Google Ads are Demand-Side Platforms (DSPs) that allow you to create ad campaigns on the full suite of Google products. The three most commonly used products include Google Search (SEM), Google Display Network, and YouTube’s video network.
In a nutshell, this is where you create paid advertising campaigns to showcase your unique ads on Google. The most common ad space on Google is its search campaign, which means your ads will show up when users complete a search on Google against the keywords you are bidding against.
So, let’s talk about how you can maximize your Google Ads campaigns. Below are five great tips you can follow to boost the performance of your next campaign:
Google Ads Smart Bidding
When leveraging Google’s Artificial Intelligence, or AI, it takes the guesswork out of bidding for Google Ads. Google’s AI system uses machine learning to automatically optimize for conversions in each auction. You tell Google what your advertising goal is and Smart Bidding figures out how to get it done within your budget.
Smart Bidding helps you maximize conversions as it focuses on increasing the conversion rate of your ads. Google’s AI also helps by setting bids to help get as many conversions as possible at or below the target Cost Per Action (CPA) you set. It automatically optimizes bids and offers auction-time bidding capabilities that tailor bids for each and every auction.
Google offers an array of Smart Bidding strategies, but you shouldn’t just put your campaigns on cruise control. All campaigns should be monitored by a human to make sure your marketing efforts are on track and meeting your goals.
Link your Google Ads to Google Analytics
This one is a no-brainer and one of the first steps we complete here at SWBR when launching new campaigns. Google Analytics gives you great insight into your website metrics and users who browse your website. You can find out things like user locations, time on site, how many pages they visit, and more.
According to Google, linking your Google Ads account to your Analytics property lets you see the full customer cycle, from how users interact with your marketing (seeing ad impressions, clicking ads) to how they finally complete the goals you’ve set for them on your site (making purchases, consuming content).
Set up website conversions
All of our clients have a goal in mind for what they’re wanting their website to achieve or at least have an idea of why users choose to visit their website in the first place. Users could be browsing your site for a variety of reasons. Whether it’s something as simple as setting up an appointment or something more complex like finding new leads to add to the sales funnel, we’re here to support you and help you achieve your organization’s goals.
All of these goals start out with input from our clients and our team of experts works our website magic to connect the dots. By setting up conversions, we can directly tie users from form fills or e-commerce sales back to any Google campaign initiative. This is key because knowing what website traffic is generating the most engagement allows us to maximize results.
Avoid running irrelevant ads
If your ad doesn’t match the searcher’s intent, you won’t get enough clicks to justify your ad spend. A best practice is to have your headline and ad copy match the keywords you are bidding on. Google recently rolled out Responsive Search Ads that allow you to load in variations of your copy with your bidding keywords.
Improve your Quality Score:
Your quality score is how Google determines how your ad should rank. The higher your rank, the better your ad placements. If your quality score is low, you’ll have fewer eyeballs on your ad, which decreases your chances of conversions. Google will tell you your quality score, but working to improve it is ultimately up to you.
Improving your quality score on Google takes teamwork and dedication. Note that most changes are linked directly to website verbiage and the keywords within the campaign. Think of it like this: the more times Google can find those keywords or related content on your website, the higher your score will be.
Want to get started?
If you are feeling overwhelmed and not sure where to begin, let the experts here at SWBR help you and your business with a tailored strategy. We’re proud to help many local businesses throughout the Lehigh Valley and nationally with their Google campaigns. Reach out today for your very own custom solution to drive sales.
