Never Miss a PPC Red Flag Again

Set Up Your “PPC Early Warning System” Today!


Is your team struggling to keep up with multiple ad campaigns? 

One overlooked issue can cost your clients—and your reputation. 

Swydo’s alert system acts as your 24/7 campaign watchdog, flagging underperforming ads before they become a problem. 

Never let another missed metric catch you off guard. 

Stay on top of your ad performance and keep your clients’ budgets safe with Swydo’s early warning system.

System Overview

  • Step 1. PPC Alert System Framework
    • 1. Identify Your Critical Metrics
    • 2. Configure Alerts for Significant Drops
    • 3. Set Thresholds for Important KPIs
    • 4. Implement Graduated Alerts & Catch Issues Early
    • 5. Set Up Time-Based Alerts
    • 6. Customize Alerts for Each Client
    • 7. Regular Review and Refinement
  • Step 2: Build Your “PPC Command Center” in Swydo
    • 1. How To Add a KPI Alert
    • 2. How To Setup Notifications for Alerts
    • 3. How To Read KPI Metrics
    • 4. How To Monitor KPI State
  • Step 3: Proactive Client Communication Strategy
    • 1. Establish an Alert-Driven Communication Protocol
    • 2. Craft Insightful Alert Summaries
    • 3. Use Alerts to Drive Strategic Discussions
    • 4. Highlight Proactive Wins
    • 5. Use Alerts to Demonstrate ROI
    • 6. Educate Clients on PPC Volatility
    • 7. Encourage Client Engagement
    • 8. Best Practices for Alert Configuration
  • Your Proactive PPC Management Strategy

Why You Need a PPC Early Warning System


Imagine this scenario: You’re juggling 20 client accounts, each running multiple campaigns across various platforms. 

Suddenly, one client’s Google Ads campaign starts underperforming, but you don’t notice until the monthly report. 

Now you’re facing an unhappy client and scrambling to explain what went wrong.

Sound familiar? We’ve all been there. 

That’s why setting up a proactive alert system is not just helpful – it’s essential for modern agencies.

Swydo’s Alert System: Your 24/7 PPC Watchdog


Swydo’s custom KPI alerts act as your personal PPC guardian, monitoring campaigns across all your client accounts.

This allows you to:

  • Focus on strategy and growth instead of constant manual checks
  • Catch issues early before they drain your clients’ budgets
  • Demonstrate proactive account management to your clients
  • Scale your agency efficiently without compromising on service quality

Step 1. PPC Alert System Framework

Let’s break down how to set up an effective early warning system using Swydo.

1. Identify Your Critical Metrics


First, determine which metrics are most important for each client.

While some metrics are universally important, others may vary based on client goals or industry.

Here are some key metrics to consider:

Universal PPC Metrics 

  1. Click-Through Rate (CTR)
    • Why it matters: Indicates ad relevance and appeal
    • Alert threshold example: 20% below account average
  2. Conversion Rate
    • Why it matters: Measures campaign effectiveness in driving desired actions
    • Alert threshold example: 30% below target
  3. Cost Per Click (CPC)
    • Why it matters: Affects budget efficiency
    • Alert threshold example: 25% above target
  4. Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) or Cost Per Conversion
    • Why it matters: Directly tied to ROI
    • Alert threshold example: Exceeds target by 20%
  5. Quality Score (for Google Ads)
    • Why it matters: Influences ad position and CPC
    • Alert threshold example: Drops below 5/10
  6. Impression Share
    • Why it matters: Indicates market visibility compared to competitors
    • Alert threshold example: Falls below 70% of target

Business-Critical Metrics

These metrics are directly tied to financial performance and profitability.

  • Cost Per Lead (CPL)
    • Why it matters: Measures the cost-effectiveness of generating new leads
    • Alert threshold example: Exceeds target by 20%
  • Cost Per Acquisition (CPA)
    • Why it matters: Measures the cost of acquiring any desired action (leads, sign-ups, downloads, or sales) and is directly tied to ROI and overall profitability.
    • Alert threshold example: Exceeds target by 20%
  • Cost Per Sale (CPS)
    • Why it matters: Measures the cost associated with acquiring a sale, reflecting the efficiency of the sales process in the campaign. It’s focused on revenue-driving results and relevant for e-commerce and direct sales models.
    • Alert threshold example: 25% above target
  • Return on Ad Spend (ROAS)
    • Why it matters: Measures overall campaign profitability by comparing revenue generated to advertising spend.
    • Alert threshold example: Falls below 80% of target

Campaign-Specific Metrics

Different campaign types may require monitoring of specific metrics:

  1. Brand Campaigns
    • Brand Impression Share
    • CTR (usually higher than non-brand campaigns)
    • Conversion Rate
  2. Competitor Campaigns
    • Impression Share
    • CTR
    • CPC (may be higher than other campaigns)
  3. Display Campaigns
    • View-Through Conversions
    • Frequency
    • Engagement Rate (for rich media ads)
  4. Video Campaigns
    • View Rate
    • Cost Per View
    • Earned Actions (likes, shares, subscribers)

2. Configure Alerts for Significant Drops


Set up alerts for sudden drops in your key metrics.

Here’s a suggested framework:

  1. Click-Through Rate (CTR)
    • Alert if CTR drops by 20% or more compared to the previous period
    • Possible causes: Ad copy not resonating, targeting issues, competitive changes
  2. Conversion Rate
    • Alert if Conversion Rate falls below 50% of the target
    • Possible causes: Landing page issues, targeting mismatch, offer problems
  3. Quality Score (Google Ads)
    • Alert if the average Quality Score dips below 5/10
    • Possible causes: Poor ad relevance, landing page experience issues, low expected CTR
  4. Impression Share
    • Alert if Impression Share drops by 15% or more
    • Possible causes: Budget constraints, sudden increase in competition, ad disapprovals

3. Set Thresholds for Important KPIs


Establish clear thresholds for what constitutes “underperforming” for each client.

For example:

  1. Cost Per Acquisition (CPA)
    • Alert if CPA exceeds 120% of the target
    • Example: If target CPA is $50, set an alert for when it reaches $60
  2. Return On Ad Spend (ROAS)
    • Alert if ROAS drops below 80% of the goal
    • Example: If target ROAS is 400%, set an alert when it falls below 320%
  3. Daily Budget Pacing
    • Alert if daily spend exceeds 150% of the average daily budget
    • Helps prevent overspend and budget exhaustion mid-month

4. Implement Graduated Alerts & Catch Issues Early


Here’s a pro tip: don’t wait for a full-blown disaster to strike. 

Set up a few levels of alerts, kind of like a Defcon system for your campaigns.

A tiered alert system can catch issues at different severity levels:

  • Level 1 (Mild Concern): 10% below target.
    • Action: Monitor closely and investigate potential causes
  • Level 2 (Genuine Worry): 20% below target.
    • Action: Conduct a thorough analysis and prepare optimization strategies
  • Level 3 (Full-On Crisis Mode): 30% below target.
    • Action: Immediate intervention required; consider pausing campaigns if necessary

This way, you can nip problems in the bud before they become full blown crises.

5. Set Up Time-Based Alerts


Time is literally money in PPC, so stay ahead of campaign issues by using time-based alerts. 

Set up the following alerts based to catch both sudden spikes and gradual declines.

Swydo offers the following settings:

  1. Comparison: Greater than, Less than, Equal to
  2. Target Value: The value that will trigger the alert
  3. Value per: Month, 30 Days, 7 Days, Day

Here are strategic alert setups to catch time-sensitive issues:

  1. Daily Spend Alerts
    • Comparison: Greater than
    • Target Value: [X% of daily budget]
    • Value per: Day
    • Example: Alert if daily spend > 120% of the intended daily budget
  2. Weekly Overspend Alert
    • Comparison: Greater than
    • Target Value: [Weekly budget * 1.15]
    • Value per: 7 Days
    • Example: Alert if 7-day spend > 115% of the weekly budget
  3. Conversions Underperformance Alert
    • Comparison: Less than
    • Target Value: [80% of target conversions]
    • Value per: 7 Days
    • Example: Alert if 7-day conversions < 80% of the weekly target
  4. Conversion Rate Drop Alert
    • Comparison: Less than
    • Target Value: [90% of target conversion rate]
    • Value per: Day
    • Example: Alert if daily conversion rate < 90% of the target rate
  5. CPC Spike Alert
    • Comparison: Greater than
    • Target Value: [120% of target CPC]
    • Value per: Day
    • Example: Alert if daily CPC > 120% of the target CPC
  6. ROAS Underperformance Alert
    • Comparison: Less than
    • Target Value: [90% of target ROAS]
    • Value per: 30 Days
    • Example: Alert if 30-day ROAS < 90% of the target ROAS

Remember, setting up these alerts isn’t about creating more work for yourself.

It’s about giving yourself the peace of mind to focus on strategy and growth, knowing that if something goes sideways, you’ll be the first to know – not the last.

Future you will thank present you when you catch that potential disaster before it even thinks about happening.

6. Customize Alerts for Each Client

Remember, one size doesn’t fit all.

Tailor your alert system for each client based on their:

  • Industry benchmarks
  • Historical performance
  • Specific campaign objectives
  • Seasonal trends

7. Regular Review and Refinement

Your PPC early warning system isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it tool.

Schedule regular reviews to:

  • Adjust thresholds based on performance trends
  • Add new alerts for emerging KPIs or campaign types
  • Remove or modify alerts that are no longer relevant

Step 2: Build Your “PPC Command Center” in Swydo

1. How To Add a KPI Alert

To add a KPI alert hover your mouse over the widget to show the edit menu.

  1. Click the wrench icon to open the ‘Widget settings’ menu 
  2. Next click on the ‘Target’ menu item
  3. Set the KPI Target

(1) Click the wrench icon to open the ‘Widget settings’ menu 

(2) Next click on the ‘Target’ menu item

(3) Set the KPI Target
A. Comparison: Greater than, Less than, Equal to
B. Target Value: the value that will trigger the alert
C. Value per: Month, 30 Days, 7 Days, Day

2. How To Setup Notifications for Alerts

When an alert is triggered then you can get a notification sent via email.

(1) Subscribe to alerts triggered by your boards by clicking on the ‘Subscribe’ button

How do the notifications work?

Alerts are triggered per board, based on the status of all KPIs on that board. 

You will receive an alert in the following scenarios:

  • When all KPIs on the board are green and the first one turns red.
  • When the last red KPI on the already red board turns green.

Important:

  1. You will not receive an alert when you add a KPI with a red target, as this does not indicate a change in status.
  2. If you add KPIs that are all green and later change one of their targets to red, you will also not receive an alert.

3. How To Read KPI Metrics

Every widget has the following metric comparisons & targets added for quick reference:

  1. Metric Performance (relative to previous period)
    1. Negative value = lower than previous period
    2. Positive value = higher than previous period
    3. Red color = worse performance than previous period
    4. Green color = better performance than previous period
  2. Target Performance (relative to target)
    1. Red icon = target has not been met
    2. Green icon = target has been

4. How To Monitor KPI State

You can monitor KPI state visually in both the ‘Clients’ and ‘Monitoring’ sections.

In the ‘Clients’ section:

  1. Click on ‘KPI state’ to open the ‘Filter by KPI state’ drop-down menu
    1. All – show all clients
    2. Bad – show only red/bad clients
    3. Good – show only green/good clients
  2. You can also see the ‘KPI state’ in the column to the right of each client – this is especially useful if you have a long list of clients to check

In the ‘Monitoring’ section:

  1. Click on ‘KPI state’ to open the ‘Filter by KPI state’ drop-down menu
    1. All – show all clients
    2. Bad – show only red/bad clients
    3. Good – show only green/good clients
  2. You can also see the KPI status icons (green/red) next to the Subscribe button – get a quick visual indication of good/bad KPIs for each board

Step 3: Proactive Client Communication Strategy

One of the most valuable aspects of implementing a robust alert system is the opportunity it provides for proactive client communication. 

When you effectively share insights from your alerts, you can demonstrate your agency’s dedication to active account management and drive client satisfaction. 

Here’s how to make the most of your alert system in client communications:

1. Establish an Alert-Driven Communication Protocol

  • Set Expectations: During client onboarding, explain your alert system and how it contributes to proactive management of their account.
  • Define Communication Channels: Agree on how alert-triggered insights will be shared (e.g., email, slack, regular check-ins).
  • Determine Urgency Levels: Categorize alerts by urgency and set expectations for response times for each level.

2. Craft Insightful Alert Summaries

When an alert is triggered, don’t just forward the raw data. Instead:

  • Provide Context: Explain what triggered the alert and how it relates to the client’s goals.
  • Offer Analysis: Share your initial thoughts on why the change occurred.
  • Outline Next Steps: Describe the actions you’re taking or recommend in response.

Example Client Email:

Subject: Alert: Conversion Rate Drop in [Campaign Name]

Hi [Client Name],

Our alert system detected a 25% drop in conversion rate for your [Campaign Name] over the past 3 days.

Here’s what you need to know:

1. Context: Conversion rate fell from 5% to 3.75%, triggering our under-performance alert.

2. Initial Analysis: This coincides with a competitor’s new promotion. We’re also seeing higher bounce rates on the landing page.

3. Next Steps: We’re adjusting bids to maintain position, A/B testing new ad copy, and reviewing the landing page for optimization opportunities.

I’ll update you on the results of these actions by [specific date/time].

3. Use Alerts to Drive Strategic Discussions

  • Monthly Reviews: Compile a summary of all alerts triggered in the past month. Use this to discuss trends and long-term strategies.
  • Quarterly Business Reviews: Show how your alert system and responses have contributed to overall account health and goal achievement.
  • Annual Planning: Use historical alert data to inform budget allocations and goal-setting for the coming year.

4. Highlight Proactive Wins

When your alert system helps you catch and resolve an issue before it impacts performance:

  • Celebrate the Win: Share the story with your client, explaining what could have happened without the alert system.
  • Quantify the Impact: If possible, estimate the potential lost revenue or wasted ad spend that was avoided.

5. Use Alerts to Demonstrate ROI

  • Track Prevention: Keep a log of issues caught and resolved due to alerts.
  • Calculate Value: Estimate the money saved or revenue protected through proactive management.
  • Regular Reporting: Include a section in your reports that highlights the value added by your proactive approach, directly tying it to the client’s investment in your services.

6. Educate Clients on PPC Volatility

Use alerts as teaching moments to help clients understand the dynamic nature of PPC:

  • Market Insights: When alerts catch industry shifts, share broader market insights with your clients.
  • Performance Fluctuations: Help clients understand normal vs. concerning fluctuations in performance.
  • Platform Changes: If alerts catch performance changes due to platform updates, use this to demonstrate your team’s platform expertise.

7. Encourage Client Engagement

  • Two-Way Alerts: Invite clients to set up their own alerts or KPI thresholds they want to be notified about.
  • Collaborative Response: For major alerts, involve clients in the response strategy to foster a partnership mentality.
  • Feedback Loop: Regularly ask for feedback on the alert communications to ensure you’re providing value without overwhelming them.

When you share insights from your alert system in a clear, engaging way, you turn a simple tool into a powerful showcase of your agency’s value. 

This kind of proactive communication doesn’t just boost account performance; it also deepens your client relationships. 

It shows that you’re more than just a service provider—you’re a strategic partner who’s genuinely invested in their success.

8. Best Practices for Alert Configuration

  1. Customization is Key: While these are general guidelines, adjust thresholds based on each client’s historical performance and goals.
  2. Avoid Alert Fatigue: Start with wider thresholds and tighten them as you gauge the frequency and relevance of alerts.
  3. Consider Seasonality: Adjust alert thresholds during known high and low seasons to avoid false positives.
  4. Combine Metrics: Some metrics are more meaningful when viewed together. For example, a drop in CTR is more concerning if accompanied by a rise in CPC.
  5. Regular Review: Assess the effectiveness of your alerts monthly. Are they catching issues early? Are some triggering too often or not often enough?
  6. Tiered Alerts: For critical metrics, consider setting up multiple alert levels. For example, a “warning” at 15% below target and a “critical” alert at 25% below.
  7. Account for New Campaigns: Set more lenient thresholds for new campaigns or ad groups as they gather initial performance data.

Your Proactive PPC Management Strategy

When you set up a comprehensive PPC early warning system with Swydo, you’re not just avoiding disasters – you’re transforming how your agency operates. 

You’ll shift from reactive firefighting to proactive optimization, allowing you to:

  • Catch and resolve issues before clients even notice
  • Allocate your team’s time more efficiently
  • Scale your agency without compromising on service quality
  • Demonstrate clear value and expertise to your clients

Remember, in the fast-paced world of PPC, knowledge isn’t just power – it’s profit. 

With Swydo’s alert system watching your back, you can focus on driving results and growing your agency with confidence.

Ready to take your agency’s PPC management to the next level? 

▶ Try Swydo for Free