Work Smarter, Not Harder: Mastering Automated Rules in Google & Microsoft Ads

In the fast-paced field of digital advertising, staying on top of campaign performance can feel like a full-time job. Every day, advertisers are faced with the challenge of managing bids, analyzing data, and tweaking strategies to meet continually evolving goals. This is where automated rules come into play. By harnessing automated tools in platforms like Google Ads and Microsoft Ads, you can streamline your workflow, save valuable time, and ensure your campaigns perform as intended – without the need for constant babysitting.

Automated rules allow you to set predefined conditions that trigger specific actions, such as pausing underperforming ads, adjusting bids, or scheduling ads, ad groups, or even campaigns to enable (or pause) on a specific date. Just think, instead of spending hours making manual updates or taking time from your weekend to pause a sale ad that is supposed to end Saturday at midnight, you can let the system handle these mundane routine tasks. Whether you’re managing a single account or juggling multiple clients, automated rules provide the flexibility and efficiency needed to keep your campaigns running smoothly and effectively.

In this blog, we’ll walk you through the step-by-step process of setting up automated rules in both Google Ads and Microsoft Ads. From defining your goals to creating conditions and schedules, you’ll learn how to utilize automation to achieve better results with less effort. Let’s dive in and explore how automated rules can transform the way you manage your advertising campaigns.

Google Ads Automated Rules 

Google Ads offers a versatile set of automated rules to streamline campaign management. These rules can help you maintain consistent performance and react quickly to changing conditions. Here’s how to set them up:

1. Log In to Google Ads
   • Start by navigating to Google Ads and logging into your account.
2. Navigate to Campaigns, Ad Groups, Search Keywords, or Ads pages
   • Identify the level at which you want the automated rule to apply. This could be at the campaign, ad group, keyword, or individual ad level.
3. Access the Automated Rules Option
   • In the upper-right corner above the statistics table, click the three-dot menu.
   • Select “Create an automated rule.” This will open a menu of options.
4. Name Your Rule
   • Keep all your rules straight, and easily identify what rules you have by naming your rule. 
   • For example, if I want to pause a sale ad that ends on a particular date, I’ll put the name of the sale and end date: {Company Name} Halloween Clearance – Ends 10/31. (I use the company name at the front, since that will be included in the notification email.)
5. Choose the Owner of the Rule
   • If you have multiple accounts or use an MCC (Google My Client Center), it’s best to organize each rule under its own account. That way, you won’t accidentally pause all your campaigns in every account if you’re only wanting to pause campaigns in one specific account. And it gets really confusing and messy if the rules show up in other accounts (which happens if the owner is your agency MCC!).
6. Choose the Rule Type
   • Select the purpose of your automation. Different options will appear depending on what level you are (Campaign level, Ad level, etc.). Common options include:
     • Pause/Enable Ads: Automatically pause ads that fall below performance thresholds or enable sale ads for a new promotion.
     • Pause/Enable Ad Groups or Campaigns: Pause based on criteria or a date.
     • Adjust Bids: Change bids based on page position (below first page bid) or if they have or haven’t converted, or for many other reasons.
     • Change Budgets: Modify budgets based on specific performance metrics.
     • Send Email Notifications: Receive an email alert based on whatever conditions you specify.
7. Specify Actions
   • Google Ads allows up to five actions.
     • Apply to: Choose where you want the rule to take place. (ex. Ads in selected campaigns, Ads in selected ad groups)
     • Conditions: Here’s where you can select the conditions under which your rule should be triggered. You may want to set your condition on a specific label attached to your ads or on a performance metric.
     • Action: Choose what exactly you want to happen. Is it time for your Christmas-labeled ads to be paused? Select ‘Pause ads’ from the drop-down menu.
     • Frequency: Now choose how often you want this ad to run and when. It can occur hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, or just once.
     • Email results: To ensure that your rules actually did what you intended them to do, you can select to receive an email notification letting you know your rule ran and if there were any errors.
8. Preview and Save 
   • Before saving your new rule, click the Preview button to simulate what will happen when your rule runs, and confirm accuracy.
   • Once you’re satisfied, click “Save” to enable your rule.

Microsoft Advertising Automated Rules

Similar to Google, Microsoft’s automated rules can help make managing your ad campaigns more efficient and save you time. Simplify repetitive tasks while ensuring optimal campaign performance. Here’s how to set them up:

1. Log In to Microsoft Ads
   • Go to Microsoft Ads, and log in to access your dashboard.
2. Select the Campaigns, Ad Groups, Keywords, or Ads Tab
   • Navigate to the level where you want the rule to apply.
3. Access Automated Rules
   • In the upper right corner, above the performance table, you will see three dots. 
   • Click the three dots to see the “Automate” button.
   • This will give you various rules you can set for the level you have selected. 
4. Choose Your Rule Type
   • Decide the type of rule you wish to implement. Microsoft Ads offers very similar rules to those of Google Ads, such as pausing campaigns, bid adjustments, and enabling ads. 
5. Define the Conditions
   • Select what items you want the rule to affect. For example, all keywords in all campaigns, selected keywords, or all enabled keywords in all campaigns.
   • Choose the action you want the rule to do.
   • The When section is where you’re going to specify the precise conditions or attributes that are going to trigger the rule. Examples include:
     • Pause ads with a CTR below 1%.
     • Increase bids for keywords with a conversion rate exceeding 8%.
     • Reduce bids for keywords with a CPC greater than $2.50.
6. Determine the Frequency
   • Set how often the rule should run. You can choose from:
     • Daily: This would be perfect for campaigns requiring frequent adjustments.
     • Weekly or Monthly: This timeframe is ideal for monitoring and adjusting your campaign’s performance over time.
     • Once: This option is great for specific promotions or seasonal adjustments.
7. Name, Preview, and Save
   • Name your rule something clear and descriptive so you can identify it easily.
   • Select if or when you want to receive an email regarding your rule.
   • Select Preview to carefully review the rule settings, and click Save to activate the rule.

Automated rules are a game-changer for advertisers looking to save time and effort when optimizing their campaigns. By setting up these predefined actions in Google Ads and Microsoft Advertising, you can help your campaigns stay on track without constant manual intervention and getting bogged down with menial tasks. Whether it’s adjusting keyword bids, pausing underperforming ads, or scheduling seasonal campaigns to enable or pause, automated rules allow you to manage your account more efficiently and keep your focus on more important issues.

As with any tool, success lies in using it responsibly. Regularly review your rules performance, not only to make tweaks to align with your evolving goals, but even more importantly, to ensure no unintended consequences arise. By integrating automation into your campaign management, you can not only improve productivity but also stay competitive.

Now that you have learned how to set up automated rules in both Google Ads and Microsoft Ads, it’s time to put them into practice! Start small and experiment with different configurations, monitor your results, and watch how this helpful automation can elevate your digital marketing strategy to the next level.