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Adapt SEM FAQs

Have a question about our product and how it works to improve your PPC search campaigns? Just select the topic on the left to view the most commonly asked questions in that section.

Recommendations

What are Recommendations?

After analyzing your performance data and comparing it to your goals, Adapt SEM provides a prioritized list of recommendations to improve your account performance. The Recommendations list displays High Priority recommendations first. Types of Recommendations include bid and budget changes, keyword selection, and Ad Group changes.

How do I read the Recommendations list?

The Recommendations list shows all of your available recommendations listed in order of expected impact (i.e. the effectiveness of the recommendation in moving your campaign closer to its goals) and by category. You can view all recommendations at once or drill into individual categories such as keywords, bid changes, budgeting, Ad Groups, or ad text.

At the top of the page there is a Priority Breakdown table listing the number of Recommendations for bids, keywords, budget, and ads. If you want to look at a particular set of recommendations (keywords, for example), select its name to automatically filter out all other suggestions.

How is the list of Recommendations prioritized?

Recommendation prioritization is based on your campaign's performance history and current data analysis. We provide an estimate of the change's expected impact to your budget and goals. Recommendations that have a greater expected impact are listed as "High Priority", while those that are marked "Low Priority" will result in smaller changes to improve your campaign's performance.

What defines a High Priority bid Recommendation vs. a Low Priority bid recommendation?

The priority level of a Recommendation helps you identify those that are likely to have a measurable impact on your Initiative goal. High Priority ones will have a greater effect and help you attain your CPA or CPC goal more quickly, while Low Priority ones will have less of an impact on your overall campaign. Both sets of recommendations are based on sound historical data, but High Priority Recommendations are often based on greater amounts of performance data (e.g. clickthroughs and conversions). This does not mean you should ignore Low Priority Recommendations, as they will help to fine tune your campaign and maximize its efficiency through small, incremental adjustments.

I just set up my account. How soon will I see Recommendations?

Because Adapt SEM provides recommendations based on the life of your campaign, it can take a while before performance data accumulates and recommendations begin to appear.

If your account has three to four months of performance history, and is receiving 6 to 12 conversions per day, you'll receive recommendations more quickly.

Please note: If you are new to search marketing or your keywords aren't generating much traffic, it will take longer for Adapt SEM to gather data on your campaign to make recommendations.

Is there a reason why I'm not seeing recommendations?

There are several reasons why you might not be seeing recommendations:

  • You've just registered with Adapt SEM and we're in the process of importing your campaign data.
  • Your campaign is new and there is not enough data for Adapt SEM to make statistically-sound recommendations.
  • You've paused your campaign on your ad network. Please check to see if your account is inactive. Adapt SEM cannot provide current recommendations if it's not receiving performance data.
  • Your account is functioning at or below your target CPA or CPC goal (this is a good thing!).

If you think your problem is different from those listed here, don't hesitate to contact us. If you're a Small Business subscriber, contact us via email or (for Professional and Agency tier subscribers) give us a call at (626) 304-6510 (8:00 am to 5:00 pm Pacific Time).

How does Adapt SEM know when there is enough data to make a Recommendation?

Adapt SEM uses formulas based on advanced statistical theory and algorithms to make recommendations to your campaign. The software analyzes your historical data and measures them against your maximum CPA and CPC goals.

Adapt SEM will only suggest changes when it has enough data to make statistically valid recommendations. The more historical data Adapt SEM has, the more recommendations will be offered, and the more confident you can be about your recommendations.

Can I turn off Recommendations I don't want to see?

We know this is a feature you're looking forward to. Stay tuned!

Will I still see Recommendations if I pause my campaign?

If you've paused your campaign, prior recommendations will still appear, but Adapt SEM will not offer new ones until you've un-paused your campaign. Simply go to your ad network account to make this change.