Optimization Goals and How to Use Them

Optimization Goal Description When to Use This Goal
Always Max Bid & Highest Clickthrough Rate With package-level optimization, budget allocation prioritizes placements with the highest click-through rates.

Auction appraisals prioritize CTR if spend goals are being met. The bid submitted is always the set Max Bid, but the predicted CTR threshold becomes stricter if a placement is spending well.		 Campaign Type: Branding

Benchmark: Highest Click-through Rate

Ad types: Pre-roll, Display

Note: Use this goal if you have a fixed CPM goal that doesn’t need to be surpassed and a CTR goal that needs to be maximized. Set the Max Bid to the desired CPM goal, and DSP will achieve the best possible CTR while attempting to spend the full budget.
Always Max Bid & Highest Completion Rate With package-level optimization, budget allocation prioritizes placements with the highest completion rates.

Auction appraisals prioritize Completion Rate if spend goals are being met. The bid submitted is always the set Max Bid, but the predicted Completion Rate threshold becomes stricter if a placement is spending well.		 Campaign Type: Branding

Benchmark: Highest Completion Rate

Ad types: Pre-roll only

Note: Use this goal if you have a fixed CPM goal that doesn’t need to be surpassed and a Completion Rate goal that needs to be maximized. Set the Max Bid to the desired CPM goal, and DSP will achieve the best possible Completion Rate while attempting to spend the full budget.
Always Max Bid & Highest Engagement Rate With package-level optimization, budget allocation prioritizes placements with the highest engagement rates.

Auction appraisals prioritize engagement rate if spend goals are being met. The bid submitted is always the set Max Bid, but the predicted engagement rate threshold becomes stricter if a placement is spending well.		 Campaign Type: Branding

Benchmark: Highest Engagement Rate

Ad types: Mobile Interstitial only

Note: Use this goal if you have a fixed CPM goal that doesn’t need to be surpassed and an engagement goal that needs to be maximized. Set the Max Bid to the desired CPM goal, and DSP will achieve the best possible engagement rate while attempting to spend the full budget.
Always Max Bid & Highest Viewability Rate (Adobe - GroupM) With package-level optimization, budget allocation prioritizes placements with the highest viewability rates.

Auction appraisals prioritize viewability rate if spend goals are being met. The bid submitted is always the set Max Bid, but the predicted viewability rate threshold becomes stricter if a placement is spending well.		 Campaign Type: Branding

Benchmark: Highest Viewability Rate

Ad types: Interactive Pre-roll only

Note: This goal always uses the placement-level Max Bid.

If the campaign’s Viewability Sensitivity setting is set to “Standard (50% of ad in view for 2 consecutive seconds),” then the Media Rating Council (MRC) viewability measurement standard is used for the campaign. If the campaign is set to “Strict (100% of ad in view & audio on for 50% duration)” then the GroupM viewability measurement standard is used for the campaign. Ideally, you should match the campaign setting with the optimization goal and pre-bid filter settings.
Always Max Bid & Highest Viewability Rate (Adobe - MRC) With package-level optimization, budget allocation prioritizes placements with the highest viewability rates.

Auction appraisals prioritize viewability rate if spend goals are being met. The bid submitted is always the set Max Bid, but the predicted viewability rate threshold becomes stricter if a placement is spending well.		 Campaign Type: Branding

Benchmark: Highest Viewability Rate

Ad types: Interactive Pre-roll only

Note: This goal always uses the placement-level Max Bid.

If the campaign’s Viewability Sensitivity setting is set to “Standard (50% of ad in view for 2 consecutive seconds),” then the Media Rating Council (MRC) viewability measurement standard is used for the campaign. If the campaign is set to “Strict (100% of ad in view & audio on for 50% duration)” then the GroupM viewability measurement standard is used for the campaign. Ideally, you should match the campaign setting with the optimization goal and pre-bid filter settings.
Always Max Bid & Highest Viewability Rate (IAS - MRC) With package-level optimization, budget allocation prioritizes placements with the highest viewability rates.

Auction appraisals prioritize viewability rate if spend goals are being met. The bid submitted is always the set Max Bid, but the predicted viewability rate threshold becomes stricter if a placement is spending well.		 Campaign Type: Branding

Benchmark: Highest Viewability Rate

Ad types: Interactive Pre-roll only

Note: This goal always uses the placement-level Max Bid.

This setting works best when third-party data from IAS is informing the algorithm. Use this goal only when you’ve enabled the IAS integration for the campaign.
Highest ROAS - Custom Goal (Available at the package level only) Budget allocation prioritizes placements with the highest Return On Ad Spend (ROAS).

Auction appraisals prioritize ROAS. If spend goals are being met, then DSP balances lowering the CPMs with raising the ROAS.		 Campaign Type: Performance

Benchmark: Highest Revenue

Ad types: Display, Native, and Video

Note: See “Best Practices for Setting up Performance Campaigns” for more information.
Lowest CPA - Custom Goal (Available at the package level only) Budget allocation prioritizes placements with the lowest CPAs.

Auction appraisals prioritize CPA. If spend goals are being met, then DSP balances lowering the CPMs with lowering the CPAs.		 Campaign Type: Performance

Benchmark: Lowest CPA

Ad types: Display, Native, and Video

Note: See “Best Practices for Setting up Performance Campaigns” for more information.
Lowest Cost Per Click With package-level optimization, budget allocation prioritizes placements with the lowest CPCs.

Auction appraisals prioritize CPC. If spend goals are being met, then DSP balances lowering the CPMs with raising the CTRs in an attempt to lower the CPCs.		 Campaign Type: Branding

Benchmark: Efficient CPM & Highest Click-through Rate

Ad types: Pre-roll, Display

Note: Use this goal to achieve the best possible CPC. To guarantee a maximum CPM, use it as the Max Bid for the placement.
Lowest Cost Per Completion With package-level optimization, budget allocation prioritizes placements with the lowest cost per completion.

Auction appraisals prioritize video completion rates (VCR). If spend goals are being met, then DSP balances lowering the CPMs with increasing the VCRs in an attempt to lower the costs per completion.		 Campaign Type: Branding

Benchmark: Efficient CPM & Highest Completion Rate

Ad types: Pre-roll only
Lowest Cost Per Engagement With package-level optimization, budget allocation prioritizes placements with the lowest engagement rates.

Auction appraisals prioritize engagement rate. If spend goals are being met, then DSP attempts to balance lowering the CPMs with lowering the costs per engagement.		 Campaign Type: Branding

Benchmark: Efficient CPM & Highest Engagement Rate

Ad types: Mobile Interstitial only
Lowest CPM With package-level optimization, budget allocation prioritizes placements with the lowest CPMs.

Auction appraisals prioritize CPM. If spend goals are being met, then DSP progressively lowers the CPMs.		 Campaign Type: Branding

Benchmark: Efficient CPM

Ad types: Pre-roll, Display, CTV, Native, Audio
Lowest Cost Per View Operates similarly to Lowest CPM. With package-level optimization, budget allocation prioritizes placements with the lowest CPMs.

Auction appraisals prioritize CPM. If spend goals are being met, then DSP progressively lowers the CPMs.		 Campaign Type: Branding

Benchmark: Efficient CPM & Highest Click-through Rate

Ad types: Pre-roll, Display
Lowest vCPM (Adobe - GroupM) With package-level optimization, budget allocation prioritizes placements with the lowest vCPMs.

Auction appraisals prioritize vCPM. If spend goals are being met, then DSP attempts to balance lowering the CPMs with raising viewability.		 Campaign Type: Branding

Benchmark: Efficient CPM & Highest vCPM

Ad types: Pre-roll, Display

Note: Use this goal to achieve the best possible vCPM.

To guarantee a maximum CPM, use it as the Max Bid for the placement.
Lowest vCPM (Adobe - MRC) With package-level optimization, budget allocation prioritizes placements with the lowest vCPMs.

Auction appraisals prioritize vCPM. If spend goals are being met, then DSP attempts to balance lowering the CPMs with raising viewability.		 Campaign Type: Branding

Benchmark: Efficient CPM & Highest vCPM

Ad types: Pre-roll, Display

Note: Use this goal to achieve the best possible vCPM.

To guarantee a maximum CPM, use it as the Max Bid for the placement.
Lowest vCPM (IAS - MRC) With package-level optimization, budget allocation prioritizes placements with the lowest vCPMs.

Auction appraisals prioritize vCPM. If spend goals are being met, then DSP attempts to balance lowering the CPMs with raising viewability.		 Campaign Type: Branding

Benchmark: Efficient CPM & Highest vCPM

Ad types: Pre-roll, Display

Note: Use this goal to achieve the best possible vCPM.

To guarantee a maximum CPM, use it as the Max Bid for the placement.

This setting works best when third-party data from IAS is informing the algorithm. Use this goal only when you’ve enabled the IAS integration for the campaign.
Lowest vCPM (Moat - GroupM) With package-level optimization, budget allocation prioritizes placements with the lowest vCPMs.

Auction appraisals prioritize vCPM. If spend goals are being met, then DSP attempts to balance lowering the CPMs with raising viewability.		 Campaign Type: Branding

Benchmark: Efficient CPM & Highest vCPM

Ad types: Pre-roll, Display

Note: Use this goal to achieve the best possible vCPM.

To guarantee a maximum CPM, use it as the Max Bid for the placement.

This setting works best when third-party data from Moat is informing the algorithm. Use this goal only when you’ve enabled the Moat integration for the campaign.
Lowest vCPM (Moat - MRC) With package-level optimization, budget allocation prioritizes placements with the lowest vCPMs.

Auction appraisals prioritize vCPM. If spend goals are being met, then DSP attempts to balance lowering the CPMs with raising viewability.		 Campaign Type: Branding

Benchmark: Efficient CPM & Highest vCPM

Ad types: Pre-roll, Display

Note: Use this goal to achieve the best possible vCPM.

To guarantee a maximum CPM, use it as the Max Bid for the placement.

This setting works best when third-party data from Moat is informing the algorithm. Use this goal only when you’ve enabled the Moat integration for the campaign.
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