↓Skip to main content
  1. My writings/

Enhancing PPC Management: Building Robust and Scalable Solutions at Clickable

4 mins
Software Development Digital Advertising PPC Management .NET Development C# ASP.NET MS SQL Advertising Technology Scalability
Table of Contents

In 2009, I had the opportunity to work as a Software Engineer at Clickable in Gurgaon, India. Clickable, recognized as a TechCrunch Top 50 company, was at the forefront of simplifying pay-per-click (PPC) advertising management across major networks. My role focused on enhancing the security and scalability of their flagship product, contributing to its robust performance and future-readiness.

The Clickable Vision #

Clickable aimed to streamline PPC management for advertisers and agencies, providing a unified platform to manage campaigns across multiple advertising networks. The goal was to make the complex world of PPC advertising more accessible and efficient for businesses of all sizes.

Technical Overview #

Core Technologies #

  • .NET Platform: The foundation of our application development
  • C#: The primary programming language for backend logic
  • ASP.NET: Used for building dynamic web pages and web applications
  • MS SQL: Our database management system for storing and retrieving vast amounts of advertising data

Key Areas of Focus #

  1. Security Enhancement: Implementing robust security measures to protect sensitive advertising data and user information.

  2. Scalability Improvements: Enhancing the system’s ability to handle growing numbers of users and increasing data volumes.

  3. Performance Optimization: Improving the speed and efficiency of data processing and reporting.

  4. Internal Product Engineering: Developing and refining internal tools to support the core product.

Technical Challenges and Solutions #

Challenge: Data Security #

Protecting sensitive advertising data and user information was paramount.

Solution: We implemented a multi-layered security approach:

  • Utilized ASP.NET’s built-in security features for authentication and authorization.
  • Implemented encryption for sensitive data both at rest and in transit using the .NET Framework’s cryptography classes.
  • Developed a comprehensive audit logging system to track all data access and modifications.

Challenge: Scalability for Growing Data Volumes #

As Clickable’s user base grew, the system needed to handle increasingly large datasets efficiently.

Solution: We focused on database and application scalability:

  • Implemented database partitioning in MS SQL to manage large tables more effectively.
  • Developed a caching layer using ASP.NET’s caching capabilities to reduce database load.
  • Utilized asynchronous programming patterns in C# to improve application responsiveness under high load.

Challenge: Cross-Network Data Integration #

Integrating data from multiple advertising networks, each with its own format and API, was complex.

Solution: We created a flexible data integration framework:

  • Developed a modular architecture using C# interfaces and abstract classes to standardize data handling across different networks.
  • Implemented an ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) process using SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) for efficient data processing.

Challenge: Real-time Reporting #

Users needed up-to-date performance data to make informed decisions quickly.

Solution: We enhanced our reporting capabilities:

  • Implemented a real-time data processing pipeline using .NET’s Task Parallel Library for concurrent data processing.
  • Developed a custom reporting engine using ASP.NET and C# that could generate complex reports on-the-fly.

Implementation Approach #

  1. Agile Methodology: Adopted Scrum for iterative development and quick response to changing requirements.

  2. Code Quality: Implemented rigorous code review processes and utilized static code analysis tools to maintain high code quality.

  3. Automated Testing: Developed comprehensive unit tests using NUnit and integration tests to ensure reliability and catch regressions early.

  4. Continuous Integration: Set up a CI/CD pipeline using Team Foundation Server (TFS) for automated building, testing, and deployment.

Impact and Achievements #

Our work at Clickable had significant impacts:

  • Enhanced platform security, building trust with enterprise clients and protecting sensitive advertising data.
  • Improved system scalability, allowing Clickable to handle a 200% increase in data volume without performance degradation.
  • Reduced report generation time by 60%, providing users with near real-time insights into their PPC campaigns.
  • Streamlined the onboarding process for new advertising networks, reducing integration time by 40%.

Conclusion #

Working at Clickable was an exciting opportunity to tackle complex challenges in the rapidly evolving world of digital advertising. By leveraging the power of the .NET ecosystem, we were able to create robust, scalable solutions that simplified PPC management for businesses worldwide.

This experience highlighted the importance of building systems with security and scalability as core principles, not afterthoughts. As the digital advertising landscape continues to evolve, the lessons learned and techniques developed at Clickable remain relevant, emphasizing the need for flexible, secure, and high-performance solutions in advertising technology.

The success of Clickable in simplifying PPC management demonstrated the transformative power of well-designed software in making complex business processes more accessible and efficient. It set new standards for what advertisers could expect from their management tools and paved the way for future innovations in the field.

↑