Google Ads: 6 tips to optimize your campaign
Use these tips to make most of your Google Ads Campagins
“Easy to use. Difficult to master.”
You’ll often find variations of that phrase attached to video games. In the digital marketing space, it’ sums up Google Ads perfectly. Google knows it, too. Why do you think every call with a Google Ads account manager involves them recommending you increase your budget?
You don’t need to be an “expert” to use Google Ads, but if you don’t have some control over what you’re doing, you’ll quickly find yourself spending a fortune with little to show for it.
Here are six ways you can make the most of your Google Ads campaigns.
1. Stick to Using Single Campaign Types
When you set up a Google Ads account, you’re prompted to set up a single campaign type. You should stick to this throughout your use of Google Ads, even when you become more confident using the platform!
Why use single campaign types?
- It helps Google understand your content and work with you to meet your campaign goals.
- It makes it easier for you to attribute sales to specific channels, making it easier for you to monitor performance.
- If a campaign isn’t performing as you’d like, you can switch off that specific campaign because you know precisely where the issue is.
- You can tailor different content to specific campaign types to make the most of your digital marketing budget.
2. Get Organized with Individual Ad Groups and Specific Pages
Several factors influence your Google Ads Quality Score, which measures the quality and relevance of your ads and your landing pages. The better your Quality Score, the lower your cost per click (CPC), and the further your Google Ads budget will go. In contrast, if you have a low Quality Score, your ads may not appear at all!
There are two simple yet significant things you can do to maximize your Quality Score.
- Use ad groups to organize distinct sets of keywords into one place. If you sell clothing, you might have individual ad groups for people looking for clothing in general, or for specific garments. You might even have several ad groups for particular types of clothing.
- Ensure that each ad group has relevant landing pages that reflect the keywords used to trigger those ads. For example, your general clothing ad should go to your home page, whereas the specific ad for t-shirts should go to your t-shirts page.
As you expand your Google Ads campaigns, don’t be tempted to merely throw new keywords into existing ad groups if they’re not relevant to that group. Likewise, you should also ensure you create new landing pages for any new ad groups if necessary.
In a comparable manner to campaign types, this will enable you to measure each ad group’s success and view your Quality Score metric across each specific campaign and ad group. Having this insight will leave you in a great position to optimize your ads continuously.
Several factors influence your Google Ads Quality Score, which measures the quality and relevance of your ads and your landing pages. The better your Quality Score, the lower your cost per click (CPC), and the further your Google Ads budget will go. In contrast, if you have a low Quality Score, your ads may not appear at all!
There are two simple yet significant things you can do to maximize your Quality Score.
Use ad groups to organize distinct sets of keywords into one place. If you sell clothing, you might have individual ad groups for people looking for clothing in general, or for specific garments. You might even have several ad groups for particular types of clothing.
Ensure that each ad group has relevant landing pages that reflect the keywords used to trigger those ads. For example, your general clothing ad should go to your home page, whereas the specific ad for t-shirts should go to your t-shirts page.
As you expand your Google Ads campaigns, don’t be tempted to merely throw new keywords into existing ad groups if they’re not relevant to that group. Likewise, you should also ensure you create new landing pages for any new ad groups if necessary.
In a comparable manner to campaign types, this will enable you to measure each ad group’s success and view your Quality Score metric across each specific campaign and ad group. Having this insight will leave you in a great position to optimize your ads continuously.
3. Write Ads Specifically for Each Ad Group
When managing a tight budget, it’s tempting to regurgitate the same ad copy for each ad group and product.
Not only does this rob you of the chance to talk specifically about what you want to sell, but you also reduce your chances of improving your ad optimization.
If all your ads say the same thing, how will you know which ad styles perform the best? Your Google Ads account should be a long-term, ongoing A/B testing platform!
Outsource Google Ads? Use Brainycloud - Google Ads Agency
Need assistance with Google Ads? Outsource your Google Ads Campaigns to Brainycloud. Our advertisement experts can assist you with starting and optimizing all kinds of online campaigns. Are you not a client at Brainycloud? Then you will receive a standard 10 percent discount on your first project!
4. Make sure keywords feature in your ads and landing pages
You don’t have to include keywords in your ads and landing pages. For example, if you’re targeting competitor brand terms, you probably wouldn’t mention them in your ads or on your website!
However, if targeting exact match terms in Google Ads, having your keyword in your ad and on your landing pages can drive customers to your site and deliver exceptional campaign performance.
For users, continuity of the keyword they searched for in your ad – remember they display in bold – and on your page will drive confidence you can give them what they want.
5. Get super-specific with geo-targeting
Google Ads allows you to view and act on a wealth of demographic reports. Among the most powerful of these are the location reporting features available within the “Settings” menu in your Google Ads account.
With this data, you can see how your ads are performing in specific locations, giving you the marketing intelligence you need to potentially:
- Redirect your spending to locations where you’re more successful and maximize marketing spend and return on investment (ROI).
- Create specific ad groups for underperforming locations and include elements of localization in your ad copy.
- Identify the locations where you need to build awareness of your brand.
6. Use ad extensions if they’re available
Ad extensions give you a fantastic opportunity to show people searching for your business more information about you. There is a wide variety of ad extensions you can use depending on your campaign goals.
Note that these won’t show up every time your ad appears. Google uses a predictive algorithm to display ad extensions when it believes showing them will improve your ad performance. While some ad extensions require manual set up, it’s worth spending a little time adding the relevant information about your business.
Making the most of your google ads campaigns
You don’t need to be an expert in maximizing your Google Ads campaigns’ potential to make the most of using the platform. Follow the six tips we’ve shared here and dedicate the time you need to set up specific campaigns and ad groups for your Google Ads activity. You’ll soon start to come to grips with how Google Ads works, and reduce your ad spend while maximizing your ROI and overall revenues.
