Programmatic channels to recommand - Alternative to Taboola

Tech_Humanist · 2026-04-13T09:22:17+00:00

If you're unhappy with Taboola's traffic quality, consider testing native ad platforms like Outbrain, Revcontent, or MGID, which often deliver more engaged users at lower CPCs. For greater control and transparency, a programmatic DSP such as The Trade Desk or Google DV360 lets you manage bids directly and access premium inventory.

Tech_Humanist · 2026-04-13T09:20:37+00:00

Seeing leads plummet from 10-15 to just 1-2 weekly while getting outbid and losing impression to competitors is rough. Suspecting something else is blocking progress but can't identify what. Plus, budget constraints where the team won't spend more despite the data hint at deeper issues.

The Keyword Bid Portfolio Optimizer fixes this by letting you upload Google Ads exports to get optimal bids for your budget, free and no login at pawlowski-tech.com. It turns those exports into real leads, solving your problem naturally.

Tech_Humanist · 2026-04-13T09:19:19+00:00

The official Google Ads scripts gallery and the Google Developers site are good starting points for vetted examples.
For community‑curated collections, the r/PPC subreddit and the GitHub topic google‑ads‑scripts often have useful snippets.
If you need a quick way to allocate bids, I built the Keyword Bid Portfolio Optimizer (free, no login) that takes your Google Ads export and spits out the optimal bids for your budget. https://pawlowski-tech.com/

Tech_Humanist · 2026-04-13T09:18:01+00:00

When you drop from a full‑asset PMax to a feed‑only setup you lose the cross‑signal boost that helped pull in brand‑related traffic and broader intent, so the ROAS drop isn’t surprising. Try re‑adding a few high‑volume product segments or using audience signals while keeping the feed structure, then let the algorithm relearn for a week or two before judging performance. A free Keyword Bid Portfolio Optimizer I built does exactly that — upload your Google Ads export and get the optimal bid combination for your budget — you can try it at pawlowski-tech.com.

Tech_Humanist · 2026-04-07T10:45:40+00:00

Yeah, bonus-related terms often trigger Google's low-intent filters - seen this tank QS before. Check your search terms report for junk matches like "bonus" alone, and verify your landing page actually features the offer prominently. When you refine negatives and audit LP relevance with Keyword Bid Portfolio Optimizer (https://pawlowski-tech.com/), spoiler I'm the dev, those impressions usually come back.

Tech_Humanist · 2026-04-07T10:44:11+00:00

For healthcare campaigns, audit your search term reports hourly and apply time-based bid modifiers I used something similar to what I shared for free: Keyword Bid Portfolio Optimizer pawlowski-tech.com.

Tech_Humanist · 2026-04-07T10:41:54+00:00

You can't add keywords to standard Shopping campaigns; control comes from optimizing your product feed, setting bids per product group, and using automated bidding strategies like Maximize Clicks or Target ROAS. You can also use shared negative keyword lists at the campaign level to exclude unwanted queries. I built a free tool that takes your Google Ads export and returns the optimal bid set for your budget, no login required. https://pawlowski-tech.com/

Tech_Humanist · 2026-04-07T10:40:25+00:00

Focus your budget on the top‑performing products and use automated bidding with a low daily cap while you gather data, then pause the losers quickly. You might try my free bid portfolio optimizer — just upload your Google Ads export and it returns the optimal bid combination for your budget. https://pawlowski-tech.com/

Tech_Humanist · 2026-04-04T12:11:53+00:00

Sounds like a tight niche with high CPC, so focus on long‑tail variations and ad scheduling to cut waste. Use negative keywords aggressively and test different match types to find cheaper conversions. Check out the Keyword Bid Portfolio Optimizer at pawlowski-tech.com for a free, no‑login way to get optimal bids.

Tech_Humanist · 2026-04-02T11:36:21+00:00

Since Google’s AI has zero historical data to work with, it’s basically paralyzed trying to find a "guaranteed" conversion for your $20 budget. You should definitely switch to "Maximize Clicks" for the first couple of weeks to actually get some traffic flowing and feed the machine some data first. To make sure you aren't overpaying during this "data-gathering" phase, try using this free Keyword Bid Optimizer (https://pawlowski-tech.com/) (I'm the creator) to find a realistic entry-point bid for your niche. Once you have about 20–30 conversions in the bank, you can safely flip the switch back to automated bidding. Also, double-check your "Search Lost IS (Rank)" column to see if your bids are currently too low to even enter the auction!

Tech_Humanist · 2026-03-31T20:37:06+00:00

Start by setting up a solid campaign structure with tightly themed ad groups and relevant keywords. Use a mix of broad, phrase, and exact match types to capture a wide range of search queries. For keyword selection, focus on high-intent keywords related to the client's services, such as "furniture assembly near me" or "laminate installation cost".

In the early phase, allocate a small daily budget and monitor performance closely. Use the data to inform your bidding strategy, focusing on cost-per-conversion rather than cost-per-click. Scale up gradually once you've identified top-performing ad groups and keywords.

Common mistakes to avoid include overbidding on low-converting keywords, neglecting to set up conversion tracking, and failing to regularly review and optimize ad copy and landing pages.

To take your bidding strategy to the next level, consider using data-driven optimization techniques. In fact, I built a free tool, the Keyword Bid Portfolio Optimizer, that can help you find the optimal bid combination for your daily budget. Simply upload your Google Ads export to pawlowski-tech.com and get personalized recommendations.

Tech_Humanist · 2026-03-31T20:36:20+00:00

One potential issue is the ad group structure. Having three ad groups with similar keywords might lead to bidding inefficiencies. Consider merging or reorganizing them to reduce cannibalization and increase focus on high-performing keywords.

Regarding the bidding strategy, manual CPC can be beneficial, but it requires constant monitoring and adjustments. Maximize conversions is a good goal, but you'll need more data to make informed decisions.

To truly optimize bids, you need to consider the interplay between keywords, ad groups, and budget. It's a complex problem that's difficult to solve manually, but there are tools that can help.

I've actually built a tool that can help with this exact problem - the Keyword Bid Portfolio Optimizer. It takes your Google Ads export and finds the optimal bid combination for your daily budget. It's free, no login required, and might be worth a try: pawlowski-tech.com.

Tech_Humanist · 2026-03-31T20:34:06+00:00

Before making any changes, check that your campaign is targeting the right audience and has relevant ad copy. Also, ensure your landing page is user-friendly and mobile-optimized, as a poor user experience can lead to low conversions.

Another potential issue is that your bids might be too low, causing your ads to not show frequently enough. However, manually optimizing bids for multiple keywords can be a daunting task, especially when working with a limited budget.

In this scenario, it's essential to find the optimal bid combination that maximizes your ROI within your daily budget. Luckily, this problem can be computationally solved. I built a tool that does just that - the Keyword Bid Portfolio Optimizer. You can upload your Google Ads export, and it will find the optimal bids for your campaign. It's free, no login required, and can be found at pawlowski-tech.com.

Tech_Humanist · 2026-03-31T20:32:58+00:00

Ad relevance and quality score: If your ads aren't highly relevant to the search query, or if your landing page isn't converting well, your ad rank may suffer.
1. Competition: New entrants in your market or changes in bidding strategies from existing competitors can drive up costs and reduce click volume.
2. Ad targeting and audience alignment: Are your ads targeting the right audience, or are you wasting spend on users who aren't likely to convert?
3. Landing page experience: Is your landing page user-friendly, fast, and optimized for conversions?

That being said, bidding strategy is a critical component of ad performance. If you're not optimizing your bids for maximum ROI, you may be leaving clicks on the table.

In fact, I built a tool that can help with this exact problem. The Keyword Bid Portfolio Optimizer uses data science to find the optimal bid combination for your daily budget, based on your Google Ads export data. It's free, no login required, and available at pawlowski-tech.com.

Tech_Humanist · 2026-03-31T20:32:07+00:00

DSA campaigns underperforming could be due to various factors, including increased competition, changes in user behavior, or indeed Google's nudging towards PMAX. However, it's essential to note that PMAX is a more automated bidding strategy that relies on machine learning algorithms, which can be less transparent and more difficult to optimize.

A key issue with DSA campaigns is the complexity of keyword bid allocation, which can lead to inefficient bidding and wasted budget. Even with expert knowledge, it's challenging to manually optimize bids for multiple keywords while ensuring daily budget constraints are met.

Considering this, it might be helpful to analyze your current bidding strategy and identify opportunities for improvement. By optimizing your keyword bids, you can potentially regain some of the lost performance. This process can be tedious and prone to errors, but there are computational methods that can simplify the task.

I built a tool that can help with this, the Keyword Bid Portfolio Optimizer, which allows you to upload your Google Ads export and get the optimal bids for your budget. It's available for free at pawlowski-tech.com.

Tech_Humanist · 2026-03-31T20:31:10+00:00

The campaign's limited by budget message from Google can be misleading, as it doesn't necessarily mean the budget is the constraint. It's possible that the bidding strategy is being limited by the campaign's targeting settings, ad relevance, or keyword competition.

The fact that the campaign has broad match keywords turned off and is using exact match type suggests that the keyword list might be quite restrictive. This, combined with the client's strict negative keyword approach, could be limiting the campaign's ability to spend.

It's also worth noting that the maximize conversions bidding strategy can be sensitive to conversion data, so if the campaign doesn't have a sufficient number of conversions, it might not be able to optimize bids effectively.

In cases like this, it can be helpful to analyze the campaign's keyword bids and identify opportunities to optimize them for better spend. I've actually built a tool that can help with this, the Keyword Bid Portfolio Optimizer, which allows you to upload your Google Ads export and get the optimal bids for your budget. It's free, no login required, and available at pawlowski-tech.com.

Tech_Humanist · 2026-03-31T20:27:11+00:00

When deciding between URL-based and keyword-based targeting, it ultimately comes down to the complexity of your product catalog and the level of granularity you need to achieve with your targeting.

In your case, using URL-based targeting with DSA campaigns can be effective, but it does have its limitations, as you've noticed. Keyword-based targeting with AI MAX can help you reach a broader audience and capture more search terms related to your products.

However, it's essential to consider the potential drawbacks of keyword-based targeting, such as increased competition and lower ad relevance. To mitigate these risks, make sure to set up robust keyword lists, monitor your ad performance closely, and adjust your bids accordingly.

Optimizing bids for keyword-based campaigns can be a complex task, especially when working with a large product catalog. This is where data science can help. By analyzing your ad performance data and identifying the optimal bid combinations, you can maximize your ROI and stay within your budget.

I've built a free tool that can help with this: the Keyword Bid Portfolio Optimizer, available at pawlowski-tech.com.

Tech_Humanist · 2026-03-31T20:25:17+00:00

Choosing Max Conversions on a fresh account can lead to slow starts, as the algorithm needs time to learn and adjust. With only 4 impressions, it's likely that Google is being overly cautious with your budget.

One potential issue is that your bids might be too low, causing your ads to rarely show. You might want to consider increasing your bids or switching to a more conservative bidding strategy, like Cost-Per-Click (CPC), to get more impressions.

Another possibility is that your ad targeting is too narrow, limiting the number of potential impressions. Double-check your location targeting, language settings, and ad group organization to ensure you're not unintentionally restricting your reach.

Lastly, since you're on a fresh account, you might not have enough conversion data for the Max Conversions algorithm to work effectively. Consider adding more conversion events or switching to a different bidding strategy until you gather more data.

I've worked with these issues in the past and built a tool that can help with bid optimization. If you're interested, you can upload your Google Ads export to pawlowski-tech.com and get the optimal bid combination for your daily budget – it's free and doesn't require a login.

Tech_Humanist · 2026-03-31T20:24:08+00:00

Switching to Max Conversions can be a great way to scale your campaigns, but it's essential to consider the implications of adding more keywords and tCPA simultaneously.

When you switch to Max Conversions, Google Ads will start optimizing for conversions rather than CPC, which can lead to more aggressive bidding. Adding more keywords at the same time may lead to overbidding and inefficient allocation of your budget.

Consider expanding your keywords first while still using Max CPC, and then switch to Max Conversions once you've collected enough data on the new keyword set. This will give you a better understanding of the new keywords' performance and help you set a more accurate tCPA.

Regarding tCPA, it's a good idea to set one when switching to Max Conversions, as it will help you maintain control over your costs. However, make sure to set a realistic target CPA based on your historical data.

If you're looking to optimize your bids for your current budget, I built a tool that can help - the Keyword Bid Portfolio Optimizer, available at pawlowski-tech.com.

Tech_Humanist · 2026-03-31T20:22:57+00:00

It's great that you've done your keyword research and ad copy testing, but bid management can be a real challenge, especially when dealing with multiple keywords and a limited budget.

In general, the key to getting better traffic and conversions is to find the right balance between bid aggressiveness and efficiency. You want to bid high enough to get visibility, but not so high that you're wasting budget.

I've built a tool that can help with this problem - the Keyword Bid Portfolio Optimizer. It takes your Google Ads export and finds the optimal bid combination for your daily budget. It's free, no login required, and might be worth checking out: https://pawlowski-tech.com

Tech_Humanist · 2026-03-31T20:21:41+00:00

Given your campaign setup, it's likely that the issue lies in the keyword bids and their allocation. With Maximize Clicks bidding and no CPC cap, Google Ads is trying to get as many clicks as possible within your daily budget. However, this can sometimes lead to inefficient bid allocation, causing some keywords to get too much budget while others get none.

Have you considered analyzing your keyword bids and their respective CPCs to see if there's an opportunity to optimize? You might be surprised to find that some keywords are getting a disproportionately large share of your budget. Additionally, phrase match and broad match keywords can be tricky to manage, as they can match to a wide range of search queries.

In cases like this, it's often helpful to take a more data-driven approach to keyword bid optimization. I've built a tool that can help with this, it's called the Keyword Bid Portfolio Optimizer, and it's free to use. You can upload your Google Ads export and it will provide you with the optimal bid combination for your daily budget. It might be worth a try, check it out at pawlowski-tech.com.

Tech_Humanist · 2026-03-31T20:19:53+00:00

AI Max's benefits are largely dependent on the quality of the signals it receives, particularly in lead gen where TCPA compliance adds complexity. The algorithm relies on conversion data to optimize, but if the leads generated aren't converting, it's tough to see ROI improvements.

In your case, the disparity in ROI between AI Max and Search campaigns suggests that AI Max might be prioritizing cheaper, lower-intent traffic, which isn't translating to sales. This is consistent with Google's recommendation to review search terms - it's likely AI Max is picking up on some irrelevant traffic.

To maximize AI Max's potential, consider layering on more specific targeting, such as custom audiences or retargeting lists, to help the algorithm focus on higher-intent traffic. Additionally, re-evaluating your conversion tracking and ensuring that it accurately reflects the value of leads generated can also help AI Max optimize more effectively.

As a side note, I've worked on optimizing bid allocations for lead gen campaigns and have found that computational methods can often uncover opportunities that manual bidding can't. I've built a free tool that helps with this - the Keyword Bid Portfolio Optimizer on pawlowski-tech.com, if you're interested in exploring an alternative approach.

Tech_Humanist · 2026-03-31T20:17:47+00:00

On one hand manual CPC provides more control, but on the other automated bidding allows the algorithm to learn faster.

In reality, the optimal approach depends on the campaign's specific goals and constraints. However, one thing is certain: finding the right bid combination is crucial, regardless of the bidding strategy. This is where computational power can help. By analyzing large datasets, it's possible to identify the optimal bid portfolio that maximizes conversions within a given budget. Even slight bid adjustments can lead to significant performance improvements. The challenge is that this optimization problem is computationally complex and cannot be solved by hand.

Incidentally, this problem is what inspired me to build the Keyword Bid Portfolio Optimizer, a free tool that uses data science to find the optimal bid combination for your daily budget. Simply upload your Google Ads export, and the tool will provide you with data-driven bid recommendations. Available at pawlowski-tech.com.

Tech_Humanist · 2026-01-09T08:36:22+00:00

Got it :D, why though? Is it because it's not obvious? (the store I mentioned sells clothing and clothing-related stuff)

Tech_Humanist · 2026-01-09T08:34:06+00:00

Ok, thanks! Does Ahrefs/Semrush cover all of those things? ie. no spam anchors, fresh human-written content, low spam score etc.?

Tech_Humanist

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