Master Guide: Digital Campaign Builder (DCB)
Everything you need to launch, manage, and optimize paid ad campaigns on Facebook, Instagram, and Google — without managing those platforms directly.
1 What Is DCB?
Digital Campaign Builder (DCB) is Side's built-in advertising platform, powered by Evocalize. It lets you run paid ads on Facebook, Instagram, and Google without needing to manage those platforms directly. DCB handles the technical setup — targeting, delivery, and optimization — so you can focus on choosing your ad type, setting your budget, and reviewing your results.
🔗 Accessing DCB
- Okta dashboard → DCB tile
- Direct URL: campaign-builder.side.com
🛠 Need an Admin Account?
Admins and marketing staff can request their own DCB account to create and manage campaigns on behalf of agents. See Getting a DCB Admin Account below.
2 Before You Launch
Two things need to be in place before your first campaign can go live: a Facebook Business Page (for Meta ads) and — for targeted campaigns — an audience file.
Facebook Business Page
Meta requires a Facebook Business Page to run any ad on Facebook or Instagram. You have two options:
✅ Option A — Use Side's Page (Recommended)
Your DCB account comes pre-linked to a Facebook Business Page managed by Side. It has no Side-specific branding — your ads look and perform the same as they would with your own page. Leads flow directly into DCB. No setup required.
🔗 Option B — Link Your Own Page
Link from the blueprint setup or from Assets → Facebook Pages in DCB. You must be an Admin on both the Facebook Business Page and the Business Manager account. If someone else created your page, confirm admin access on both before attempting to link.
How to create a Business Page, set up admin access, link your page in DCB, unlink it, and troubleshoot common connection errors.
Uploading an Audience (for targeted ads)
Some ad types let you target a specific list of contacts — past clients, sphere of influence, or agents you'd like to recruit. This requires uploading an audience file.
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| File format | CSV file only |
| Column header |
Must be exactly Email — not "Emails" or
anything else
|
| Content | One valid email address per row. No blank rows, no non-email text. |
| Editing after upload | Not possible — audiences cannot be edited once uploaded. To add contacts, upload a new file with all contacts included, or create a separate audience and target both. |
| Expected match rate | ~50% is normal. Platforms can only match emails to users they recognise with active accounts — a smaller "potential audience" than your list size is expected. |
Email and each row contains
only a valid email address, then re-export as CSV. Invisible formatting
from Excel or Numbers on Mac often causes upload failures.
3 Blueprints (Your Ad Types)
Blueprints are DCB's pre-built campaign templates — each configured for a specific goal. There are 8 blueprints available across three categories.
4 Budgets & Billing
How Much to Spend
| Spend Level | Guidance |
|---|---|
| $10–$50/day | Recommended starting range for new DCB users. Check your account daily after launch and scale up once you're comfortable reading your metrics. |
| $6–$10/day | Platform minimum, varies by channel. Spending under $2/day delivers minimal results; some channels enforce a hard floor. |
Recommended Monthly Budgets by Blueprint
These are Side's recommended monthly spends to achieve a meaningful return on each campaign type. A higher budget doesn't mean your current ads aren't working — it means higher spend is expected to deliver more leads per dollar.
| Blueprint | Recommended Monthly Budget | Daily Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Social Retargeting | $500 | ~$16/day |
| Web Retargeting | $500 | ~$16/day |
| Google Search — Brand Keywords | $850 | ~$28/day |
| Google Search — Geolocation Keywords | $850 | ~$28/day |
| On-site lead campaigns (general) | $850–$1,040 | Higher due to added friction (click → page → form) |
The Learning Stage
Every new campaign enters a learning period of up to two weeks. During this time the platform is gathering data on clicks, impressions, and lead conversions to understand your best audience. Metrics will start populating but may look inconsistent — this is normal. Avoid changing your budget during this window. Budget changes reset the learning process and start the clock over. Let the campaign collect data for the full two weeks before optimising.
How Billing Works
Understanding the billing cycle upfront prevents surprises. Here's what to expect from the moment you place an order.
Your credit card is charged immediately — not on your campaign's start date. The ad is submitted to Meta or Google right away and begins delivering shortly after your scheduled start date.
All DCB campaigns must run for at least 30 days (2 billing cycles) before they can be cancelled. This window allows the platform's machine learning to gather meaningful performance data.
DCB bills you 10 days early before each renewal date to prevent campaigns from going dark due to payment failures. If you cancel before your renewal date and have met the 30-day minimum, this early charge is refunded.
Most blueprints renew automatically until you cancel — they're "set it and forget it" by design. Campaigns run until the end of the current billing cycle after cancellation; they do not stop immediately. Plan ahead if you have a specific end date in mind.
What You Cannot Change After Launch
Once a campaign is live, the following fields are locked and cannot be edited:
- Start date
- End date
- Ad budget
To change any of these, cancel the current campaign (once you've met the 30-day minimum) and create a new one with your updated settings.
Billing FAQs
DCB charges your card immediately when an order is placed — not on the start date. This confirms your order and submits it to Meta or Google for review before your scheduled launch.
This early billing is intentional — it gives DCB a buffer to handle any card issues before your renewal, preventing campaigns from going dark mid-cycle. If you cancel before the renewal date and have met the 30-day minimum, this charge is refunded.
Not currently. Most blueprints run until you cancel them. They're designed this way because ad performance improves with time — a short fixed window limits the platform's ability to optimise. Listings on Social is the exception, as it's tied to a specific property.
Budget cannot be changed on a live campaign. To adjust your spend, cancel the current campaign (once you've hit the 30-day minimum) and create a new one with your preferred budget.
Yes — the default minimum is $6–$10/day depending on the platform. Spending under $2/day typically yields insufficient results, and some channels enforce a hard minimum.
5 Launching a Campaign
- Log into DCB via your Okta dashboard or at campaign-builder.side.com.
- Select the blueprint that matches your goal (see Section 3). Use the co-marketing filter if you plan to split costs with a lender.
- Choose your listing or geography. For listing ads, all active, pending, and sold listings for your brand are available. For geo-targeted ads, if a specific neighborhood isn't found, try broadening to a city or larger area.
- Set up your ad creative. DCB auto-populates ad text where possible. Most fields can be edited — text imported directly from the MLS can only be replaced, not edited in place.
- Configure your audience. Upload a CSV audience file, select a geographic target, or — for recruiting ads — choose Side's nationwide agent list.
- Set your budget (daily or monthly spend).
- Set up lead notifications. Go to Account Settings and add your Follow Up Boss lead email address so Facebook leads flow automatically into FUB. Email notifications to your Okta address are sent automatically.
- Review and submit. Your ad is submitted to Meta or Google immediately and begins delivering on your scheduled start date.
6 Where Your Leads Go
Lead capture works differently depending on the ad platform — understanding this upfront prevents leads from slipping through the cracks.
| Ad Type | How Leads Are Captured | Where to Find Them |
|---|---|---|
| Facebook & Instagram | Captured directly within the Meta platform via a native lead form — no website visit required. | DCB → Contacts tab, and in Follow Up Boss if your FUB lead email is set up in Account Settings. |
| Google Search & Web Retargeting | Ads drive people to your website or landing page. Conversion happens on-site via your web form. | Follow Up Boss only — via your normal web form integration. Leads do not appear in DCB. |
7 Tracking Your Ad Performance
Where to Find Your Analytics
Navigate to Search or Retargeting in the left-hand menu → click Programs → select your campaign. The analytics dashboard for that campaign opens with all current performance data.
Key Metrics Explained
The total number of times your ad was shown to someone. A foundational reach metric — high impressions with low clicks may indicate the creative needs refreshing.
The number of times someone clicked on your ad. This includes clicks to your website, lead form, or other destination.
Clicks ÷ Impressions. Measures how compelling your ad is — a higher CTR means more people who saw your ad chose to engage with it.
Total spend ÷ total clicks. The average cost you pay each time someone clicks your ad. Lower CPC means your budget is working harder.
The number of people who completed your lead form. The primary conversion metric for Facebook & Instagram campaigns.
Total spend ÷ total leads. How much you're paying for each captured lead. Compare across campaigns to see which blueprint is most efficient for your budget.
8 Editing & Canceling a Campaign
Editing a Live Campaign
- In DCB, click Retargeting or Search in the left-hand menu.
- Click Programs and select the campaign you want to edit.
- Click Edit, make your changes, and submit.
Canceling a Campaign
- In DCB, click Retargeting or Search → Programs.
- Click the campaign you want to cancel.
- Click Cancel Campaign and confirm.
| Scenario | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Cancel before the last 10 days of your billing cycle | Campaign runs until the end of the current cycle. No refund — you've already paid for this cycle. |
| Cancel within the last 10 days — already charged for next cycle | Campaign runs until end of current cycle. The early-billed renewal charge is refunded, provided the campaign has been running at least 30 days. |
| Cancel before 30 days | Not permitted. All campaigns must complete a minimum 30-day run before cancellation. |
9 Advanced Features Partners & Admins
Automatic Listing Ads
Runs a carousel of your team's active listings continuously on Meta, displaying the most relevant listings to each viewer automatically. Unlike Listings on Social (which promotes one specific property), Automatic Listing Ads promote all your active listings in a single always-on ad and collect general buyer leads. Both types can run simultaneously.
Listings on Social Automation
Creates a new individual listing ad automatically for each listing that meets criteria you define (e.g. status = active). Puts 100% of the budget toward each property and generates property-specific leads. Enable it by clicking the gear icon next to the Listings on Social blueprint.
Agent Recruiting Ads
Two recruiting blueprints are available for Founding Partners and DCB Admins:
Database Recruiting Ad
Upload your own CSV list of agents you want to target. Format
requirements are the same as any audience file — one
Email column, one address per row.
Agent Recruiting Ad
Uses Side's nationwide database of hundreds of thousands of active agents — verified, enriched, with production data up to $10M. No upload required.
Events on Social
Promote open houses, seminars, networking events, and community events with time-limited ads designed to generate RSVPs and leads. Well-suited for open house promotion and local community engagement.
Getting a DCB Admin Account
Admins and marketing staff can get their own DCB account to create and manage campaigns on behalf of agents on the team.
- Get approval from a Founding Partner (brand owner).
- Email help@side.com and CC the Partner on the message to confirm approval.
- Complete the DCB admin training in Continu once your account is provisioned.
Full setup guide for both recruiting blueprints, audience file formatting, Side's nationwide agent list, Automatic Listing Ad automation, and admin account setup.
10 Co-Marketing with a Lender
Co-marketing lets you split ad costs 50/50 with a mortgage loan officer. Both brands appear in the ad, both parties receive leads, and both pay equally — cutting your individual spend in half while reaching a combined audience.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Available ad types | Single Property Ads only — use the "co-marketing" filter when selecting a blueprint |
| Cost split | Exactly 50/50 — mandatory, cannot be modified (required for RESPA compliance) |
| Invitation window | Lender has 5 days to accept. If they decline or don't respond, the order cancels and neither party is charged. |
| Multiple lenders | You can co-market with multiple lenders simultaneously — but only one lender per individual ad |
How to Invite a Lender
- Select the Single Property Ad blueprint (filter by "co-marketing").
- Complete the listing details and the Branding & Compliance section.
- On the billing page, click "Invite Co-Marketing Partner."
- Enter the lender's name, email, and an optional personal message.
- Click "Submit to Co-Marketing Partner." Both parties are charged 50% once the lender accepts.
Full walkthrough of the invitation flow, payment mechanics, RESPA compliance context, what each partner can and cannot do, and setup instructions for lenders new to DCB.
11 Ad Creative Specs
Facebook & Instagram
| Spec | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Image format | JPG or PNG |
| Max image file size | 30MB |
| Recommended resolution | 1080 × 1080 px or higher |
| Image ratio | 1.91:1 or 1:1 |
| Primary text | Max 125 characters recommended |
| Headline | Max 40 characters recommended |
| Description | Max 30 characters recommended |
| Video max file size | 90MB |
| Video minimum dimensions | 120 × 120 px |
| Recommended video length | 15–30 seconds |
Google Display Network
| Spec | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Landscape image ratio | 1.9:1 |
| Recommended size | 1200 × 628 px |
| Minimum size | 600 × 314 px |
| Logo ratio | 1:1 (square) |
| Logo recommended size | 1200 × 1200 px |
| Logo minimum size | 128 × 128 px |
Common Google Ad Rejection Reasons
- Phone numbers in ad copy
-
Website URLs missing
http://orhttps:// - All-caps words — write "House for Sale" not "HOUSE FOR SALE"
-
Excessive punctuation — use only one
!or?per ad
Common Questions
DCB is designed to simplify campaign management. If you have an experienced marketing team and want full control over ad copy and targeting, you can run campaigns directly on Google Ads or Meta Ads Manager outside of DCB — they're not mutually exclusive.
Most ad text configurations use your brand name, not your personal name. There are 30+ pre-programmed variations. If you want your team name to appear prominently, use the Brand Keywords blueprint and add your team name as a custom keyword.
Contact help@side.com and the team will investigate. In the meantime, click the manual entry link in DCB to enter your listing details by hand so you're not blocked from launching.
Yes — you can point a single campaign to multiple uploaded audience files simultaneously. There's no need to create separate campaigns per audience if they share the same goal and budget.
All active, pending, and sold listings for your brand are available to select when setting up a listing ad.
Confirm your Business Manager account is verified and in good standing with Meta. A restricted or flagged Business Manager account will prevent ad delivery regardless of page connection status. Contact help@side.com if you're unsure of your account standing.
Quick Reference
| Task | Where to Go |
|---|---|
| Access DCB | Okta dashboard → DCB tile, or campaign-builder.side.com |
| Launch a campaign | Select blueprint → configure → submit |
| View leads (Facebook) | DCB → Contacts |
| View leads (Google) | Follow Up Boss — via web form conversion |
| View analytics | Search or Retargeting → Programs → select campaign |
| Edit a campaign | Programs → select campaign → Edit |
| Cancel a campaign | Programs → select campaign → Cancel Campaign |
| Set up lead notifications | Account Settings → add FUB lead email |
| Link a Facebook page | Assets → Facebook Pages, or during blueprint setup |
| Unlink a Facebook page | https://campaign-builder.side.com/#facebook/pages → View Page Details → Unlink |
| Request admin account | Email help@side.com, CC your Founding Partner |
| DCB support | help@side.com |