Guide 12 of 13 in Level 4: Run it as an ad

How to set Snapchat ads bidding and tracking

To set Snapchat ads bidding and tracking with Blackbox (blackbox.plus), open New Campaign from the Inbox, pick a goal such as Sell on the website, and check that Snapchat Ads is on under Where it runs. Under Who should see it, scroll the Snapchat only block to Bidding and tracking. Choose what Snapchat optimises for, like purchases, adds to cart or landing page views. Keep Auto-bid, or pick Target cost to keep the average cost per result near an amount, or Max bid to cap each one; target cost starts from your target cost per sale. Pick the Snap Pixel that counts results and the Public Profile the ads post as; the ones saved in Settings are used unless you pick others. On pixel goals, choose the conversion window. On swipe and video goals, cap how often one person sees the ads. Then choose the link tags. Review blocks any mix Snapchat refuses, with the reason. Nothing spends until you start it.

You'll need
Time
About 5 minutes 12 steps Updated
You'll end with
A Snapchat campaign that bids, counts and tags its results the way you chose
Do it in Blackbox Open the Inbox, after you sign in
Example
A Snapchat campaign’s bidding, pixel, window and link tags, set before it’s drafted

How to set Snapchat ads bidding and tracking in Blackbox

  1. Step 1:Open New Campaign

    In the Inbox, click the + button, then New Campaign.

    You'll see: What is this campaign for?, with goals to start from under it.

    Open this in Blackbox

  2. Step 2:Skip to a goal

    Under Or skip the plans, click Sell on the website.

    You'll see: Preset, with Sell on the website under Gets you in the Summary.

  3. Step 3:Check Snapchat is on

    Under Where it runs, check that Snapchat Ads is on with your ad account, then click Continue.

    You'll see: Who should see it, with a Snapchat only block under the places.

  4. Step 4:Choose what Snapchat aims for

    In the Snapchat only block, under Bidding and tracking, pick a choice under Optimise for.

    You'll see: Your choice highlighted, with a line on who Snapchat looks for.

  5. Step 5:Choose how Snapchat bids

    Under Bidding, keep Auto-bid, or pick Target cost or Max bid and enter the amount.

    You'll see: A line under the choice saying how Snapchat will bid.

  6. Step 6:Pick the pixel

    Under Snap Pixel, keep the saved one or pick another from the list.

    You'll see: The pixel’s name in the list.

  7. Step 7:Pick the Public Profile

    Under Public Profile, keep the saved one or pick the brand’s profile from the list.

    You'll see: The profile’s name in the list, or the saved id with a link to Settings.

  8. Step 8:Choose the conversion window

    Under Conversion window, keep the default or pick 7 days after a swipe.

    You'll see: Your choice highlighted, with a line on what it counts.

  9. Step 9:Cap how often people see it

    On a swipe or video goal, switch on Frequency cap and enter the times and days.

    You'll see: At most 3 times every 7 days, or your own numbers.

  10. Step 10:Tag the links

    Under Link parameters, keep Our UTMs, or pick Your own and type them.

    You'll see: The tags every Snapchat link gets, under the choice.

  11. Step 11:Run the checks

    Add the creative and budget, click Next: review, and fix anything marked Block.

    You'll see: Ready to draft, with the checks that pass under it.

  12. Step 12:Draft it

    Click Draft the campaign.

    You'll see: Your brand’s thread, open on the Campaign proposal.

Good to know

  • Only Snapchat reads Bidding and tracking. Every choice left as it is gives what New Campaign did before: the goal’s usual result, Auto-bid, the saved pixel and Public Profile, Snapchat’s default window, no cap and our UTMs.
  • Optimise for shows the results Snapchat takes for the goal: purchases, adds to cart, pixel page views or landing page views for a sale; sign-ups or landing page views for leads; landing page views or swipe-ups for visits; 15- or 2-second views for video.
  • Purchases, adds to cart and sign-ups are counted by the Snap Pixel. Without one, Review blocks them; pick landing page views to run without a pixel.
  • Auto-bid is Snapchat’s default. Target cost keeps the average cost per result near your amount and isn’t offered for 2-second views. Max bid pays up to your amount per result. Snapchat’s lowest bid is 0.01; its highest is 500 in USD and 100 in EUR, GBP, AUD and CAD.
  • The conversion window is how long after someone swipes or views a sale counts: 28 days after a swipe and 1 after a view by default, or 7 days after a swipe. Only pixel goals take it.
  • A frequency cap is for swipe-up and video goals: Snapchat can’t cap ads aimed at purchases.
  • Our UTMs are utm_source=snapchat, utm_medium=paid_social and the campaign’s name. Your own replace those names on the link; None keeps links exactly as written.
  • Drafting creates nothing on Snapchat. Approving the proposal creates the campaign, ad squads and ads paused, and only Start spends — see Approve a campaign proposal and start it.

Official docs

If something doesn't work

Target cost isn’t there

Snapchat has no target cost for the result picked, like 2-second video views. Pick 15-second views, or use Auto-bid or Max bid.

The pixel list is empty

The ad account has no Snap Pixel. Make one in Snapchat Ads Manager under Events Manager and put it on your site, or optimise for landing page views.

There’s no Public Profile list, only the saved id

Snapchat lists Public Profiles only to apps it has approved for that. Paste the id in Settings → Ad accounts → Snapchat; the ads post as that profile.

Review says Snapchat bidding blocks

The line says which choice Snapchat would refuse, like a max bid with no amount or a 7-day window on landing page views. Change it in the Snapchat only block.

I’m worried drafting spends money

It doesn’t. Draft makes a proposal. Approving it creates everything paused, and nothing spends until you click Start ads.

Stuck at any step? Send us a message and we'll do it with you on a call. All of Level 4: Run it as an ad