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Basic knowledge

VCM – what is it?

VCM is our proprietary system for managing Google Ads campaigns (formerly AdWords). Thanks to VCM, you can promote your brand online more effectively and use the planned budget to the maximum. But let’s start from the beginning – what exactly is it and why is it easier to run campaigns this way than using the Google Ads panel?

First of all, let’s explain what VCM is. Simply put, it is software for running ads campaigns. It is largely based on the work of self-learning algorithms. Once it’s set up, a campaign can be profitable for a long time without having to make significant changes manually.

Our algorithms regularly check all Google Ads campaigns and introduce optimizations that increase the probability that the ad will be successful. This way, you don’t have much work with the campaign – you can modify the texts or enter new keywords if necessary, but you do not have to worry about setting the schedule, audience, location, or click rates.

Machine learning – what is it all about?

Why do we use machine learning for Google Ads campaigns? Machine learning isn’t a concept straight from a science fiction movie, but it is our everyday life. We are surrounded by self-learning algorithms and we often don’t even realize it. Need an example? Autocorrect on your phone. It learns from common words and mistakes made by users, as well as from your behavior. The feature analyses the vocabulary you use the most and gets better and better at correcting your typos.

Other examples are food ordering apps. Each of them gives an estimated delivery time, which is constantly and automatically updated thanks to algorithms. They take into account the delivery time, traffic, number of orders, etc., and draw conclusions based on this. So you can say that they learn in the same way as people – based on their experiences and acquired knowledge. So the longer the algorithm works and collects data, the more accurately it can predict the future.

Who sets up campaigns in VCM?

Our online ad specialists set up Google Ads campaigns in the VCM panel.

  • When you buy the VCM package, a specialist gets familiar with your website and offer, and then contacts you to set the goals of the Google Ads campaign and the most important areas of activity.
  • When the specialist has all the necessary data, campaigns, ad groups, and ads are created, then the target group, keywords, and negative keywords are selected. When everything is ready – you get fully configured, working ads.
  • At the initial stage, the algorithms don’t have enough data to properly optimize ads on Google, so our specialist runs campaigns manually for a month. During this time, self-learning machines process data and learn from it. This will improve ads in the future.

This first month is also the time for you to learn how to manage the VCM panel. You get a package of starting materials with basic knowledge about Google Ads (also known as Google AdWords campaigns) and VCM. Of course, we do not teach you history and theory – we provide you with practical tips only. During the first month, you can also ask our Google Ads specialist questions to better understand how the system works.

VCM campaign – what is your role?

After the first month, you no longer have a dedicated account manager – this is why VCM is a cheaper option than the standard management of Google Ads (AdWords) campaigns. Your ads work, of course, provided that you replenish your account on an ongoing basis. The algorithms check campaigns, make corrections and improvements based on how your audience is currently behaving, what is the competition for given keywords, and many other factors. The algorithms can monitor your ads more often and introduce more optimization than the best specialist, so you can be sure that your budget is being put to good use.

However, you must remember that no one controls your campaign, so your role will be to:

  • regularly check the ad effects and whether everything is working properly,
  • make changes to texts or keywords – for example, when your offer changes, you want to add new products or something disappears from your services,
  • launch new campaigns, following the examples we have created for you.

Of course, that doesn’t mean you’ll be controlling it all the time. If the ads are doing their job and the algorithms are working properly – the fewer changes, the better.

How to get support in emergencies?

The lack of a dedicated specialist does not mean that we leave you without help. If something unexpected happens to your campaign or you just can’t understand something, you can contact our Support Department, which consists of Google Ads certified specialists who will answer your questions. In case you need more help – for example, you want to launch completely new campaigns – we can also help you. All you have to do is tell us what you need and we will estimate how many hours of work it will take to get it done. Then you will pay for the additional service once, according to our price list.

How are VCM algorithms different from Google algorithms?

The Google Ads system also uses self-learning algorithms and offers automated bidding strategies. So which tool will work better? There is no easy answer. Much depends on the size of the company, the industry, and the way the brand operates. In some cases, you can gain a lot by using Google algorithms, in others, VCM is doing better, and there are also cases where manual optimization is advisable. As the first company in Europe, we have integrated our algorithms with Google’s smart bidding algorithms, so you can use both automated solutions to maximize your chance of profit. Additionally, thanks to the VCM package you also get:

  • campaign configuration from A to Z – you do not need to know all the possibilities and settings perfectly or waste time preparing ads,
  • constant contact with the Support Department – by selecting VCM, you can discuss your campaigns with a Google Ads specialist,
  • algorithms that work also with small budgets – Google focuses on large campaigns with huge budgets – algorithms are created for such campaigns. This means that they need a lot of data to make accurate insights. We know that not everyone spends 100,000 a month on advertising, so VCM algorithms were also created with small and medium budgets in mind – and they are also ideal for such campaigns.

Who is VCM for?

VCM is a tool dedicated primarily to local and service businesses that run campaigns in which frequent changes of content, ads, and keywords are not necessary. However, the system also copes well with large budgets. The more money we invest in campaigns, the more traffic we can get, and this ultimately means that the algorithms have more data to improve ads.

What is the minimum contract duration?

There is no minimum contract time – you can leave whenever you want.

However, it is worth knowing that the full effects of the algorithms are visible after about 2-3 months, and only then can it be determined whether the optimization is working.

Is VCM more expensive than the standard Google Ads offer at marketing agencies?

No, quite the contrary. VCM is a cheaper option than hiring a Google Ads specialist. You pay only for access to the software, you don’t pay for the expert’s working time.

I don’t know much about advertising on Google – will I be able to handle the panel?

Of course! After the campaign is set up by a specialist, you don’t need to do much to constantly earn money from advertising. During the first month, a specialist will explain to you everything you need to know about the campaigns and the tool. In addition, you will also get a package of starting materials, which you can refer to when needed.

VCM operation

What types of campaigns does VCM support?

VCM supports such types of campaigns as:

  • Search
  • PLA
  • Remarketing
  • DSA
  • GDN
  • YouTube

However, not all campaign types are available in all packages. In the price list, you can check which ads are included in the individual packages

Can I make changes to campaigns?

Yes, the customer panel in VCM allows you to edit campaigns in the search network and remarketing campaigns. You can change the ad texts or keywords or pause the campaign at any time. The other types of campaigns can’t be edited, but you can pause them.

What if the campaign stops working?

If you have a problem with the campaign, you can contact the Support Department. Certified Google Ads specialists will help you diagnose and solve the problem.

How will I know if the campaign is working?

After logging in to your panel in VCM, you can check the campaign statistics on an ongoing basis. You will also receive the generated reports in your e-mail box regularly.

What bid optimization strategies can I choose?

At VCM, you can choose from 50 optimization strategies, including:

  • Improved CPC
  • Maximize clicks
  • Maximize conversions
  • Maximize revenue
  • Target ROAS
  • Target CPA
  • Target Impression Share
  • Maximize impressions
  • Maximize conversions based on your budget
  • Maximize clicks based on your budget
  • Selected location on the search page
  • Quality Score Optimization in the planned budget
  • Minimizing the cost of acquiring a certain number of clicks
  • Visible CPM
  • Individual strategy parameters

Not all strategies are available in smaller packages. More information can be found in the price list.

Can I launch a new campaign in VCM?

Yes, you can create on your dashboard new remarketing campaigns and new campaigns in the search network.

Can I delete a campaign from my VCM panel?

No, you can’t delete campaigns, but you can pause them at any time – then the budget is not used.

When will I see the effects of the campaign?

There is no straight answer as the effects are influenced by many factors. It all depends on the industry, type of campaign, budget, and the amount of data that the algorithms have at their disposal. The campaign can therefore bring you profit almost immediately or after 2-3 months.

Will a specialist supervise my campaign?

No, campaigns in VCM aren’t supervised, but you can contact the Support Department to solve immediate problems. Remember, however, that you will contact various specialists. If you want your campaigns to be run by a dedicated specialist, choose the Google Ads Managed package.

How often do algorithms check my campaign?

The algorithms run 24/7, all year round, so they monitor your campaigns every day.

Payments

Do I have to pay for setting up a campaign?

There is a one-time activation fee when signing the contract.

How to set a budget for VCM campaigns?

When setting a budget for an Automated campaign, you need to consider:

  • industry,
  • geographic scope of the campaign,
  • number of keywords (or other targeting methods, such as your Display Network audience),
  • estimated average cost-per-click for the keyword (you can check it in Google’s Keyword Planner).

For each new contract, our Support Department analyzes these factors and proposes the optimal budget for the campaign.

When adding new campaigns or keywords to your account, you should think about increasing the budget, because more words/ targeting at the original spend rate may result in a budget limitation.

What is the minimum budget for a VCM campaign?

There is no minimum budget. In the lowest package, you pay the commission, and you decide on your advertising expenses. In some industries, however, the cost per ad click is so high that small budgets don’t make sense – in this case, we will suggest how much you should spend on advertising.

How to add a campaign budget?

VCM is integrated with the payment system, so all you need to do is pin your card. The agreed budget and commission will be automatically charged from your account every month.

How to change the budget for a campaign?

If you want to increase or decrease your budget, please notify the Support Department by e-mail and our specialists will suggest the best solution. It is very important to consult this with us, because reducing the budget may require pausing some phrases/ ads so that it does not limit the display of ads.

How to connect the card to VCM?

Conducting a campaign in VCM

How to create a new campaign for the search network?

You can add a campaign by going to the Account View – Campaigns tab and clicking the red “Add Campaign” button on the right.

After clicking the button, a new window, where you need to fill in the appropriate info, opens.

 

How to pause the campaign?

To pause a campaign, go to the Account view – Campaigns section and click the button with the three dots next to the campaign, and then select the “Pause” option.

The pause option appears only for active campaigns (those marked with a green circle), while for campaigns paused, the “Resume” option will appear in the same place.

How to add new keywords to a campaign?

To add new keywords to your campaign, go to the Account View – Keywords section, then click the red “Add Keyword” button on the right.

In the pop-up window, select the campaign and ad group to which you want to add new phrases, and then enter the keywords in the bottom box in the appropriate match (e.g. exact, broad, or to a phrase).

How to add new negative words?

We add exclusions in the Account view – Exclusions section. To do so, click the red button “Add exclusions” to the right. In the pop-up window, you can select a campaign or ad group (if you don’t select anything, the exclusion will be added at the level of the entire account, that means to all campaigns and ad groups), and in the bottom window, enter specific phrases that you want to exclude.
You can add over a dozen phrases at a time, you don’t have to do it individually.

How to change the ad text?

In order not to lose data and access statistics from older versions of ads, please do not change/edit the text of the existing ads.

If you need to edit, you need to pause the old ad (Account view – Ads – button with three dots – Pause). After pausing the ad, create a new version (Account view – Ads – Add ad) and enter the changed content. Select the appropriate campaign and ad group to which you want to assign a new ad and save.

How to add a new ad group?

Add a new ad group in the Account view – Ad groups section. Click the red button “Add an ad group” on the right, and fill in all the necessary data in the pop-up window (name of the new group, the campaign to which we want to assign it).

Which keyword match type is best?

If we have a limited budget, it is worth using only exact match, because the ads will appear ONLY on our keywords, without additional words – thus the budget will not be limited so quickly.

If we have a larger budget, it is worth using two different matches, e.g. exact and phrase matches, thanks to this our website will be displayed for more search queries, and we will be able to add the most relevant ones as additional keywords.

If you have a very niche campaign and it isn’t performing as expected, try broad or phrase match. There is a chance to display ads to those users who modify the phrases we use (this requires close monitoring of search terms and adding exclusions).

What are banner sizes for ads showing on the Google Display Network?

  • If we send ready-made banners prepared by a graphic designer, they must meet the requirements described inGoogle Support. .
  • If we choose responsive image banners (where we add logos and images as well as text), the image must meet the following requirements:
    Image
    Horizontal format (1,91:1): 1200 × 628 (minimum sizes: 600 × 314, maximum file size: 5120 KB)
    Square: 1200 × 1200 (minimum sizes: 300 × 300, maximum file size: 5120 KB)

    Logo
    Horizontal format (4:1): 1200 × 300 (minimum sizes: 512 × 128, maximum file size: 5120 KB)
    Square: 1200 × 1200 (minimum size: 128 × 128, maximum file size: 5120 KB) Note: Adding only the logo in horizontal format may limit the reach of your ad and is not recommended.

    A creative best practices guide

What parameters should a video for a YouTube campaign have?

Google recommends that videos for True View ads:

  • are at least 12 seconds long – this way video playback will be recorded by the YouTube counter,
  • are not longer than 3 minutes.

For the video to be displayed as an ad, it must be placed on the advertiser’s YT channel and the option “Allow to be posted on other sites” must be enabled. The video must comply with Google’s advertising policies and have public or non-public status.

Videos for Bumper Ads ads can be up to 6 seconds long.

Below you will find links to Google Support for more information.

TrueView video discovery ads

Video ad requirements

How to reschedule ads?

To reschedule your ads in existing campaigns, please write to Support and ask for changes.

How to change the campaign location?

To change the location in existing campaigns, please write to Support and ask for changes.

How to exclude the campaign location?

To exclude a location in existing campaigns, please write to Support and ask for changes.

If the campaign is set in such a way that specific cities or provinces in a given country have been selected, there is no need to exclude the unwanted ones. We exclude locations when, for some reason, we want to exclude one city from a large area.

Where to check the campaign results?

You can check the results of the campaign in:

  • summary section (on the right, you can select a specific date range) – there are aggregate data for the entire account and statistics for devices, campaign types, etc.,
  • account view section – there, in the appropriate tabs, you can find data from specific campaigns/ad groups/ads. Information can be filtered, for example by selecting dates or only active/ paused campaigns,
  • reports section – there you will find data from various time periods, a summary for the last months/years. In this section, you can also generate a report for the last month or calendar week and send it to a selected e-mail (on the right, click the red button Weekly report or Monthly report).