Digital advertising is all about precision—especially when it comes to budgets. If you're using Adskeeper, it's important to know that most campaigns run on a cost-per-click (CPC) basis, with fewer operating on cost-per-mille (CPM). Even with the best planning, overspending can happen. Let’s break down why—and how to manage it.
Common Causes of Overspending
1. Clicks After Campaign Ends
Even after a campaign stops running—either because it's paused or completed—ads that were already shown can still get clicked. Since CPC charges are tied to engagement, these post-campaign clicks can drive costs above your intended limit.
2. Delayed Ad Removal Across Publishers
Once your campaign hits its budget cap, you might expect the ads to vanish immediately. But due to how ads are distributed across many sites, some may still appear for a while. Users can click these leftover ads, leading to charges beyond the budgeted amount.
3. Manual Pauses Don’t Stop Clicks Instantly
Just like automatic caps, manually pausing a campaign doesn’t instantly pull ads from circulation. Any clicks on ads served before the pause can still rack up costs.
4. High CPC Meets Low Budget
If you set a high CPC but limit your daily spend, your budget can run out quickly—especially in competitive markets. And if clicks keep coming after your daily limit is reached, you'll find yourself overspending. This usually happens when there's a mismatch between exposure goals and the real cost of traffic.
How to Stay in Control
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Track Campaigns Frequently: Monitor your spending and adjust bids or budgets on the fly to avoid surprises.
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Balance CPC and Budget: Make sure your CPC makes sense given your daily or total budget. High bids with tight budgets create risk.
- Educate Your Team: Help everyone understand that some clicks may be delayed—and so might the associated charges.
- Scale Budgets Gradually: If overspending is common, slowly increasing your budget can give you better insight into optimal daily limits—without taking big risks.