First steps in advertising

Overview

Would you like to advertise with AdUp and start your first campaign? In this guide, we will show you the most important steps – from account creation through to the optimisation of your campaign.

If you go through the individual steps in this order, you will have established all the basics for a successful campaign launch.

Step 1: Create an Advertiser Account

Before you can create campaigns, you need an advertiser account.

After registration, you can:

• Create campaigns

• Manage creatives

• Define target audiences

• Analyse campaigns

• Make optimisations

After setting up, check whether all company and billing details have been fully entered.

Step 2: Create a Campaign

Next, set up your first campaign.

In doing so, you will define, amongst other things:

• Campaign name

• Runtime

• Budget

• Bidding strategy

• Campaign goal

Think about the goal your campaign should pursue before launching – for example, reach, traffic, or conversions.

Step 3: Create Ads

In the next step, you will create the ads for your campaign.

Depending on the ad format, you can enter the following components, amongst others:

• Headline

• Ad text

• Image or logo

• Target URL

• Call-to-Action

Make sure that your ads match the landing page and contain a clear call-to-action.

Step 4: Select Placements

Determine which publisher websites or environments your ads should appear on.

Depending on your campaign goal, you can display your ads specifically on matching websites or within relevant thematic environments.

A careful selection of placements contributes significantly to the performance of your campaign.

Step 5: Define Target Audiences

Use the available targeting options to display your ads as precisely as possible.

Depending on the campaign, you can target using the following criteria, for example:

• Location

• Keywords

• Device type

• Operating system

• Retargeting cohorts

The more precise your targeting, the more relevant your ads will be to the desired target audience.

Step 6: Set up Tracking

To ensure you can measure the success of your campaign, you should set up the appropriate tracking before launching.

Depending on the use case, various tracking methods are available, for example:

• Conversion Tracking

• Engagement Tracking

• Retargeting

• Server-to-Server Tracking

Tracking provides the foundation for reports, optimisations, and automated bidding strategies.

Step 7: Launch and Optimise Campaign

After launching the campaign, you should regularly review its performance.

Keep an eye on the following key metrics in particular:

• Impressions

• Clicks

• Click-through rate (CTR)

• Conversions

• Conversion Rate

• CPC

• Engagement

Based on this data, you can continuously optimise your campaign.

Tips for a Successful Campaign Launch

Start with a Clear Campaign Goal

Define the results you want to achieve before launching the campaign.

A clear goal makes it easier to select the right bidding strategy, target audiences, and creatives.

Set up Tracking Early on

Set up tracking ideally before the start of the campaign, so that all relevant data is captured from the very beginning.

Test Multiple Ads

Create different ad variants and compare their performance.

Even small changes to headlines or images can significantly improve the click-through rate.

Narrow Down Target Audiences Step-by-Step

Start with a slightly broader target audience and optimise your targeting based on the initial campaign results.

Optimise Campaigns Regularly

A successful campaign does not end with the launch.

Regularly review:

• Bids

• Target audiences

• Placements

• Ads

• Conversion data

and adjust your settings accordingly.

Common Mistakes When Starting a Campaign

Launching a Campaign Without Tracking

Without tracking, conversions and campaign success can only be evaluated to a limited extent.

Defining the Target Audience Too Narrowly

Targeting that is too restricted can significantly reduce the reach of your campaign.

Using Only One Ad

Test multiple ad variants to find out which messages and designs work best.

Not Monitoring the Campaign After Launch

Monitor the key metrics regularly and optimise your campaign continuously.

Checklist

Before launching your campaign, you should be able to tick off the following points:

• ✔ Advertiser account set up

• ✔ Campaign created

• ✔ Ads created

• ✔ Placements selected

• ✔ Target audiences defined

• ✔ Tracking set up

• ✔ Campaign reviewed and launched