How to Use Sponsored Listings (Ads) on DoorDash
What types of DoorDash Ads are available?
Also known as Sponsored Listings (Ads), a listing for your business that appears in search results. You choose the target audience: new customers, existing customers, lapsed customers (people who have ordered before but not in a while), and/or all customers.
To improve your performance, your ad may utilize leftover budgets to also appear on partner platforms like Facebook and Instagram. All Sponsored Listing campaigns are automatically opted-in to this option – you have the ability to opt-out at any point.
Ads are pay-per-order not pay-per-click, so you only pay for them when you receive an order.
For merchants on the Marketplace Premier pricing plan, DoorDash will automatically run ads run on your behalf at no extra cost.
Which DoorDash Ads or Promotions should I choose?
When choosing whether to run a DoorDash Ad or Promotion, consider your business goals.
If you want to… | Use |
Appear higher in search results | Ads |
Offer a discount or deal | Promotions |
Target specific customer types | Ads or Promotions |
Limit redemptions by budget | Promotions |
If you're still unsure, use the Merchant Portal and click on either New Customer Growth or Attract All Customers to help you decide which promotion to choose.
What do I need to set up a campaign?
When creating a campaign, you'll need to add specific details, including:
Target Audience
What type of customer you want to reach.
Smart targeting: Only target the most valuable customers for your business
All Customers: All DoorDash customers within your delivery radius
New Customers: Only customers who have never ordered from you
Existing Customers: Bought from your business within the last six months
Lapsed Customers: Haven't bought from your business within the last six months or longer
Campaign Length
This is the length of time you wish for your campaign to run. If you select “Keep it going”, your campaign will run until you pause or cancel it. By letting it run, you can choose to extend the campaign if you see it’s successful. If you “Choose End Date”, your campaign will end the day you set. We recommend running campaigns for at least 30 days.
Average Weekly Budget
This is the amount you’re comfortable spending, on average, for orders each day across all the stores selected in the campaign. You’ll only pay for orders placed within 7 days of clicking your ad and making a purchase.
The budget recommendation we provide is based on your past sales performance and the estimated ad sales we expect from your campaign.
Bid Strategy
Your bid is the maximum amount that you’re willing to pay per order for the campaign. You can either set a “Custom Bid” that lets you set that maximum amount or you can select “Automatic Bidding”.
Automatic bidding optimizes the budget by minimizing the bid amounts and maximizing the return. We update the bid over time to ensure it remains competitive, maintains a healthy return, and doesn’t overspend.
If you don’t wish to let DoorDash automatically set the most competitive bid for you, you may set the maximum price you’re willing to pay for the order.
Expanded Ad Reach
To improve your performance, your ad may utilize leftover budgets to also appear on partner platforms like Facebook and Instagram. As always, you pay only if your ad leads to an order.
All Sponsored Listing campaigns are automatically opted-in to this option – you have the ability to opt-out at any point.
How do I set up a campaign?
To set up a campaign:
Log in to the Merchant Portal
Click on the Marketing tab
Tap Run a Campaign
How much do DoorDash Ads cost?
DoorDash charges only when an order is placed through an Ad or Promotion. Here's how it works:
Ad bidding
You set a maximum bid per order, either as a Custom Bid or Automatic Bid
The customer searches for the relevant keyword or sees your ad after browsing on the app
When your ad matches a customer's search, you enter an auction to secure the ad spot
If your store has the highest bid and best relevancy score, you win and pay the second-highest bid amount after checkout
For example, if you bid $100 but the second bid is $3, you win the bid and are charged for the minimum amount needed to win
How do I manage and review campaigns?
All campaigns can be reviewed and managed in the Merchant Portal.
Go to Merchant Portal and click on Marketing, then select Campaign Reporting
Pause, edit, or end campaigns as needed
How does the DoorDash Marketing free trial work?
Eligible stores in the US, Canada, and Australia may receive up to $200 in Marketing Credits for Ads and Promotions. This can be used for $100 off Promotions or $100 for Ads.
To check eligibility
Log in to the Merchant Portal
Go to the Marketing tab
Look for free trial campaigns under recommended marketing campaigns
To end a free trial
Go to Campaign Reporting
Select the three-dots on the far right side of the campaign
Choose End Campaign
How do taxes work with DoorDash Ads?
Taxes and tax reporting can vary based on where your store is located and the type of campaign you run. For a full explanation of how taxes work on Ads and Promotions, visit the following pages:
