Managing ad campaigns effectively requires more than just any old data set — it requires the right kind of data. That’s why MGID has introduced a major update to its Selective Bidding interface, now known as the Sources Optimization tab in MGID Ads. This upgrade replaces widget UIDs with transparent traffic source identifiers like domains and app names, providing advertisers with better insight into their audience and ad placements.
But how does this update impact real advertising campaigns? Let’s explore use cases where the new Sources Optimization interface has helped advertisers optimize performance, improve bid strategies and maximize ROI.
Ready? Scroll down to start reading!
Table of contents
Click on any chapter to scroll directly to it.
Chapter 1
How Advertisers Benefit from Sources Optimization
To understand how this new level of transparency improves campaign performance, we’ll review various use cases.
- First, we’ll examine scenarios for performance/affiliate advertisers, who optimize based on conversions and direct response metrics.
- Then, we’ll explore how all advertisers, including branding & awareness campaigns, can leverage Sources Optimization for better audience targeting and placement control.
Chapter 2
Performance/Affiliate Advertisers (CPC Billing)
Scenario 1: Identifying High-Performing Sources Faster
| Situation | Challenge |
|---|---|
| An affiliate marketer running a CPC-based CPA campaign sees some conversions but can’t identify which placements perform best. | With Widget Optimization, they only see widget IDs, making it difficult to understand which sources attract engaged users. |
Solution
With Sources Optimization, advertisers can:
- Identify actual domains and app names driving conversions;
- Segment sources based on engagement (time on site, pages viewed, CTR);
- Increase bids on top-performing sources and optimize CPCs efficiently.
Outcome
Better ROI with faster and more precise optimizations
Scenario 2: Improving Performance with Advanced Metrics
| Situation | Challenge |
|---|---|
| A financial affiliate running a lead generation campaign wants to improve cost per lead but has limited visibility into which sources deliver engaged prospects. | With widget IDs, they can’t determine whether sources attract users who complete forms or click without engagement. |
Solution
With Sources Optimization, they can:
- Analyze CTR, Viewability and Win Rate to determine source quality;
- Adjust bids based on user interaction data (e.g., users who reach checkout pages);
- Improve budget allocation by focusing on sources that bring engaged audiences.
Outcome
A more optimized funnel, leading to better conversion rates and lower CPL
Scenario 3: Maximizing Return on Ad Spend (ROAS)
| Situation | Challenge |
|---|---|
| An e-commerce advertiser running a CPC campaign sees good traffic but inconsistent purchase rates. | With Widget Optimization, it’s difficult to pinpoint sources that drive actual buyers vs. just visitors. |
Solution
With Sources Optimization, they can:
- Prioritize sources that generate purchases, not just clicks;
- Compare traffic from different domains/apps to identify repeat buyers;
- Use CPM per Source to fine-tune bids, ensuring spend goes to sources that generate actual sales.
Outcome
Higher ROAS and more efficient spending
Scenario 4: Scaling Campaigns More Confidently
| Situation | Challenge |
|---|---|
| An affiliate marketer running travel offers wants to increase budget but fears unpredictable performance. | With Widget Optimization, scaling is trial and error: some widgets perform well, while others don’t. |
Solution
With Sources Optimization, they can:
- Confidently scale campaigns by focusing on historically strong sources;
- Easily adjust bids in bulk for similar-performing sources;
- Expand reach while maintaining cost efficiency.
Outcome
A smarter scaling strategy, leading to sustained performance as budget increases
Scenario 5: Enhancing Audience Targeting for Higher Engagement
| Situation | Challenge |
|---|---|
| A content-based affiliate sees high click volume but lower than expected engagement. | With widget IDs, they can’t determine if users are interested in long-term content engagement. |
Solution
With Sources Optimization, they can:
- Identify sources with higher time-on-site and lower bounce rates;
- Adjust bids to focus on sources that attract return visitors;
- Improve content personalization by understanding audience behavior per source.
Outcome
More subscribed users and higher engagement per visit
Chapter 3
All Advertisers (Including Branding & Awareness Campaigns)
Scenario 6: Ensuring Transparent Ad Placement
| Situation | Challenge |
|---|---|
| A brand advertiser launching a high-profile campaign wants to control ad placements. | With widget IDs, they can’t see where the ads are running — which makes audience understanding harder. |
Solution
With Sources Optimization, they can:
- See domain and app-level data to understand placement context;
- Ensure ads align with their brand’s audience;
- Use Source Blocklist to refine placements based on performance.
Outcome
More control over ad visibility and audience alignment
Scenario 7: Targeting the Right Audience, Not Just Any Traffic
| Situation | Challenge |
|---|---|
| An automotive brand running a CPC campaign sees low engagement and minimal test drive sign-ups. | With widget IDs, they don’t know if they’re reaching car enthusiasts or casual visitors. |
Solution
With Sources Optimization, they can:
- Analyze audience engagement per source to target car shoppers;
- Prioritize high-interest placements by measuring interaction depth;
- Exclude sources that don’t match the brand’s audience.
Outcome
More qualified leads from audience-aligned traffic sources
Scenario 8: Improving Viewability & Ad Placement Quality
| Situation | Challenge |
|---|---|
| A fashion brand running display campaigns sees low Viewability rates, reducing ad effectiveness. | Widget IDs don’t provide visibility insights into ad placements, making optimization difficult. |
Solution
With Sources Optimization, they can:
- Identify placements with high Viewability scores;
- **Bid higher **on sources with proven ad visibility;
- Use Win Rate data to analyze ad positioning trends.
Outcome
Better ad exposure and improved audience reach
Scenario 9: Reducing Budget Waste on Low-Interaction Traffic
| Situation | Challenge |
|---|---|
| An advertiser running a CPC campaign notices some placements generate clicks but minimal engagement. | With widget IDs, it’s hard to distinguish where users engage deeply vs. bounce quickly. |
Solution
With Sources Optimization, they can:
- Track which sources lead to deep site engagement;
- Optimize CPCs to prioritize sources with high-value user behavior;
- Use engagement metrics to fine-tune targeting strategies.
Outcome
More efficient ad spend and better-performing campaigns
Chapter 4
Key Takeaways from These Scenarios
- Full transparency – See real domains and apps, not just widget numbers.
- Better audience understanding – Optimize based on behavioral insights per source.
- Higher conversions & engagement – Spend budget on sources proven to work.
- Improved brand control – Ensure ad placement aligns with brand goals.
By leveraging Sources Optimization, advertisers gain greater control, transparency and efficiency in managing their campaigns. Whether you’re optimizing for conversions, brand awareness or audience engagement, this update empowers you to make data-driven decisions with confidence.
Chapter 5
Use Cases: How Advertisers Benefited from Switching to Sources Optimization
Success in advertising isn’t just about access to data — it’s about using it effectively. With Sources Optimization, advertisers have gained the transparency needed to make smarter data-driven decisions. By replacing widget IDs with clear traffic sources, they’ve been able to cut costs, boost engagement and maximize ROAS.
Let’s explore four examples of advertisers who leveraged this update to improve performance and achieve better results.
Use Case 1: Affiliate Advertiser Lowers CPC by 25% While Maintaining Conversions
| Industry | Billing model | Objective |
|---|---|---|
| Finance (Credit Score & Loan Offers) | CPC | Reduce CPC while maintaining lead volume |
Challenge
- Using Widget Optimization, the advertiser saw fluctuating CPCs with no clear insights into traffic quality.
- They lacked understanding into which traffic sources were driving engaged users.
- Some widgets had high CTRs but low conversion rates, making it hard to optimize.
Solution (Switch to Sources Optimization)
- The advertiser could identify domains/apps that drove actual form submissions instead of just clicks.
- They excluded non-converting sources, which reduced inefficient spending.
- Using Win Rate & CTR per source, the advertiser could bid more competitively on high-value placements.
Results
- CPC reduced by 25%
- Conversions remained stable while spending was optimized
- Less time spent on manual CPC adjustments due to clear source-level insights
Use Case 2: D2C Advertiser Doubles ROAS with Source-Level Targeting
| Industry | Billing model | Objective |
|---|---|---|
| Fashion & Apparel | CPC | Improve return on ad spend (ROAS) by optimizing traffic sources |
Challenge
- The advertiser was using Widget Optimization, which only showed numeric widget IDs, making it difficult to understand where their ads were appearing.
- Some widgets delivered traffic that didn’t engage or convert, but there was no clear way to identify them.
- They wanted to scale but feared wasted ad spend on ineffective placements.
Solution (Switch to Sources Optimization)
- The advertiser used Source-Level Performance Metrics to identify which sites drove actual purchases.
- They increased bids for high-converting sources and excluded those with low add-to-cart rates.
- Segmenting sources by audience engagement, they ensured ads reached interested buyers.
Results
- 2X increase in ROAS within the first 30 days
- Clear insights into the best-performing sources
- Confidence in scaling the campaign with data-backed bidding decisions
Use Case 3: Lead Generation Advertiser Lowers CPL by 30%
| Industry | Billing model | Objective |
|---|---|---|
| Home Improvement | CPC | Improve cost per lead (CPL) |
Challenge
- The advertiser was spending too much on unqualified leads because Widget Optimization provided no insights into audience behavior.
- There was no way to differentiate sources bringing interested homeowners vs. casual visitors.
- They needed to ensure their ads appeared in relevant placements.
Solution (Switch to Sources Optimization)
- The advertiser could identify high-engagement sources where users stayed on site longer.
- They excluded sources with low engagement and high drop-off rates.
- With Sources Optimization, they could refine bidding strategy, focusing spend on placements that delivered leads ready to convert.
Results
- 30% decrease in CPL
- Higher quality leads, leading to more sales
- Improved control over budget allocation
Use Case 4: Branding Advertiser Increases Viewability & Engagement
| Industry | Billing model | Objective |
|---|---|---|
| Consumer Electronics | CPM | Improve ad visibility and engagement |
Challenge
- Widget Optimization provided no transparency into placements, making it impossible to ensure premium exposure.
- Some ads were getting impressions but weren’t seen by users, leading to low engagement.
- The advertiser needed more control over where ads appeared.
Solution (Switch to Sources Optimization)
- The advertiser prioritized sources with high Viewability scores to ensure ads were seen.
- Adjusting bids based on engagement rates, they ensured ads appeared in better placements.
- They used Source Blocklist to prevent misaligned placements.
Results
- Viewability increased by 40%
- Ads placed on premium inventory, ensuring better audience engagement
- Higher post-click interactions and brand recall
Chapter 6
Key Takeaways from These Use Cases
- Greater transparency – Advertisers saw exactly where their ads were running.
- Better audience understanding – Advertisers were able to optimize based on engagement and conversions.
- Higher ROI – By lowering CPCs, they increased ROAS and improved conversion rates.
- More efficiency – They saved time and money with bulk CPC adjustments and automated optimizations.
- Improved viewability – Ensured ads were seen in high-quality placements.
By switching to Sources Optimization, these advertisers gained actionable insights that helped them cut costs, improve engagement and increase conversions — all while spending less time on manual adjustments. Ready to experience the same benefits? Switch to Sources Optimization today and take full control of your ad performance!
