Creating Alerts
Build custom alerts and use templates.
Creating effective alerts means defining exactly what conditions should trigger notifications. You can build custom alerts from scratch or start with templates and customize them.
Accessing Alert Creation
Find Performance Alerts in the Manage section of the sidebar within the Paid Social Ads module. Click Create Alert to build a custom alert, or browse templates for pre-configured options.
The Creation Wizard
The wizard walks you through defining your alert step by step.
Step 1: Choose Alert Type
Select what kind of changes you want to monitor:
| Type | What It Monitors |
|---|---|
| Performance Change | Metrics shifting from baseline |
| Milestone | Reaching specific cumulative values |
| Creation | New campaigns/ad sets/ads created |
| Change | Settings modifications |
Step 2: Configure Trigger Conditions
Based on the alert type, define the specific conditions.
For Performance Change Alerts:
| Setting | Options |
|---|---|
| Metric | CPC, CTR, conversions, spend, ROAS, etc. |
| Direction | Increase, decrease, or both |
| Threshold | Percentage or absolute amount |
| Comparison period | Yesterday, last 7 days, last 30 days |
For Milestone Alerts:
| Setting | Options |
|---|---|
| Metric | Impressions, clicks, conversions, spend, etc. |
| Target value | The number to reach |
| Trigger frequency | Once, or at each interval |
For Creation/Change Alerts:
| Setting | Options |
|---|---|
| What to monitor | Campaigns, ad sets, ads |
| Scope | Specific accounts or all accounts |
| Change types | For change alerts: budget, status, targeting, creative |
Step 3: Set Notification Preferences
Define how and when you want to be notified:
- Email — Immediate notification to your inbox
- In-app — Notification in Flamel's notification center
- Daily digest — Combined into a daily summary email
You can choose different notification methods for different severity levels:
- Critical alerts → Immediate email
- Informational alerts → In-app or digest
Step 4: Save and Activate
Give your alert a descriptive name, review the configuration, and save. The alert begins monitoring immediately.
Using Alert Templates
Templates provide starting points based on common monitoring needs. They come pre-configured with sensible defaults that you can customize.
High CPC Alert
What it does: Watches for cost per click rising above normal levels.
Default configuration:
- Metric: Cost Per Click
- Threshold: Increase by 20%
- Comparison: 7-day average
- Notification: Email
When to customize:
- Adjust threshold based on your normal CPC variance
- Change comparison period if your campaigns fluctuate weekly
Low CTR Warning
What it does: Identifies when click-through rates drop.
Default configuration:
- Metric: Click-Through Rate
- Threshold: Decrease by 30%
- Comparison: 7-day average
- Notification: Email
When to customize:
- Lower threshold if your CTR is typically volatile
- Add audience or creative fatigue as likely causes in alert notes
Spend Threshold
What it does: Monitors budget pacing.
Default configuration:
- Metric: Daily spend
- Threshold: Exceeds 120% of daily budget
- Notification: Immediate email
When to customize:
- Adjust threshold based on how much overspend is acceptable
- Set different thresholds for different campaigns
Conversion Drop
What it does: Catches sudden decreases in conversion rates.
Default configuration:
- Metric: Conversion rate
- Threshold: Decrease by 50%
- Comparison: 7-day average
- Notification: Immediate email
When to customize:
- Lower threshold for campaigns where conversions are critical
- Add notes about what to check (pixel, landing page, etc.)
ROAS Target
What it does: Monitors return on ad spend for profitability.
Default configuration:
- Metric: ROAS
- Threshold: Falls below 2.0x
- Notification: Email
When to customize:
- Set threshold based on your actual profitability requirements
- Consider different thresholds for different campaign types
Custom Alert Best Practices
Setting Good Thresholds
- Use historical data — Look at your actual metric variance before setting thresholds
- Avoid too sensitive — Thresholds that trigger on normal fluctuation cause alert fatigue
- Avoid too loose — Thresholds that never trigger provide no value
- Test and adjust — Start with your best guess and refine based on experience
Naming Conventions
Good alert names are descriptive and actionable. Use names like "CPC +25% - All Campaigns" instead of "Alert 1", or "Weekly Lead Goal (100)" instead of just "Leads".
Documenting Response Actions
For each alert, know what to do when it triggers:
- High CPC — Check for audience saturation, creative fatigue, or competitive pressure
- Low CTR — Review creative performance, consider refresh
- Spend threshold — Verify budget settings, check for runaway spending
- Conversion drop — Check pixel, landing page, and offer
Testing Your Alerts
Before relying on an alert:
- Review the logic — Does the threshold make sense?
- Check the scope — Is it monitoring the right campaigns?
- Verify notifications — Will alerts reach the right people?
- Watch for triggers — Does it fire when expected?
If an alert triggers too frequently or never triggers, adjust the threshold until it provides meaningful signal.