start-vibing-stacks 2.28.0 → 2.30.0

package/stacks/_shared/ads-agents/references/benchmarks.md

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+# Industry Benchmarks 2026
+
+<!-- Updated: 2026-05-14 | v1.6 -->
+<!-- Sources: Claude Research (WordStream/LocaliQ 16K campaigns, Triple Whale 2025), Gemini Research, SplitMetrics 2025, 2026 Verification Pass -->
+
+## Google Ads: Search Benchmarks
+
+### All Industries Average (WordStream/LocaliQ 2025, 16K campaigns)
+| Metric | Average | YoY Change |
+|--------|---------|------------|
+| CTR | 6.66% | +3.74% |
+| CPC | $5.26 | Up for 87% of industries (fifth consecutive year of increases) |
+| CVR | 7.52% | Up for 65% of industries |
+| CPL | ~$70 | +5% |
+
+### By Industry (Search)
+| Industry | CPC | CTR | CVR | CPL |
+|----------|-----|-----|-----|-----|
+| Arts & Entertainment | $1.60 | 13.10% | N/A | N/A |
+| Travel | $2.12 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
+| Restaurants | $2.05 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
+| E-commerce | $1.15 | 4.13% | 2.81% | N/A |
+| B2B SaaS | $4.50-$8.00 | 4.28% | 1.65% | $100-$200 |
+| Education | $6.23 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
+| Local Services | $7.85-$15.00 | 5.50%-6.37% | 7.33%-15.0% | $90.92 |
+| Dental | $7.85 | 5.44% | N/A | N/A |
+| Healthcare | $40+ | 4.90% | 3.10% | N/A |
+| Legal | $8.58-$9.21 | 5.20%-5.97% | 4.60%-5.09% | N/A |
+| Finance | $3.46-$3.77 | 4.65%-8.33% | 2.55%-3.50% | N/A |
+| Real Estate | $1.55-$2.53 | 8.43% | 3.28% | N/A |
+
+### E-commerce Specific (Triple Whale 2025)
+| Metric | Median | YoY Change |
+|--------|--------|------------|
+| CPA | $23.74 | +12.35% |
+| CPM | $12.79 | +10.01% |
+| ROAS | 3.68 | -10.03% |
+
+Note: CTR improved across all 14 tracked industries while CVR declined in 13 of 14.
+
+### Smart Bidding & Demand Gen (2025-2026)
+| Metric | Value |
+|--------|-------|
+| Smart Bidding Exploration | 18% more unique query categories, 19% more conversions |
+| Demand Gen video+image | 20% more conversions vs video-only |
+| CTV ad spend share | 75% of YouTube ad spend now on CTV |
+
+## Meta Ads Benchmarks
+
+### By Objective (WordStream 2025, 1K campaigns)
+| Objective | CTR | CPC | CVR | CPL |
+|-----------|-----|-----|-----|-----|
+| Traffic (all) | 1.71% | $0.70 | N/A | N/A |
+| Leads (all) | 2.59% | $1.92 | 7.72% | $27.66 |
+
+### ROAS Benchmarks
+| Segment | ROAS |
+|---------|------|
+| All industries median | 2.19:1 |
+| Retargeting | 3.61:1 |
+| Advantage+ Sales | 4.52:1 |
+
+### CPM by Industry
+| Industry | CPM |
+|----------|-----|
+| Arts & Entertainment | $5.82 (lowest) |
+| Most industries | $6-$8 |
+| E-commerce | $12.50 |
+| Local Services | $18.00 |
+| Healthcare | $28.00 |
+| B2B SaaS | $35.00 |
+| Healthcare (highest) | $36.82 |
+| Legal | $45.00 |
+| Finance | $50.00 |
+
+### CPC Trend
+- January 2026: $0.85 (24% below prior January)
+- November 2025 peak: $1.32 (Q4 surge)
+
+### Andromeda & Advantage+ (2025-2026)
+| Metric | Value |
+|--------|-------|
+| 25 diverse creatives | 17% more conversions at 16% lower cost |
+| Creative Similarity Score >60% | Triggers retrieval suppression (Andromeda penalty) |
+| Advantage+ Sales ROAS | 22% higher ROAS |
+| Advantage+ Sales CPA | 11.7% CPA improvement |
+| Creative fatigue lifespan | Compressed to 2-4 weeks (was 6-8 weeks) |
+
+### Creative Fatigue Thresholds
+| Signal | Warning | Fail |
+|--------|---------|------|
+| Frequency (prospecting) | >3 | >5 |
+| Frequency (retargeting) | >8 | >12 |
+| CTR decline over 14 days | N/A | >20% |
+| Exposures before conversion drop (~45%) | 4 | N/A |
+| TOF creative lifespan | 3-4 weeks | N/A |
+| BOF creative lifespan | 6-7 weeks | N/A |
+
+## LinkedIn Ads Benchmarks
+
+| Metric | Benchmark |
+|--------|-----------|
+| Average CPC | $5-$7 globally; median $3.94 |
+| Average CPM | $31-$38 |
+| CTR (Sponsored Content) | 0.44%-0.65% |
+| CTR (exceptional) | >1.0% |
+| Average CPL | $60-$150+ |
+| Lead Gen Form CVR | 13% (3.25× higher than landing pages) |
+| Message Ads CTR | 3% (30% open rate) |
+| Conversation Ads | 50-60% open rates, 2-5% CTR (far exceeds feed ad benchmarks of 0.3-0.5% CTR) |
+| B2B ROAS | 113% ($1.13 per $1) |
+| Document Ads engagement rate | 7.00% (14% YoY increase), leading all LinkedIn content formats |
+| TLA CPC | $2.29-$4.14 (vs $13.23 standard, 2-5x cheaper) |
+| TLA CTR | 1.7× higher than standard |
+| Predictive Audiences | 21% CPL reduction |
+| Min daily budget | $10/day |
+
+### CPL by Industry
+| Industry | CPL |
+|----------|-----|
+| Education | $64 |
+| Media | $65 |
+| Retail | $80 |
+| Manufacturing | $100 |
+| Finance | $100 |
+| Software & IT | $125 |
+| Healthcare | $125 |
+
+### Cost Factors
+- Senior decision-makers (VP/Director/C-suite): $6.40+ CPC
+- North America premium: 40-50% above global averages
+- CPC YoY trend: +8% (2025)
+- Q3 highest CPC ($15.72); Q4/Q1 typically lower
+
+## TikTok Ads Benchmarks
+
+| Metric | Range | Average |
+|--------|-------|---------|
+| CPM | $3.21-$10 | ~$4.26 |
+| CPC | $0.20-$2.00 | ~$1.00 |
+| CTR | 0.5%-1.5% | ~0.84% |
+| CVR | 0.3%-1.0% | ~0.46% |
+| Engagement Rate | 5-16% | Far exceeds FB 0.09%, IG 1.22% |
+
+### Format Comparison
+| Format | CTR | CPA |
+|--------|-----|-----|
+| Spark Ads | ~3% | ~$60 |
+| Standard In-Feed | ~2% | ~$100 |
+
+### Spark Ads vs Non-Spark
+| Metric | Spark Ads Impact |
+|--------|-----------------|
+| Completion rate | +30% |
+| Engagement rate | +142% |
+| CVR | +43% |
+| CPM | -4% (cheaper) |
+
+### Search Ads & Creative Lifecycle
+- Search Ads: 20% conversion uplift when combined with In-Feed
+- Creative lifespan: 7-10 days average (plan for high-volume creative rotation)
+
+### Key Thresholds
+- Minimum campaign budget: $50/day
+- Minimum ad group budget: $20/day
+- Learning phase exit: ~50 conversions in 7 days
+- TikTok Shop CVR: >10% (vs 0.46-2.4% standard)
+- CPM advantage: 40-60% cheaper than Meta
+
+### Smart+ Performance
+- Median ROAS: 1.41-1.67
+- Adoption: 42% of US TikTok performance campaigns
+
+## Microsoft Ads Benchmarks
+
+| Metric | Value | vs Google |
+|--------|-------|-----------|
+| Average CPC | $1.20-$1.55 | 20-35% discount |
+| Average CTR | 2.83-3.1% | Higher than Google ~2.0% |
+| Copilot CTR | 73% higher | vs traditional search |
+| Copilot CVR | 16% stronger | vs traditional search |
+| Users click paid ads | 25% more often | vs Google users |
+| Higher ROAS reported | 37% of advertisers | vs Google |
+
+### LinkedIn Profile Targeting & Copilot
+| Metric | Value |
+|--------|-------|
+| LinkedIn Profile Targeting CTR | 16% greater than standard |
+| LinkedIn Profile Targeting CVR | 64% greater than standard |
+| CPCs vs LinkedIn Ads directly | 30-70% cheaper |
+| Copilot placement CTR | 73% higher than traditional search |
+
+### Copilot Checkout (January 2026)
+- Users discover, compare, and purchase within Copilot conversations
+- 194% more likely to purchase when shopping intent is present
+- Ads in Copilot must be clearly labeled
+
+### User Demographics
+- ~50% in top 25% household incomes
+- 34% hold degrees
+- 45-64 age group: 38% of searches
+- US all-devices share: 8.78% (record)
+- US desktop share: 16.75-17.58%
+- With Yahoo/AOL partners: ~25% US desktop
+
+## Apple Ads Benchmarks
+
+### Overall Averages (SplitMetrics 2025)
+| Metric | Average |
+|--------|---------|
+| TTR (Tap-Through Rate) | 9.7% |
+| CR (Conversion Rate) | 66.2% |
+| CPT (Cost Per Tap) | $2.25 |
+| CPA (Cost Per Acquisition) | $3.76 |
+
+### International Markets
+- International markets deliver 3-5x better CPI than US
+
+### Category Benchmarks (CPT)
+| Category | CPT Range |
+|----------|-----------|
+| Games | $0.50-$1.00 |
+| Health | $1.50-$3.00 |
+| Finance | $2.00-$5.00 |
+
+## ROAS Benchmarks by Industry (Cross-Platform)
+
+| Industry | Google | Meta | LinkedIn | TikTok |
+|----------|--------|------|----------|--------|
+| E-commerce | 3.68 | 2.19-4.52 (ASC) | N/A | 1.41-1.67 |
+| B2B SaaS | N/A | N/A | 1.13 | N/A |
+| Legal | 3.0 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
+| Finance | 3.5 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
+| Healthcare | 2.8 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
+| Local Services | 5.0 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
+
+## Landing Page Benchmarks
+
+| Metric | Value |
+|--------|-------|
+| Mobile traffic share | 82.9% |
+| 1s load → CVR vs 5s load | 3× higher |
+| 1s delay | -7% conversions |
+| Median CVR across industries | 6.6% |
+| Top 10% CVR | 20%+ |
+| QS landing page high → CPC impact | 50% discount |
+| QS landing page low → CPC impact | 400% extra |
+
+## Minimum Viable Ad Budgets
+
+| Platform | Minimum Monthly | Rationale |
+|----------|----------------|-----------|
+| Google Ads | $1,000+ | Need 15+ conversions/month for Smart Bidding |
+| Meta Ads | $600-$800 | Need 50 conv/week per ad set for learning |
+| LinkedIn Ads | $3,000+ | High CPCs ($5-$35) require scale |
+| TikTok Ads | $300+ | Low CPMs but need creative volume |
+| Microsoft Ads | 20-30% of Google budget | Proportional to search volume |

package/stacks/_shared/ads-agents/references/bidding-strategies.md

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+# Bidding Strategy Decision Trees
+
+<!-- Updated: 2026-05-14 | v1.6: corrected AI Max conversion lift + DSA migration timing -->
+<!-- Sources: Google Research PDF 2, Claude Research, Gemini Research, 2026 Verification Pass -->
+
+## Google Ads Bidding Decision Engine
+
+### Strategy Selection Flow
+
+```
+START → How many conversions in last 30 days?
+
+┌─ < 15 conversions ──────────────────────────┐
+│  → Maximize Clicks (cold start)             │
+│  → Set Max CPC = Target_CPA / (CVR × 1.5)  │
+│  → Learning: 3-5 days                       │
+│  → Monitor until 15+ conversions achieved    │
+│  → OR use Manual CPC if full control needed  │
+│  → NOTE: eCPC fully removed March 2025       │
+└──────────────────────────────────────────────┘
+
+┌─ 15-29 conversions ─────────────────────────┐
+│  → Maximize Conversions (uncapped)          │
+│  → Learning: 7-14 days                      │
+│  → Transition when CPA SD < 20% over 14d   │
+│  → THEN switch to Target CPA               │
+└──────────────────────────────────────────────┘
+
+┌─ 30+ conversions, NO dynamic values ────────┐
+│  → Target CPA                               │
+│  → Strict: 30+ (Google says 15, but 30+     │
+│    for reliable performance, 50+ ideal)      │
+│  → Set at: 1.1x-1.2x historical CPA        │
+│  → Adjust: Max 10% change every 14 days     │
+│  → Never lower by more than 15% at once     │
+└──────────────────────────────────────────────┘
+
+┌─ 50+ conversions WITH dynamic values ───────┐
+│  → Target ROAS                              │
+│  → Requires dynamic conversion values        │
+│  → Set at: EXACT historical ROAS            │
+│  → Formula: Bid = P(conv) × Value × 1/tROAS│
+│  → Adjust: Same rules as tCPA              │
+└──────────────────────────────────────────────┘
+
+### Smart Bidding Exploration (Google, 2025+)
+
+Allows flexible ROAS targets to discover new traffic. Delivers 18% more
+unique search query categories + 19% more conversions.
+
+- **How it works**: Algorithm temporarily relaxes ROAS constraints to
+  enter auctions it would normally skip, testing new user segments
+- **When to enable**: Stable tROAS campaigns with 50+ conversions/month
+  seeking incremental growth beyond current query coverage
+- **When to avoid**: Tight-margin accounts or campaigns already spending
+  full budget (exploration adds volume, not just efficiency)
+- **Available on**: Target ROAS bid strategies only
+
+### AI Max for Search (Google, 2025+)
+
+AI Max for Search layers broad match + keywordless targeting on existing
+Search campaigns. Google reports 7% more conversions or conversion value
+at comparable CPA/ROAS when the full feature suite is enabled (search
+term matching + text customization + final URL expansion). DSA officially
+being consolidated into AI Max with automatic upgrades starting September
+2026; new DSA campaign creation ends September 2026. Requires strong
+negative keyword lists.
+
+- **How it works**: Automatically expands keyword coverage using AI to
+  match user intent beyond exact keyword matches
+- **When to enable**: Established Search campaigns with healthy conversion
+  volume and comprehensive negative keyword lists
+- **When to avoid**: Low-budget campaigns without negative keyword hygiene;
+  accounts with strict brand safety requirements
+- **Migration note**: Migrate DSA campaigns to AI Max before September 2026 auto-upgrade
+
+┌─ Brand Protection campaigns ────────────────┐
+│  → Target Impression Share                  │
+│  → Target: 95-100% on brand keywords        │
+│  → No conversion data requirement           │
+│  → Search only (not available elsewhere)     │
+└──────────────────────────────────────────────┘
+
+SPECIAL CASES:
+- PMax: Always uses Maximize Conversions or Maximize Conv Value
+- Demand Gen: Supports Target CPC (new), tCPA, tROAS, Max Clicks
+- Display Pay per Conversion: Eligibility required
+```
+
+### Attribution Model (Google)
+- **DDA (Data-Driven Attribution) is now MANDATORY default** (September 2025)
+- Only two models remain: DDA and Last Click
+- All rule-based models deprecated (first-click, linear, time decay, position-based)
+- No minimum data threshold for DDA
+- Impact on bidding: DDA distributes conversion credit across touchpoints, affecting Smart Bidding signals
+
+### Portfolio Bid Strategies
+
+When to use portfolios:
+- Multiple campaigns each with <15 conv, but combined >30
+- Need cross-campaign budget optimization
+- **CPC Cap Hack**: Only way to set max CPC bid on tCPA/tROAS
+
+Rules:
+- Minimum 3 campaigns per portfolio for meaningful data
+- Group campaigns with similar target CPAs/ROAS
+- Never mix brand and non-brand in same portfolio
+
+### Transition Triggers (Google)
+
+| From | To | Trigger |
+|------|----|---------|
+| Maximize Clicks | Maximize Conversions | 15+ conversions in 30 days |
+| Maximize Conversions | Target CPA | CPA SD <20% over 14 days + 30+ conv |
+| Target CPA | Target ROAS | 50+ conv + dynamic values available |
+| Manual CPC | Maximize Clicks | Ready to test automation |
+| Any | Target Impression Share | Brand protection need identified |
+
+---
+
+## Meta Ads Bidding Decision Engine
+
+### Auction Formula
+
+```
+Total Value = Bid × Estimated Action Rate + User Value
+```
+
+### Strategy Selection
+
+```
+DEFAULT (90% of campaigns):
+  → Lowest Cost (no cap)
+  → Best for: Most campaigns, volume maximization
+  → Risk: CPA can spike during high-competition (Q4)
+
+IF need cost predictability:
+  → Cost Cap
+  → Set at: 1.2x - 1.5x target CPA
+  → Best for: Scaling with margin protection
+  → Risk: Under-delivery if cap too aggressive
+
+IF need strict cost control:
+  → Bid Cap
+  → Set at: 2x - 3x target CPA
+  → Best for: Experienced advertisers with clear unit economics
+  → Risk: Significant under-delivery if too low
+
+IF e-commerce with revenue tracking:
+  → ROAS Goal
+  → Best for: Advantage+ Sales Campaigns
+  → Requires: Purchase event + dynamic values
+
+IF high-value diverse products:
+  → Highest Value
+  → Prioritizes high-value conversions
+  → Best for: Wide AOV range
+```
+
+### Andromeda Context
+
+Under Andromeda, creative diversity matters more than bid strategy.
+Focus budget on creative testing, not micro-optimizing bids.
+
+### CBO vs ABO Decision
+
+```
+IF daily_budget < $100:
+  → ABO (manual control for testing)
+
+IF daily_budget $100-$500:
+  → Test both; CBO if similar audiences, ABO if diverse
+
+IF daily_budget > $500:
+  → CBO (Advantage+ Campaign Budget)
+  → Let Meta optimize distribution
+
+NOTE: Advantage+ Sales/Leads auto-enable CBO
+```
+
+### Learning Phase Rules
+
+**Exit criteria:** 50 conversions per week per ad set
+
+**Reset triggers (avoid during learning):**
+- Budget change >20%
+- Any targeting change
+- Creative edit (even text)
+- Bid strategy change
+- Pausing >7 days
+
+**If "Learning Limited":**
+1. Broaden audience
+2. Increase budget
+3. Switch to higher-funnel event (AddToCart instead of Purchase)
+4. Consolidate ad sets
+5. Ensure daily budget ≥5× target CPA
+
+---
+
+## LinkedIn Ads Bidding
+
+### Strategy Selection
+
+```
+Sponsored Content:
+  → Start with Manual CPC for cost control (recommended default)
+  → Test automated bidding only with established data
+  → Maximum Delivery is the most expensive option
+  → Minimum daily budget: $10/day (recommend $50+)
+
+Message Ads:
+  → CPS (Cost Per Send): bid aggressively
+  → Frequency cap: 1 per 30-45 days per user
+  → Win the auction for limited inbox slot
+
+Lead Gen Forms:
+  → Lowest Cost or Manual CPC
+  → 13% CVR benchmark (3.25× landing pages)
+
+Conversation Ads:
+  → CPS: similar to Message Ads
+  → 10-12% CTR benchmark
+
+TLA (Thought Leader Ads):
+  → Allocate ≥30% budget
+  → CPC $2.29-$4.14 (vs $13.23 standard)
+
+Accelerate Campaigns:
+  → AI-powered end-to-end
+  → 42% lower CPA, 21% lower CPL
+```
+
+---
+
+## TikTok Ads Bidding
+
+### Strategy Selection
+
+```
+DEFAULT:
+  → Lowest Cost (volume maximization)
+  → Most common, good starting point
+
+IF margin protection needed:
+  → Cost Cap
+  → Set target CPA, system tries to stay near
+
+IF strict cost control needed:
+  → Bid Cap
+  → Controls maximum bid per auction (not average CPA)
+  → Set at 2-3x target CPA initially
+  → Best for: retargeting, competitive niches (Q4/BFCM)
+  → Risk: significant under-delivery if set too aggressively
+
+IF Smart+ campaign:
+  → Modular automation (choose per module)
+  → Up to 30 ad groups, 50 creatives per asset group
+  → Smart+ now supports modular control (2025). Lock
+    targeting/creative/budget/placement independently
+    while automating others
+
+GMV Max (TikTok Shop):
+  → Default/only for Shop campaigns (July 2025)
+  → Optimizes for Gross Merchandise Value
+```
+
+### Budget Rules
+- Campaign minimum: $50/day
+- Ad group minimum: $20/day
+- Budget should be ≥50× target CPA per ad group (provides sufficient learning room)
+- Learning phase: ~50 conversions in 7 days
+
+---
+
+## Microsoft Ads Bidding
+
+### Strategy Selection
+
+```
+IF importing from Google:
+  → Match Google bid strategy
+  → Validate settings transferred correctly
+  → Adjust targets (typically 20-35% lower CPC on Bing)
+
+IF native campaign:
+  → Same strategy framework as Google
+  → Lower CPC targets (expect $1.20-$1.55 avg)
+  → Enable Copilot placement for PMax
+
+PMax on Microsoft:
+  → Enable "Target New Customers" (Beta 2026)
+  → Copilot chat placement: 73% higher CTR
+  → LinkedIn profile targeting (unique)
+```
+
+---
+
+## Apple Ads Bidding
+
+### Maximize Conversions (GA Feb 26, 2026)
+
+AI-powered auto-bidder using Search Match. Currently only optimizes for installs.
+
+```
+Strategy Selection:
+  → Maximize Conversions (recommended for most campaigns)
+  → Target CPA (weekly average target) replaces CPA Cap (being deprecated)
+  → Daily budget >= 5x target CPA
+  → Two-week learning period before evaluating performance
+
+Key Rules:
+  → Set realistic target CPA based on historical install cost
+  → Avoid budget or target changes during the 2-week learning period
+  → Currently only optimizes for installs (not post-install events)
+  → Pair with strong Search Match negative keywords to control relevance
+```
+
+---
+
+## Cross-Platform Bidding Red Flags
+
+| Red Flag | Severity | Platform | Action |
+|----------|----------|----------|--------|
+| Broad Match + Manual CPC | Critical | Google | Switch to Smart Bidding or Exact Match |
+| tCPA <50% of actual CPA | Critical | Google | Unrealistic target; set at 1.1-1.2× historical |
+| Smart Bidding with <15 conv/month | High | Google | Use Manual CPC or Maximize Clicks |
+| >50% ad sets "Learning Limited" | Critical | Meta | Consolidate, broaden audience, increase budget |
+| Cost Cap below historical CPA | High | Meta | Set at 1.2-1.5× target, not below |
+| Daily budget <5× CPA | High | Meta | Increase budget or switch to higher-funnel event |
+| Budget < $50/day campaign | High | TikTok | Increase to minimum or consolidate |
+| No negative keywords with Broad Match | Critical | Google | Add themed negative lists immediately |
+| No Portfolio strategy for low-vol campaigns | Medium | Google | Group <15 conv campaigns into portfolio |