7 Tips that Will Instantly Boost Your Google Ads Strategy

In today's digital-first world, it is essential to have a robust and winning Google Ads strategy. Here are seven tips to help you avoid costly mistakes and create a winning strategy for your clients.

 

1: Strategize your Google Ads campaign mix.

To reach your target audience, you need to show up wherever they are, so using a mix of campaign types will get you the best results. There are various campaign options on Google Ads, such as search, display, shopping, YouTube, and more. Aim to select and test a mix of 3 to 5 different campaign types that align with your specific marketing objectives. Consider your client's objectives and funnel steps while selecting your campaigns.

 

2: Optimize your extension assets.

Extension assets are essential to give your campaign the best chance of receiving impressions. When you optimize your extension assets you are maximizing your ads real estate to stay competitive with other advertisers. Make sure to add call-outs, site links, and image extensions whenever possible to remain competitive with your competitors. Add call, location, and other extensions as your unique sales model permits. Remember, your extensions should be tailored to your specific campaign and ad group. That's because from a user perspective, total message alignment from beginning to end is what will always drive optimal results

 

3: Target exact and phrase match-only keywords.

Targeting exact and phrase match variations is the most efficient way to drive conversions, sales, or leads. Broad match is the least relevant of the match types and can result in tons of irrelevant search traffic, leading to wasted ad spend. Targeting exact and phrase match variations will reduce wasted ad spend and boost your impression share, since Google's ranking system is based on relevancy. 

 

4: Incorporate keywords in your Google Ads and landing page to improve relevance.

Google's ad rank algorithm considers the relevance of your ad and landing page to provide value to users by displaying only useful, relevant information. Ensure that your ad copy, landing page, and keywords match for a good quality score. Google provides useful metrics in the column section of your keywords page. Modify your columns and select quality score metrics like landing page experience and ad relevance to improve your campaigns.

 

5: Perform extensive keyword research and segment by category.

Good campaign architecture requires keyword research and categorization. At Ernst Media, we recommend maintaining an organized spreadsheet of your campaign's keywords broken down by ad groups to keep your campaigns strategic. Segment your campaigns by product category and utilize ad groups as keyword categories that differ by description. Consider the intent of your keywords to ensure that you attract the correct traffic that can fulfill your objective.

 

6: Select the correct bid strategies for optimal Google Ads Campaign performance.

The bid strategy you choose has a significant impact on performance. For new campaigns, avoid automated strategies like max conversions and max clicks since they require historic campaign data to optimize based upon. Start with manual CPC and switch to max conversions or max clicks once there are 10-20 conversions or clicks. Keep in mind that teaching Google how to read requires providing it with relevant data.

 

7: Utilize Google’s machine learning for audience creation.

When you upload a customer or subscriber list into Google’s audience manager, Google automatically creates a “Similar Audience Segment” based on that audience. This new segment represents Google's use of its extensive database to create an ideal customer profile based on the behaviors and interests of your current customers. As a result, this profile is the closest audience segment to the ideal person you want to target. Regularly testing these audiences can help optimize your campaigns' performance.

 

In conclusion, a winning Google Ads strategy requires a mix of selecting the right campaigns, optimizing extension assets, prioritizing exact and phrase match keywords, incorporating keywords in your ads and landing page, performing extensive keyword research, selecting the correct bid strategy, and utilizing Google’s machine learning. By following these tips, you can create a winning Google Ads strategy that delivers results for your clients.

How to maximize Google Shopping Campaign Performance

Google Shopping Ads are the bread and butter of most e-commerce businesses.  Here are some ideas curated by Ernst Media to help you improve the efficiency of your shopping ads and bottom line.

  1. Optimize Product Feed

Product feeds are where your products live and where Google pulls the data to populate shopping ads.

Why you should optimize the product feed?

Your product feed is where your products (product information and images) are stored for Google to use in shopping ads.  Optimizing this feed will tell Google to serve your ads to the most qualified audiences which will improve ad performance and spend your budget efficiently.

How to optimize your product feed?

Images

This is the first thing potential customers see so it’s important to put your best foot forward.  Use high-resolution images that are clear and focus attention on your product.  You should also test different types of images to see which performs best.  An example would be product-only images tested against lifestyle images that show your product being used, worn, etc.

Titles

Use this opportunity to hook potential customers with clear and concise product titles that give them exactly what they’re searching for.  You only have so much space so be very precise.  Consider using words that people would use to search for your products so they click and convert.

  1. Optimize Campaign Settings

The campaign level is where your shopping ads will be created and managed within the Google Ads platform.  For this guide, we will be using Google’s new Performance Max shopping format.  This is Google’s next generation of smart bidding formats that help you reach more shoppers across all Google Ads channels including YouTube, Search, Display, and more.

Why you should optimize your campaign settings?

Setting up your campaign properly will give you the best foundation for building shopping ads that perform.

How to optimize your campaign settings?

Audiences

This gives you the ability to set your preference for new customers or a combination of both.

Goals

Focus Google’s machine learning on purchases that generate revenue.

  1. Optimize Asset Groups

Customized asset groups give you greater flexibility as an advertiser.

 

Why you should optimize your asset groups?

This gives you the ability to create customized creatives and copy tailored to specific products.

How to optimize your asset groups?

Listing Groups

Separate your products into specific buckets to promote them with tailored creatives and copy.

Assets

Use images, videos, and copy specific to the products you’re promoting in each asset group.

  1. Test, Test, Test

Performance data is the key to success!  We all have assumptions on what will perform best.  Always put your ideas to the test and be willing to make adjustments based on performance data.  Lucky for you, Google’s new Performance Max campaign automatically tests different combinations of headlines and descriptions.  Go build a shopping campaign on a strong foundation and let Google help you with some of the testing.  Good luck!

 

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