Struggling with underperforming ads? Here’s the good news: you don’t need to start from scratch. Small, focused adjustments can make a big difference. Here are five ways to improve your ad performance:

• Target smarter: Build specific audience segments using behavioral and psychographic data. Use cross-channel retargeting to stay visible across platforms.

• Refresh ad creative: Test different headlines, visuals, and CTAs to find what resonates most with your audience.

• Rethink bidding strategies: Review manual and automated bidding options to balance cost control and efficiency.

• Choose better placements: Focus on high-performing channels like Connected TV and mobile apps. Use contextual targeting to align placements with your brand.

• Monitor performance data: Track KPIs like CPC, CTR, and ROAS in real-time dashboards to make informed decisions quickly.

My Ad Optimization Process That Always Works

Fix 1: Target the Right Audience

If your ads aren’t converting, chances are they’re reaching the wrong people. The fix? Target the right audience. This means going beyond basic demographics and building a more refined strategy to improve ad performance.

Build Smarter Audience Segments

Casting a wide net rarely works. Instead, focus on creating precise audience segments that truly reflect your ideal customers. Start by analyzing demographic data alongside behavioral patterns and interest signals to build detailed user profiles.

Dive into your customer data - purchase history, website activity, and engagement trends - to find common threads among your top buyers. Then, take it a step further by incorporating psychographic data like interests, values, and lifestyle habits. This allows you to craft segments that feel personal and relevant.

For example, instead of targeting a broad group like "women aged 25–45", narrow it down to "health-conscious working moms who shop online during lunch breaks." These more specific segments let your ads speak directly to their needs, motivations, and challenges.

Want to go even deeper? Use behavioral targeting to focus on what people actually do - like browsing habits or purchase intent - rather than just who they are. These actions often provide stronger clues about who’s likely to convert.

Once you’ve nailed down these audience segments, make sure your strategy reaches them across multiple platforms.

Leverage Cross-Channel Retargeting

Your audience doesn’t stick to one platform, and neither should your ads. Cross-channel retargeting ensures you reconnect with users wherever they are, creating a seamless and familiar experience.

Think beyond just one type of ad. Combine display ads, Connected TV spots, and mobile campaigns to reinforce your message across platforms. This multi-touch strategy increases brand recall and gives you more chances to grab attention.

Consistency is key. While your Connected TV ads might focus on storytelling, your mobile ads can push for quick actions like app downloads or purchases. The message remains the same, but the format adapts to how each platform is used.

For more complex products or longer sales cycles, sequential messaging works wonders. Start with ads that build awareness, follow up with content that drives consideration, and finally, deliver conversion-focused creative to high-intent users. This step-by-step approach helps guide potential customers naturally through your sales funnel.

To make all this work, you’ll need robust data to fuel your targeting.

Tap Into Richer Data Sources

Your ability to target effectively hinges on the quality of your data. Relying on limited data sources often leads to generic campaigns that fail to connect with your audience.

An example of a powerful resource is OTHERSIDE’s access to 400+ data partners, offering a blend of first- and third-party data. This extensive network provides a detailed, real-time understanding of your audience, far beyond basic demographic insights.

First-party data - like website visitors, email subscribers, and loyal customers - is especially valuable. These individuals already have a relationship with your brand, making them prime candidates for retargeting. Pair this with lookalike modeling to find new prospects who share similar traits with your best customers.

Real-time data adds another layer of precision. Imagine someone actively researching vacation destinations, comparing prices, or reading up on industry trends. These actions signal immediate intent, making them ideal targets for timely, relevant ads. Plus, analyzing overlapping behaviors can reveal unexpected opportunities to expand your campaigns.

Fix 2: Update Your Ad Creative

Even the best audience targeting can't save an ad with lackluster creative. Your visuals, copy, and overall message need to grab attention and motivate action. It’s time to refresh your creative approach by using smarter testing strategies to find out what truly connects with your audience.

Test Different Creative Elements

A/B testing is your go-to tool for refining the creative aspects of your ads - headlines, visuals, and copy. Here’s how you can approach it:

• Experiment with headlines and ad copy that highlight different value propositions or tap into emotional appeals. This helps pinpoint what drives the most engagement.

• Test images and videos by comparing product-focused visuals with lifestyle-oriented ones. Even subtle tweaks, like adjusting color schemes, can make a big difference in capturing attention.

• Play around with CTA (Call to Action) wording and button designs. For example, try phrases like "Shop Now", "Learn More", or "Get Started" to see which prompts the most clicks.

For each test, set clear goals and track measurable outcomes. Document your findings to create a playbook for future campaigns. Don’t forget to segment your audience during testing - what works for one group may not resonate with another.

Once you’ve fine-tuned your creative elements, you can revisit your bidding strategy to further improve your campaign results.

Fix 3: Change Your Bidding Strategy

If your ad performance needs a boost, it might be time to rethink how you bid on impressions and clicks. Your bidding strategy has a direct impact on both costs and results. Relying on default settings or outdated methods can quickly drain your budget without delivering the outcomes you want. The key is finding the right balance between controlling costs and staying competitive.

Review Real-Time Bidding Settings

Start by reviewing your current bid floors, pacing, and budget allocation. Bid floors should be set at a level that attracts quality traffic without overspending. Use historical data to determine the best bid floors for your campaigns.

Pacing is another critical factor. If your budget gets used up too early in the day, adjust your pacing settings to spread spending more evenly. Alternatively, if a campaign is performing well but hitting daily budget caps, consider increasing the budget to maximize results.

Don’t forget to revisit your frequency caps. These help prevent overexposure to the same audience and ensure a smoother transition if you decide to switch to automated bidding.

Switch to Automated Bidding

Managing bids manually can be time-consuming and requires constant attention. Automated bidding systems, on the other hand, use machine learning to adjust bids in real time. These systems analyze performance data, user behavior, and market trends to make smarter bidding decisions.

For example, OTHERSIDE's Nexus Engine™ uses advanced algorithms to evaluate multiple data points simultaneously. It factors in signals like user engagement, device type, and time of day to automatically adjust bids in line with your goals.

When switching to automated bidding, allow the system some time to gather data and fine-tune its approach. Define clear targets - whether it’s Return on Ad Spend (ROAS), Cost Per Acquisition (CPA), or Cost Per Click (CPC) - and let the algorithm handle the rest.

Manual vs. Automated Bidding Comparison

Choosing between manual and automated bidding depends on your resources and campaign complexity. For those managing multiple campaigns, automated bidding often delivers better efficiency and results. However, if you’re running a highly targeted campaign, manual bidding may still offer the precision you need.

Up next, we’ll focus on optimizing ad placements to better connect with your target audience.

Fix 4: Choose Better Ad Placements

Once you've refined your bidding strategy, it's time to focus on where your ads appear. Ad placements are just as important as the content itself. Poor placement decisions can drain your budget on low-quality traffic or even harm your brand’s image. On the flip side, smart placement choices connect you with engaged audiences in trusted spaces, boosting conversions and building credibility.

Focus on Top-Performing Channels

In the U.S., some channels consistently deliver better results than others. Connected TV (CTV) is a standout option, especially for reaching cord-cutters and streaming audiences. It offers premium ad inventory with strong engagement and precise targeting.

Another high-value channel is mobile apps, particularly for younger audiences. Ads within apps often achieve higher completion rates and better engagement compared to ads on mobile web browsers. Gaming apps, social platforms, and lifestyle apps are especially effective for many advertisers.

Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) advertising has come a long way from static billboards. Today, DOOH includes dynamic screens in places like shopping malls, transit hubs, and office buildings. These placements are excellent for location-based targeting, helping you reach consumers at key moments during their daily routines.

To maximize results, analyze your campaign data to identify which channels deliver the best cost per acquisition (CPA) and engagement. Once you’ve pinpointed your top performers, shift more of your budget toward them while reducing spend on underperforming channels.

Add Contextual Targeting and Brand Safety

With your targeting and bidding strategies in place, make sure your ad placements align with your brand’s values. Contextual targeting is a great way to ensure this. Instead of relying on user data, this approach places ads based on the content of the webpage, making it both privacy-friendly and highly relevant to what users are actively interested in [1]. It evaluates keywords, topics, and even sentiment to match your ads with appropriate content.

To protect your brand’s reputation, implement brand safety measures that block your ads from appearing alongside harmful or controversial content [2]. Modern tools for contextual advertising include category exclusions, sentiment analysis, and semantic understanding [1], all of which help your ads avoid negative associations.

Take it a step further with brand suitability. This ensures your ads not only avoid harmful content but also align with your brand’s identity and messaging [1]. For example, a luxury brand might steer clear of budget-focused content, while a family-friendly business would avoid adult-oriented websites.

To maintain control, set up keyword exclusion lists to prevent your ads from appearing near competitor content, negative news, or topics that conflict with your brand’s image. Use semantic analysis tools to go beyond simple keyword matching, ensuring your ads steer clear of content with negative sentiment.

Track Placement Performance

Transparency is key when evaluating ad placements. Without detailed reporting, you could miss valuable opportunities to fine-tune your strategy.

Track metrics like click-through rates (CTR), conversion rates, and Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) for each placement. Some placements may drive lots of traffic but result in few conversions, while others might generate fewer clicks but deliver higher-quality leads. Focus your budget on placements that deliver meaningful results.

Create placement performance reports that break down data by website, app, or specific ad position. Look for trends among your top-performing placements, such as common audience demographics, content categories, or time-of-day patterns. Use these insights to guide future decisions.

Automated rules can help you shift budgets toward high-performing placements and pause those that underperform. Regular audits will highlight opportunities to optimize your spending and eliminate waste. Use these findings to continuously refine your campaign for better results.

Fix 5: Monitor Performance Data

Data is the core of any successful programmatic advertising campaign. Building on the previous fixes, keeping a close eye on performance data allows you to refine your strategy and make informed decisions. Without proper monitoring, you're left guessing, which can lead to wasted resources. Campaign success depends on tracking, analyzing, and acting on data effectively.

Track Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

The metrics you choose to track will directly influence how well you can optimize your campaigns. Some of the most impactful KPIs include:

• Cost Per Click (CPC): Shows how much you're paying for each interaction.

• Conversion Rate: Measures the percentage of clicks that lead to meaningful actions.

• Return on Ad Spend (ROAS): Indicates how much revenue is generated for every dollar spent.

It’s essential to align these metrics with your business goals. For instance:

• E-commerce campaigns should track Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) alongside the average order value to ensure profitability.

• Brand awareness campaigns should prioritize metrics like reach and frequency to ensure you're hitting your audience without overwhelming them.

Keep an eye on Click-through Rates (CTR) as well. A CTR below 0.5% might indicate issues with your creative or overly broad targeting, while a CTR above 2% suggests your messaging and audience targeting are well-aligned.

Set up conversion tracking to go beyond clicks and measure actions that matter - whether that’s form submissions, purchases, or app downloads. Use unique tracking codes for each campaign to pinpoint what’s working. Additionally, monitor viewability rates to ensure your ads are being seen. The industry standard defines viewability as at least 50% of the ad being visible for one second (display) or two seconds (video). Low viewability often signals poor ad placement or technical issues that require immediate attention.

By focusing on these metrics, you’ll have the real-time insights needed to make quick, impactful decisions.

Use Real-Time Reporting Dashboards

Real-time dashboards are a game-changer for campaign management. They allow you to make adjustments on the fly, addressing potential issues before they escalate into costly problems. Many modern programmatic platforms offer dashboards that update every few minutes, giving you up-to-the-minute insights.

For example, OTHERSIDE's reporting tools provide detailed real-time data, helping you identify trends as they happen. Instead of waiting for end-of-day reports, you can see which creative variations perform best at specific times and shift your budget toward the winning options immediately.

To stay proactive, set up automated alerts for key performance thresholds. For instance, you can receive notifications if your CPA rises 25% above the target or if certain audience segments start converting at double the expected rate. These alerts let you reallocate budgets quickly to maintain efficiency.

Hourly performance breakdowns also offer valuable insights. For instance, B2B campaigns might perform best between 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM EST, while consumer-focused campaigns may see peak engagement during the evening. Use this data to fine-tune your dayparting strategies and maximize results.

You can also create custom dashboards tailored to your specific goals. Highlight the KPIs that matter most to your business, making it easier to focus on what drives success. Regular reviews of these dashboards will ensure your insights lead to actionable improvements.

Review Campaigns Regularly

Consistent campaign reviews are key to both short-term optimizations and long-term success. Weekly reviews help you make immediate adjustments, such as pausing underperforming ad sets, while monthly evaluations provide a broader perspective on trends.

Look for performance patterns across different time frames. For instance, if a campaign performs well during the week but struggles on weekends, you might adjust its schedule. Similarly, recognizing seasonal trends can help you prepare for upcoming opportunities or challenges.

Dive into audience performance analysis to identify which demographics, interests, or behaviors are driving the best results. Use this data to refine your targeting and even create lookalike audiences based on your top-performing segments.

Compare how different creative formats and messaging approaches perform. For example, video ads might resonate better with certain audiences, while carousel ads could be more effective for showcasing multiple products. Document these findings to guide future campaigns.

Finally, don’t overlook competitive analysis during your reviews. If you notice a sudden increase in CPC across all campaigns, it could signal heightened competition. This might prompt you to explore new audience segments or experiment with different creative strategies.

Establishing performance benchmarks based on historical data is also crucial. For example, if your typical CTR is 1.2%, you’ll quickly spot when a campaign is underperforming or exceeding expectations. Over time, these benchmarks become even more valuable as you build a larger dataset for reference.

Conclusion: 5 Quick Fixes for Better Ad Performance

Improving underperforming ad campaigns doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By focusing on a few key adjustments, you can quickly see better results. Here are five targeted fixes to help boost your return on ad spend (ROAS) and get your campaigns back on track.

Fine-Tune Audience Targeting: The success of any campaign starts with knowing your audience. Build precise audience segments, tap into cross-channel retargeting, and leverage detailed data sources to ensure your ads reach the people most likely to take action. When your targeting is spot-on, every other tweak you make becomes far more effective.

Refresh Your Creative Assets: Keep your ads engaging by testing new visuals, headlines, and formats. Dynamic creative optimization and regular updates can help prevent ad fatigue, keeping your audience interested and increasing engagement rates.

Reassess Your Bidding Strategy: Your bidding approach plays a huge role in how efficiently your budget is used. Whether you’re using automated, manual, or real-time bidding, make sure your strategy aligns with your campaign goals. Regularly monitor performance and adjust as needed to stay on track.

Optimize Ad Placements: Not all channels perform equally. Focus your budget on platforms and placements that deliver the best results while ensuring brand safety. Regularly review placement performance to cut out wasted impressions and maximize impact.

Stay on Top of Performance Monitoring: Monitoring is the glue that holds all your optimizations together. Use real-time dashboards, track key performance indicators (KPIs), and conduct frequent reviews to create a feedback loop that drives continuous improvement.

The best campaigns don’t rely on just one or two of these fixes - they combine all five for maximum impact. Start with the area that offers the biggest opportunity for improvement, then tackle the others systematically. By consistently applying these strategies, you’ll start seeing measurable results in no time. These adjustments can turn any struggling campaign into a success story.