Sources Optimization and Blocklist Management in MGID Ads

This article introduces our Sources Optimization functionality and explains how the transparency feature works to enhance your experience.

In this article:

Navigating the MGID Ads Update: From "Widget Optimization" to "Sources Optimization"

Getting Started with the Sources Optimization Interface

How to Migrate Campaigns to the Sources Optimization

How to Adjust Bid Multiplier

Features and Metrics in the Source Optimization Interface

Introduction to the Sources Blocklist

Navigating the MGID Ads Update: From "Widget Optimization" to "Sources Optimization"

To enhance transparency and give you greater control over your ad campaigns, we're updating our platform. The 'Widget Optimization' tab, which displayed widget UIDs, has been replaced with the new 'Sources Optimization' interface that shows traffic sources. As a result, all actions—such as viewing statistics, adjusting CPC multipliers, and enabling or disabling traffic sources—are now directly connected to these traffic sources, making the entire process more user-friendly and transparent.

Previously, our interface displayed traffic sources as numerical widget UIDs like 14971149. While useful for technical control, these identifiers often felt disconnected from the actual environments where the ads appeared—websites, mobile apps, or other environments. Now, we display traffic sources as domain names (e.g., abc.com) or app names.  Additionally, for inventory from big portals like MSN or OEM providers like Xiaomi, you will now see a breakdown by page categories/types and placements.

This update will give you a clearer understanding of traffic sources, enabling more informed decisions when adjusting CPC multipliers or managing specific traffic sources. Customers will be working with recognizable traffic sources, making it easier to track, assess, and optimize performance.

With more transparent traffic sources, you can better understand who interacts with ads. You can approach campaigns and adjust strategy with a deeper awareness of the audience behind the sources, instead of reacting to numbers and identifiers.

To support these improvements, we're introducing the "Sources Optimization" section within the MGID Ads dashboard. 

Here, you'll find all the tools to manage traffic sources with enhanced visibility:

• View detailed statistics for each traffic source.
• Adjust CPC multipliers based on traffic source performance.
• Enable or disable specific traffic sources.

Getting Started with the Sources Optimization Interface

Currently, the MGID Ads campaigns dashboard includes both tabs: Widget Optimization (also known as Selective Bidding) and Sources Optimization. 

You can continue to manage widget UIDs for existing campaigns using the Widget Optimization tab. However, the Sources Optimization interface will be available in read-only mode for these existing campaigns. With this new interface, you'll be able to view detailed statistics by domain, however, you won't be able to make adjustments directly within it.

When setting up new campaigns of these types, you will encounter an option titled Sources Optimization.

Enable the Sources Optimization option to manage your traffic sources by domain in MGID Ads. Note that when this option is active:

• The Widget Optimization tab with the widget UIDs will not be displayed in MGID Ads.
• The Selective Bidding of the old (legacy) dashboard will no longer be available.
• All the traffic sources management will be processed through the “Sources Optimization” in MGID Ads.

If you choose not to enable this option when setting up a new campaign:

• The MGID Ads interface will default to the Widget Optimization tab. 
• The Sources Optimization tab will be available as well, but in the mode “read-only”.

How to Migrate Campaigns to the Sources Optimization

If your campaigns currently have the Sources Optimization tab in the mode “read-only”, you can migrate from the Widget Optimization tab and fully enable the Sources Optimization functionality. It takes approximately 2 minutes.

The key benefits of migration to Sources Optimization are complete control over your sources in Sources Optimization and access to the Sources Blocklist.

You can initiate the migration process directly from the Sources Optimization interface in “read-only” mode. Follow these steps:

1. Click the Try Now button located in the footer banner.  There might be a notification similar to the following: “Get the ultimate visibility and detailed insights! Unlock the new sources optimization functionality.”

2. Alternatively, hover over a toggle or multiplier to display and click a tooltip containing the Try Now button. The tooltip might display a notification: “Turn on sources optimization to make changes. Try now”.

3. Select one of the options: either Cancel (to stop the migration) or Turn on (to process the migration).

4. Click Turn on to begin the migration process. 

Then a dialog box will appear with the message: “Turn on sources optimization? It takes up to 2 minutes to update the system. Note: you can’t undo this change.”

While the system processes the migration there will be two buttons: Cancel (active) and Retry (disabled with a 2-minute countdown). If any issues occur during the migration, you can cancel or retry after the 2-minute countdown.

6. A system notification will inform you that the migration process is completed. It also includes an action button Reload. Reload the page to close the old optimization interface and fully activate the new interface for editing.

How to Adjust Bid Multiplier

You can adjust the bid multiplier if the Sources Optimization interface is active. 

When you adjust the multiplier for a specific source (domain, app, or MSN ), the CPC (Cost Per Click) of your creative is multiplied by this multiplier to determine the final CPC.

The Final CPC Formula: 

• Final CPC = Ads CPC × Source multiplier

For example, if your Ads CPC is $0.20 and you set a source multiplier of 0.5 for a specific domain.

The final CPC will be $0.10 (0.20 * 0.5 = 0.10). 

By adjusting bids based on the performance of specific sources, you can effectively optimize your campaign. This gives you precise control over your budget and performance, ensuring you pay the optimal amount for traffic from each source.

Features and Metrics in the Source Optimization Interface

Search Feature 

The search feature operates exclusively with domains, mobile applications, and MSN inventory categorized by page types and placements. This specialization simplifies finding and managing the specific sources that interest you.

Metrics Customization

You can use the Columns selector to customize your metrics, choosing the specific data points that matter most to you. This ensures your dashboard is perfectly tailored to your needs.

Win Rate Metric

The Win Rate metric offers valuable insights into how effectively your ads or creatives are performing in auctions for each specific traffic source. It represents the percentage of times your ad was successfully rendered to users after participating in auctions.

Win Rate Formula:

For example, if your ad participated in 1,000,000 auctions and won 50,000 impressions, the win rate would be:

A low win rate suggests that you may need to adjust your CPC multiplier or bidding strategy. Conversely, a high win rate indicates that your ads are successfully winning auctions and being shown to users.

More details on WIn Rate Metric are here.

Macros for Enhanced Tracking

The macros {source} and {source_id} are now available for campaigns with Sources Optimization enabled.

By default, the {source} macro will be populated in the utm_term parameter, allowing you to easily track and identify the traffic source in your reporting. You can also add these macros manually in your URL structures to see detailed traffic source data, including both the source name and the source ID within our system.

Data Export

For further analysis or reporting, you can export data directly from the Sources Optimization interface, allowing you to use your preferred tools or share insights with your team.

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Introduction to the Sources Blocklist

The Sources Blocklist is a powerful tool designed specifically for campaigns with Sources Optimization enabled in MGID Ads. It allows you to manage traffic sources at the campaign level. If your campaign uses the domain-based view, you will have access to the Sources Blocklist interface.

Create a list of sources that are blocked at the campaign level in the  Blocklist Mode. This means the ads will not be served on these blocked sources. Any sources you add to the blocklist will immediately stop delivering traffic to your campaign from the moment they are blocked.

Managing sources:

• Automatically add sources: If you block a source in the Sources Optimization interface, it will automatically be added to the Sources blocklist for that specific campaign.
• Manually add sources: Select the required sources from a drop-down menu within the Sources Optimization interface or import a list using a CSV file.
• Remove a source from the Blocklist: Once removed, the source is reactivated in the “Sources Optimization” interface, and your campaign will start receiving traffic from that source again.

By default, the display shows both campaign and account-level blocked sources. Sources blocked at the account level are marked with a "Blocked" label. Hovering over this label reveals a tooltip indicating that the source is blocked at the account level.

Sources Blocklist additional features:

• Search: allows users to quickly locate specific sources by name.

• Filters: provides greater clarity when managing blocked sources. Filter to show only sources blocked at the campaign level or both campaign and client levels (default setting).

• Impression Data: shows daily impressions for each source listed.

• Data Export: supports data export in CSV format.

Sources Blocklist Interface at the Account Level

The Sources blocklist interface at the account level is a crucial tool for managing traffic sources across all campaigns that have the Sources Optimization interface enabled. This interface is accessible in the Client Settings section under Sources Blocklist. 

The blocklist at the account level is accessible only to clients who have been granted access to create campaigns with the Sources Optimization option.

The primary purpose of the Sources Blocklist at the account level is to manage a blocklist that applies to all campaigns with Sources Optimization enabled. Any source blocked at the account level will be blocked across all relevant campaigns.

At the account level, you can only operate in Blocklist Mode:

• Manual add sources to the Blocklist: You can manually add sources to the blocklist by selecting them from a drop-down menu. Specify exactly which sources you want to block across all your campaigns.
• Import a list: use a CSV file to import a blocklist. Upload a file with a list of sources to block multiple sources at once. 

Once added, these sources will be blocked for all campaigns with Sources Optimization enabled, and no traffic will be received from these sources.

• Remove Sources from the Blocklist: once a source is removed, it becomes active again for all campaigns, meaning your ads can once again be served on these sources. By removing sources, you enable participation in auctions for impressions on those sources, allowing you to capture a portion of their traffic.

• Impression Data and Auctions: the data about the average daily impressions for each source listed. Impression data provides insights into the potential reach of each source on the platform, enabling you to make informed decisions about which sources to block or keep active.
• Data Export: export the blocklist and associated data in CSV format, for further analysis or record-keeping. This feature allows you to maintain detailed records of your source management actions and analyze the data using external tools.