When analysing a Google Ads account's performance data Opteo uses dynamic look back windows, and performs a 'minimum clicks' calculation to ensure our algorithm uses the most recent data possible, with enough volume to make a decision.

Dynamic lookback windows are a method where Opteo aims to select a relevant "lookback window" of time to get and evaluate Google Ads performance.

Instead of checking a static date range, Opteo uses dynamic windows, checking the last 7, 14, 30, 60 or 90 days until our algorithm has enough data to recommend an optimisation.

Opteo will only consider lookback windows during which no changes have been applied. For example, if you made a bid change 10 days ago, Opteo would not be able to use the 14-day lookback window because we’d have a very unbalanced date range, with four days worth of data using the old bid and then 10 days worth of data using the new bid.

We want a date range which simultaneously gives us the freshest data (i.e. the shortest, most recent time range) but also one which provides enough data to make an informed decision.

In order to determine how much data we need, Opteo performs a minimum clicks calculation.

Minimum clicks ensure an entity has enough data for Opteo to make a decision based on its performance.

Imagine you just launched a campaign, and it happened to generate 3 conversions from 10 clicks at £1 each. It isn’t really fair to say that this campaign has a CPA of £3.33, because 10 clicks aren’t enough to base this decision on.

Opteo looks at the campaign, and those like it, and asks; ‘’how many clicks does it typically take to get 3 conversions?’’

For example, if a campaign group has a conversion rate of 10%, it takes 30 clicks to get three conversions (minClicks = (1/AvgConvRate)*X). In our theoretical case above, where we got 3 conversions with 10 clicks, this new campaign wouldn't pass the minimum clicks test. We would only evaluate its performance after 30 clicks.

Dynamic Lookback Windows and Minimum Clicks go hand-in-hand, the majority of our improvements seek to satisfy the minimum clicks rule using the shortest date range possible.