Overview
Target Harvesting Automation in Adbrew streamlines the process of moving high-performing search terms or product targets from one ad group to another based on specified criteria. This automation helps advertisers optimize campaigns by ensuring profitable terms are used strategically across various targeting types.
To learn more about the target movement ruleset click on the link to watch the tutorial video.
Why Target Harvesting is Important
Effective advertising often involves discovery campaigns (auto, broad, phrase, or category targeting) that help identify profitable search terms. Traditionally, high-converting terms identified in these campaigns are moved to efficiency campaigns, such as exact match or ASIN targeting, for greater control. Additionally, profitable terms are often moved across discovery campaigns to uncover more related keywords. Target Harvesting Automation simplifies this entire process.
Typical Harvesting Flow
The standard flow moves high-converting terms between match types as follows:
Auto → Broad, Phrase, and Exact
Broad → Phrase and Exact
Phrase → Broad and Exact
Category → ASINs
This approach, managed by Adbrew’s automation, keeps ads performing optimally by enabling better bid control and generating a flywheel effect of continuous keyword discovery.
Setting Up Target Harvesting Automation
To configure Target Harvesting Automation, follow these steps:
1. Navigate to the Rulesets Page
Go to the Rulesets page.
Click Add New Ruleset in the top right corner.
2. Choose a Template
Select either Create from Scratch or choose from Adbrew’s Template Library.
Choose the Target Harvesting Template based on the target type:
Branded
Generic
Competitor
For generic harvesting, select the Generic Target Harvesting Template.
3. Define Evaluation Criteria
Date Range: Select a time range, such as the last 14 days, for data evaluation.
Frequency: Decide how often this rule will run (recommended: once a week).
Day & Time: Specify the day(s) and time for the automation to execute.
4. Set Conditions
Define criteria for search term movement, e.g., “more than 2 orders and ACOS below target ACOS.”
Add more conditions using Add Condition if needed.
To exclude branded terms from being added to generic campaigns, apply filters to exclude these terms as needed.
5. Save the Ruleset
Click Save to store the ruleset settings.
6. Configure Target Movement
Go to the Target Movement tab.
Click + Configuration.
Set the Source Ad Group (the origin ad group).
Set the Destination Ad Group (where terms will be added if they meet the criteria).
Specify the Match Type in the destination ad group (e.g., broad, phrase, exact).
Example Setup: Auto Campaign Target Movement
Select Auto Campaign as the source.
Choose the Broad Match Targeting Campaign as the destination.
Set the match type to Broad.
Repeat these steps for Phrase and Exact matches as needed.
7. Advanced Setup: Intelligent Suggestions
For complex campaign structures, use Adbrew’s Intelligent Target Harvesting Suggestions:
Click Pick from Suggestion.
Select suggested movement combinations (e.g., Auto to Broad, Phrase, Exact) aligned with your preferred flow.
Click Select to confirm.
8. Apply Search Term Isolation
To avoid duplicating keywords across campaigns, you can add terms as Negative Exact in the source campaign.
Bulk action: Select all target flows, click Actions, then choose Copy Source as Negative Exact or Phrase.
9. Finalize and Save
After setting up the flow, click Add in the top right corner.
Click Save to activate the automation.
10. Monitoring Target Harvesting Automation
Visit the Change History page to monitor activity.
Select Target Changes to review terms moved by the automation.
Target Harvesting Automation FAQs
How often should I run Target Harvesting automation?
We recommend running the automation weekly while analyzing the last 14 days of data. This provides enough data for meaningful decisions while ensuring timely optimization of your campaigns.
Do I need to set up separate rules for branded and generic terms?
Yes, it's recommended to set up separate rules for branded and generic terms. This ensures:
Branded terms go to branded campaigns
Generic terms go to generic campaigns
Each type can have different performance criteria Use the appropriate template (branded, generic, or competitor) when setting up your rules.
Can I move search terms from multiple source ad groups to one destination ad group?
Yes, you can select multiple ad groups as sources but only one ad group as the destination in each configuration. This helps maintain clean campaign structure and prevents conflicts.
What happens if the same search term appears in multiple source ad groups?
The automation will evaluate the search term's performance in each source ad group independently. If it meets the criteria in multiple sources, it will be moved according to the first matching rule in your configuration.
Do I need a specific campaign structure for Target Harvesting to work?
While Target Harvesting works with any campaign structure, it's most effective with a clear, organized structure where:
Campaigns are separated by match type
Products are grouped logically
Branded, generic, and competitor terms are in separate campaigns
Why aren't my terms being moved as expected?
Common reasons include:
Performance criteria not met
Insufficient data in the evaluation period
Terms excluded by rule conditions
Campaign structure conflicts
Rule configuration issues
Why am I unable to add auto campaigns to my “Destination Ad Group” during target movements?
Auto campaigns are typically disabled as destination targets in the “Target Movements” feature due to restrictions in auto-targeting settings by Amazon. You can’t add any keyword or product targets inside an auto campaign.