Introduction
Topics are an additional targeting method to use for your Campaigns, allowing you to target sub-groups of traffic rather than individual Keywords or URLs. You can add Topics to their own specific Creative, or in addition to other Keywords/URLs within the same Creative.
Topics are a great way to extend the reach and volume potential of your Campaigns, without the requirement to find every potential Keyword or URL to target for your offer!
How It Works
Topics use an NLP (natural language processing) model to categorize webpages into different targetable "keywords". The foundation of the OddBytes model is a representation of what each topic means and what terms and expressions are frequently associated with it. The model has been trained by giving topics a definition and a set of URL and page title samples for each topic. This allows OddBytes' technology to detect the topic and target it on a page level, rather than entire URLs. So, for instance, a major retailer's product page selling a shower gel would be matched by the model to the Topic "Bathing and Showering", even though the retailer's site sells many different products unrelated to bathing and showering. The product pages unrelated to "bathing and showering" will be tagged with another appropriate Topic determined by the model.
Topic Hierarchy
There is a three-level hierarchy within the Topic system:
Topic Verticals - Highest level of a Topic grouping
Individual Topics - Individualized sub-topics within a Topic vertical
Topic Combinations - Topics that can span across verticals and individual topics
Topic Verticals
OddBytes currently supports seven Topic verticals:
Automotive and Vehicles
Banking & Finance
Healthy Living
Home & Garden
Information Technology
Style & Beauty
Travel
*Please continue to check back, either on this page or within the Keyword Suggestion Tool in the platform, for the latest vertical additions. New verticals will be added periodically!
Individual Topics
Within each Topic Vertical, there are multiple tiers of individual Topics. The tiers deepen further depending on the individual topic you’re exploring.
Example: “Style & Beauty” is the Topic vertical which will have second-level tier of individual Topics like “Beauty and Personal Care” or “Fashion”. From the second-level tier, each can have a third tier of individual Topics - “Bathing and Showering” within “Beauty and Personal Care” and “Clothing” within “Fashion”. A chart showing the same hierarchy is below, any or all of which can be added to a Creative's targeting:
Topic Vertical - Tier 1 | Individual Topics - Tier 2 | Individual Topics - Tier 3 |
Style & Beauty | Beauty and Personal Care | Bathing and Showering |
Style & Beauty | Fashion | Clothing |
Please note:
Individual Topics will not include the “+” when listed within the Oddbytes’ platform.
Not all individual Topics will have additional lower tiered Topics.
Topic Combinations
Topic combinations allow you to target a combination of individual Topics that may or may not span across Topic verticals.
Example: The Topic combination of “Bathroom + Beauty and Personal Care” represents traffic for bathroom-related toiletries and is a combination of the Topic “Bathroom” from the “Home & Garden” vertical and Topic “Beauty and Personal Care” from the “Style & Beauty” vertical.
Topic Vertical -> Individual Topic | Topic Vertical -> Individual Topic | Topic Combination |
Home & Garden -> Bathroom | Style & Beauty -> Beauty and Personal Care | Bathroom + Beauty and Personal Care |
Example: The Topic combination of “Beauty and Personal Care + Luggage and Travel Accessories” represents traffic for travel-size toiletries and is a combination of the Topic “Beauty and Personal Care” from the “Style & Beauty” vertical and the Topic “Luggage and Travel Accessories” from the “Travel” vertical.
Topic Vertical -> Individual Topic | Topic Vertical -> Individual Topic | Topic Combination |
Style & Beauty -> Beauty and Personal Care | Travel -> Luggage and Travel Accessories | Beauty and Personal Care + Luggage and Travel Accessories |
Please note: Topic combinations will include the “+” when listed within the Oddbytes’ platform.
Given that Topic combinations can span across verticals and combine multiple individual Topics, there are hundreds of Topic combinations within each vertical to choose from in order to target a specific segment of traffic.
Please note: The Topic combination list is constantly growing as OddBytes identifies new combinations. Periodically check the Topic list within the Keyword Suggestion Tool to find new combinations!
Broadly Target Topics
Each Topic represents a distinct section of traffic. Targeting a Topic higher in the hierarchical relationship will not include its Topic children. Therefore, if you wish to broadly target all traffic represented within the “Style & Beauty” vertical, please target all of the Topics within the “Style & Beauty” vertical. Only targeting "Style & Beauty" will target the traffic which could not be categorized as a more specified individual Topic or Topic combination.
How to: Add Topics
To locate the Topics, navigate to our Keyword Suggestion Tool, either from the 'Manage Creatives' or 'Manage Keywords' tab.
From the 'Manage Creatives' tab:
Navigate to the 'Manage Creatives' tab.
Check the box to the left of the Creative(s) you wish to edit keywords on.
If selecting more than one Creative, each Creative must be the same ad type.
Click the 'Edit' dropdown menu.
Click 'Add Keywords/Edit Bids'.
Click 'Find Keywords'.
From the 'Manage Keywords' tab:
Navigate to the 'Manage Keywords' grid.
Click on 'New Keywords'.
Select a Creative from the dropdown to where the Keywords will be added to.
Click 'Find Keywords'.
Once in the Keyword Suggestion Tool:
Click the dropdown under 'Suggested Keywords' and select 'Topics'.
Enter one or multiple words in the search field.
Click 'Search' and the tool will provide Topics which contain the word and/or phrase entered into the search field across all verticals.
You can take it a step further and apply a category filter to narrow down your results. Simply click into the 'Top level filter' field and select one or more verticals.
Select one or multiple Topics.
Click 'Add selected'.
You can also click 'Add all' if you wish to select all Topics from your query.
Search within a Filtered Topic Vertical
Click the dropdown under 'Suggested Keywords' and select 'Topics'.
Click in the field 'Top level filter (optional)'.
Select one or more verticals.
Click 'Search'.
You can now see all Topic combinations within the selected verticals.
Select one or multiple Topics.
Click 'Add selected'.
You can also click 'Add all' if you wish to select all Topics.
Optimizations
When targeting Keywords and Topics in the same Creative, please note the Keyword takes priority over the Topic for the impression, even if the Keyword's Max Bid is lower. This is because a Keyword is the more granular option for targeting compared to Topic(s).
If you'd prefer to optimize Topics separately, OddBytes recommends adding them to a new Creative to manage the bids, placements, and general Creative settings differently.
Bidding
Bidding works the same as with Keywords, you will place a max bid for each Topic.
We recommend starting with a conservative bid, then steadily increasing until you have reached optimal volume and/or performance. This is due to the possibility that Topics can drive a significant amount of volume and ad spend.
Blacklist Rules
Any blacklist (exclusion) rules placed on the Account, Campaigns and/or Creatives will be respected when targeting Topic(s).
We suggest blacklisting poorly performing placements as a way to optimize the traffic brought in from the Topic(s).
CPA Optimizer
You are free to use the CPA Optimizer with Topics. However, it’s important to apply the CPA Optimizer at the Creative level as opposed to the Campaign level for best results.
If you have any questions, please reach out to your Account Manager or our Support Team at [email protected].