecting volume.
- Changing bids or budgets daily during the learning period.
- Applying a CPM target to a Video action campaign.
- Treating the daily budget as a guaranteed exact daily spend.