Why does it matter?
Google is the world’s largest search platform, and it is no secret that your customers are actively using Google Search to find business just like you. Advertising on Google can be a great way to reach your target audience, but there are some crucial ideas to keep in mind to make sure that you don’t fall into any of the hidden pitfalls of Google Ads. These 3 Do’s & Don’ts will hopefully help you along your way to a successful Google Ads Campaign.
DO: Make sure to monitor the Google Ads account regularly. There is valuable data that can be seen on a daily basis that you might want to make changes based on. Seeing which of your keyword triggers and ads are performing well and which ones are not on a day to day time frame can give you a good idea of changes that you can make to improve performance. As you get clicks, you can see in the Search Terms section what actual search queries users are entering that result in your ads showing. This is a great place to look for keyword ideas, and can sometimes indicate some Negative Keywords that could help your account.
DON’T: Don’t fall victim to Google’s push for Artificial Intelligence to take care of everything for you. While Google Ads is an amazing tool, the goals of Google and your business don’t always align. You make money on Conversions, while Google makes money on Clicks. As a result, Google’s AI is attempting to get as many Clicks as possible without much regard for Converting Clicks. Make sure to disable features that could hurt your campaigns such as Automatic Ad Suggestions (in the Account Settings), Automated Extensions (in the Advanced Options on Automated Extensions), and be wary of the Recommendations Google AI gives. These features often end up suggesting irrelevant content that can get in the way of your main goals. Make sure to not let these AI features automatically apply changes to your campaigns.
DO: Utilize the tools built in to the Google Ads platform. There are some awesome tools on there that can really help you optimize your account. The Keyword Planner is a great way to research what Keywords you should target and avoid in your campaigns. There is also useful information in there such as how much the average cost-per-click of the keyword is, and what the typical maximum bid for that keyword is. Another great tool that is often overlooked is the Reports tool. Seeing detailed data on where you are getting the best performance Geographically or which source your Conversions are coming from can be extremely useful for optimizing your account.
DON’T: Don’t let Google show your ads on the Display Network if that is not your intention. Google Ads operates on two networks, Display & Search. The Display Network consists of thousands and thousands of sites where your ads can show to people browsing other content. Sounds great, but your ads will show on completely irrelevant sites and places you don’t want them to show. The Display Network contains many badly matched sites that are sometimes just meant to drive up your cost. The default setting when creating a campaign is to have the Display Network on, so make sure that it is not a selected Network in your Campaign Settings.
DO: Make sure you are sending your ads to a high quality Landing Page. Your ad campaigns could be the best around, but if nobody is converting on your site then it’s all for naught. Your Landing Pages must quickly and clearly convey that you offer exactly what the user is searching for, convince the user that you are as good as you say you are, and offer an easy & no-obligation next step. When designing a Landing Page, keep these three factors in mind to have the highest possibility of getting leads.
DON’T: Don’t use the wrong Keyword Match Types. When setting up your Keyword List for an ad group, it is important to be mindful of which Match Type you are using. If the term is entered in as plain text, it will be Broad Match. This is not recommended as you can show on any and all terms that Google deems are related in any way to those terms, leading to many poor matches. If the term is entered with “quotations” around it, it will be Phrase Match. This one is great because it captures all searches that contain that phrase, including searches that may have terms before or after your phrase. If the term is entered with [brackets] around it, it will be Exact Match. Exact match is good for very specific targeting, as it captures searches only where the exact term is used in the exact format that you entered it. Make sure to keep your Match Types in mind when entering your Keywords so that you don’t use the wrong ones.
Conclusion: Again, Google Ads is a wonderful tool for getting your business out there and bringing valuable leads in. No matter your company’s size or trade, your target audience is using Google Search to find businesses just like you. The world’s largest search platform is also one of the world’s largest marketing platforms, and when used correctly it can be a key component of your company’s marketing strategy. Following these guidelines will help towards making your campaigns as optimized and successful as possible.