# How to set Snapchat ads bidding and tracking

URL: https://blackbox.plus/guides/snapchat-ads-bidding-and-tracking
Level 4: Run it as an ad (https://blackbox.plus/guides/run-ads)
Updated: 2026-11-01
Time: about 5 minutes
You'll end with: A Snapchat campaign that bids, counts and tags its results the way you chose
Do it in Blackbox: https://blackbox.plus/app/inbox

> Choose what Snapchat optimises for, Auto-bid, target cost or max bid, the Snap Pixel and Public Profile, the conversion window, a frequency cap and link tags.

## Short answer

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

- **Snapchat Ads connected.** An ad account under the brand the campaign is for. (Guide: https://blackbox.plus/guides/connect-snapchat-ads)
- **A campaign started.** The goal, places and creative, as in a Facebook campaign. (Guide: https://blackbox.plus/guides/create-facebook-ad-campaign)

## How to set Snapchat ads bidding and tracking in Blackbox

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.
   Starts at: https://blackbox.plus/app/inbox
   ![The Inbox with the + menu open: New Campaign, paid ads on a connected account, ringed](https://blackbox.plus/guides/create-facebook-ad-campaign/01-new.png)
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**.
   ![The foot of What is this campaign for?: Or skip the plans and set it up yourself, starting from a goal, with seven goals and Sell on the website ringed](https://blackbox.plus/guides/create-facebook-ad-campaign/02-skip.png)
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.
   ![Where it runs: Snapchat Ads switched on with the Daybreak Coffee · Snap account in US dollars, Runs as Sales · Purchase, and Continue ringed](https://blackbox.plus/guides/snapchat-ads-bidding-and-tracking/03-channel.png)
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.
   ![Bidding and tracking, Optimise for: Purchases picked, Add to cart, Page views (pixel) and Landing page views, ringed](https://blackbox.plus/guides/snapchat-ads-bidding-and-tracking/04-goal.png)
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.
   ![Bidding: Auto-bid, Target cost picked and Max bid, with an average cost per result of 8 US dollars, ringed](https://blackbox.plus/guides/snapchat-ads-bidding-and-tracking/05-bidding.png)
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.
   ![Snap Pixel: the list showing The saved one (Daybreak Coffee Pixel), ringed](https://blackbox.plus/guides/snapchat-ads-bidding-and-tracking/06-pixel.png)
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**.
   ![Public Profile: the list showing The saved one (Daybreak Coffee Co.), ringed](https://blackbox.plus/guides/snapchat-ads-bidding-and-tracking/07-profile.png)
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.
   ![Conversion window: 28 days after a swipe, 1 after a view picked, and 7 days after a swipe, ringed](https://blackbox.plus/guides/snapchat-ads-bidding-and-tracking/08-window.png)
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.
   ![Frequency cap switched on: at most 3 times every 7 days, ringed](https://blackbox.plus/guides/snapchat-ads-bidding-and-tracking/09-frequency.png)
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.
   ![Link parameters: Your own picked, with utm_source=snapchat&utm_medium=paid_social in the box, ringed](https://blackbox.plus/guides/snapchat-ads-bidding-and-tracking/10-links.png)
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.
   ![Review and draft: Ready to draft · 1 warning, ringed, the warning to add more angles, and 8 checks that pass](https://blackbox.plus/guides/snapchat-ads-bidding-and-tracking/11-review.png)
12. **Draft it.** Click **Draft the campaign**.
   You'll see: Your brand’s thread, open on the **Campaign proposal**.
   ![What the draft creates, all paused: one Snapchat campaign, ad squad and ad, with Draft the campaign ringed](https://blackbox.plus/guides/snapchat-ads-bidding-and-tracking/12-draft.png)

## 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](https://blackbox.plus/guides/approve-campaign-proposal).

## Official docs

- [Snap: ad squads, bidding and optimisation goals](https://developers.snap.com/api/marketing-api/Ads-API/ad-squads)
- [Snap: the Snap Pixel](https://developers.snap.com/api/marketing-api/Ads-API/snap-pixel)
- [Snap: Public Profiles](https://developers.snap.com/api/marketing-api/Public-Profile-API/Profiles)

## Questions people ask

**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.