If you’re not a marketing expert, the Google Ads platform can look like a foreign language. In fact, even for many professional marketers it can be a daunting task to learn how efficiently and effectively operate inside Google Ads. However, there is no denying that if you aren’t advertising with Google you are missing out on tons of potential new customers and leads for your business. So what do you do? Follow Google’s advice and set up a generic tutorial campaign and hope for the best? If that’s the boat you’re in, we get it and we are here to help. Let’s go over the five most common mistakes we see when analyzing a potential clients pay-per-click strategy on Google.
There’s Nothing Smart About Smart Campaigns
Smart Campaigns are Google’s way of letting you (the advertiser) be completely hands-off. You set the landing page, the budget, and that’s pretty much it. Google’s automated software does the rest to dynamically generate headlines, images, keywords, and create a digital strategy for your brand. Seems ideal for the small business owner with no time, or the user with no previous AdWords experience. But the reality is you get less data back, and limited control over where your ads are going and who is seeing them which results in wasted money, limited qualified leads, and less of the customers you want actually seeing your ads. Running a Google Ads campaign is no walk in the park. You have to constantly monitors all kinds of things. For example, keywords, negative keywords, targeting, custom audiences, ad extensions, geo-targeting, determining when to bid and when not to bid, etc. But the results from really taking the time to learn, or hiring someone who already knows how to be hands on will far surpass anything you can expect from a fully automated software. Image Source AdEspresso
Check Your Placements
We know you know what we are talking about, the annoying ads that pop up on the game you’re playing on your phone or when you’re just trying to check the forecast. You clumsily try to hit the tiny x button in the corner and instead open four new windows in your internet browser before you finally get so frustrated you just shut it off. Remember what that ad was for? Yeah, no one does, so make sure it’s not your ad. Display and video campaigns should always exclude in-app placements before launching to avoid accidental clicks, high bounce rates, and wasted ad budget. Image Source: WordStream
Ignoring Negative Keywords
Keywords are the most important part of your Google search campaign, they tell your ads when and where to appear based on what your potential customer is searching for. But what about the searches you don’t want to trigger your ad? Using negative keywords to target searches that aren’t relevant to your business are crucial in keeping click through rates high, bounce rates low, and getting in front of the right customers. For example, if you ran a men’s shoe store you wouldn’t want to pop up every time someone searched for women’s shoes so you would add “women’s” or “girls” as negative keywords to avoid wasting impressions and budget. Image Source: Growth Pixel
What’s the Deal?
In Google search campaigns your headlines are everything. No different than any front page news story if the headline catches your eye you’re more than likely going to read on and find out more. Google gives you the option to write up to three headlines, use them. Highlight your business or product with key differentiators or offers. “Free Shipping Over $50” or “Superior Service for Over 50 Years” are great examples of ways to set yourself apart. Simply stating the business name, product, and website, are not enough to draw attention so don’t be afraid to get creative and get some attention. You want all eyes on you! Image Source: WordStream
The End Goal
This may be the most overlooked of all aspects of Google Advertising, because it has nothing to do with google at all. Your website, or more specifically the landing pages you choose to send customers to through your ads is a major factor in how your ads rank according to Google’s quality score. If your landing pages are slow, cluttered, or have content that is not related to your ad Google penalizes your ad by bringing the quality score down therefore making it less likely to rank above others bidding in the same ad space. Honestly, without a solid website your ad money is simply being wasted. Even those who end up clicking on your lower ranked ad are less likely to convert given a generic or poor experience on your site. Make that your number one goal. Image Source: Invisible PPC
These are just a few examples of ways you can make your Google Ads account go from just treading water to thriving. At Providence Marketing Group we specialize in Google Ads optimization, management, and campaign execution, and much more. If you want more information head to our website www.www.providencemarketinggroup.net or send an email to [email protected] and let us show you how we can take your digital marketing to the next level.