Ad Scheduling

Ad scheduling is a feature in digital advertising platforms, including Google Ads and Microsoft Ads, that allows advertisers to control when their ads are shown to their target audience. Businesses determine specific days and times to run campaigns, strategically allocating their ad spend to maximize performance and reach the right audience at the most effective moments.

This is particularly useful for businesses with limited budgets, allowing them to make the most of their ad spend by targeting only the most valuable time slots. For instance, a business that sees the most website traffic and conversions between 10 AM and 6 PM on weekdays can set up an ad schedule to ensure their ads are only shown during these times.

How Does Ad Scheduling Work?

Ad scheduling works by giving advertisers control over when their ads are active. Marketers can create a custom schedule in ad platforms based on hourly and daily preferences. They can also modify bid adjustments for specific time slots to increase or decrease bids during high-performing or low-performing hours.

Here’s a breakdown of how to set up ad scheduling:

1. Select Campaign: In your ad platform, go to the settings of your selected campaign.
2. Set Schedule: Navigate to the “Ad Schedule” section, where you can set up specific days and hours for your ads to run.
3. Bid Adjustments: Many platforms allow you to adjust your bids based on time. For example, you might increase bids during peak hours or lower them during off-peak hours.

Types of Ad Scheduling Options

Several ad scheduling options are available within ad platforms, each providing advertisers with varying levels of control over when their ads are shown. Here are some of the key ad scheduling options:

1. Full-Time Scheduling (24/7 Ads)

This is the most basic form of ad scheduling, where ads run continuously, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It’s often used when businesses want maximum exposure, especially if their target audience is spread across different time zones or if they offer products or services that are available around the clock.

2. Custom Scheduling

With custom scheduling, advertisers can choose specific days and times when their ads will appear, allowing businesses to show ads only during high-traffic periods or when they are most likely to convert. For example, a restaurant may choose to show ads right before lunch and dinner hours, while a B2B company may focus on business hours during the workweek.

3. Dayparting

Dayparting allows advertisers to break down the day into distinct parts (e.g., morning, afternoon, evening) and tailor ad display times accordingly. This strategy is useful for businesses that see significant differences in customer behavior at various times of the day. For example, an e-commerce store may target early-morning shoppers differently from those shopping in the late evening.

The Benefits of Ad Scheduling

Ad scheduling helps businesses manage their ad budgets more effectively by focusing on the times when their audience is most active and likely to convert. By targeting high-performance hours, companies can avoid wasting budget on low-traffic times, such as late-night hours for a local business that operates 9-5. This approach improves key metrics like click-through rates (CTR) and conversion rates, maximizing return on ad spend (ROAS). 

Some platforms allow advertisers to adjust bids based on specific time slots. For instance, increasing bids during peak hours when conversions are more likely and lowering them during off-peak hours helps optimize ad performance. This flexibility ensures budgets are used more effectively, capitalizing on high-value periods while minimizing spend during less productive times.

Ad scheduling also allows businesses to refine their audience targeting based on user behavior patterns. For example, an e-commerce store might find that younger customers are more active in the evenings, while business professionals tend to browse in the mornings. With ad scheduling, businesses can tailor their campaigns to these patterns, ensuring the right message reaches the right audience at the most impactful times.

When to Use Ad Scheduling?

Ad scheduling is particularly useful in specific business scenarios where time-based targeting is essential. Some examples include:

• Local Businesses: A brick-and-mortar store may only want to advertise during its opening hours. By using ad scheduling, they can avoid showing ads outside business hours when no one is available to answer phone calls or provide services.
• E-commerce Sites: Online stores might notice that customers tend to purchase products during certain times of the day or on specific days of the week. For instance, if most conversions occur during weekday lunch breaks, ad scheduling can ensure ads are focused at those times.
• Limited Budgets: Businesses with smaller budgets can benefit from ad scheduling by focusing their spend during peak hours, concentrating on periods with higher conversion potential.

Best Practices for Ad Scheduling

To maximize ad scheduling results, consider the following best practices:

1. Analyze Performance Data

Before setting up ad scheduling, it’s important to review historical performance data: Analyze when your ads receive the most clicks and conversions, and which times generate the highest ROAS. Google Ads and other PPC platforms provide detailed reporting that can help you identify these trends.

2. Test Different Schedules

It’s important to continuously test different ad schedules to find the optimal times for your business. Try running ads during various time slots and compare the performance metrics. As your business evolves, these patterns might change, so regular testing ensures you stay aligned with audience behavior.

3. Align Ad Schedules with Business Hours

For businesses that offer live chat, phone support, or in-store services, aligning ad schedules with business hours ensures that leads can be followed up on immediately. If potential customers can’t reach your business when they see an ad, you risk losing valuable conversions.