If you’re a first-time Google AdWords user, it can all seem a little overwhelming. Exact match versus phrase match, campaigns versus groups, search versus display. We promise, it all gets easier with time and experience. Like any marketing strategy, developing efficient and effective Google AdWords campaigns takes a little trial and error. Thankfully, you can leverage our experience in the meantime.
Using Google AdWords campaigns, companies can advertise to potential customers, measure the success of their ads, and adjust their advertising budget with ease. However, it’s pretty easy for AdWords to eat at that very same budget.
If that’s the case, don’t grow frustrated with your Google AdWords campaigns. By avoiding these 12 mistakes, you’ll be on your way to crafting successful campaigns in no time!
Going broad match
Using broad match can waste away your daily budget on unnecessary clicks. Instead, use phrase and exact match to create a list of targeted keywords. As a result, you’ll direct ads towards potential customers, eliminate wasteful clicks, and gain conversions. Score!
Sending clicks to your homepage
Directing customers to your homepage may give them too many options. Instead, use landing pages with goal-oriented language and calls-to-action. That way, you’re guiding customers to act—and they find what they searched for in the first place.
You can learn more about creating optimized landing pages here.
Forgetting quality score
Three factors can influence your quality score: ad relevance, landing page experience, and expected clickthrough rate. Do your keywords match their associated ads and landing pages? Better check.
Google penalizes you for ads with low qualities scores by increasing your cost per click (CPC) and lowering your ad rank. That could leave your ads positioned below a competitor’s. Not good.
Not segmenting campaigns properly
Instead of creating campaigns with lone ad groups, segment campaigns into multiple groups with specificity in mind. Imagine you own a pastry shop and want to create a campaign advertising the scrumptious cupcakes you sell (yum!). Segmenting ad groups by flavor—red velvet, buttercream—or occasion—birthdays, graduations—narrows down searches.
This improves search results and quality scores while reducing CPC—structuring your campaigns for delicious results.
Forgetting the game plan
Remember to keep a goal in mind for your ads, such as directing customers to fill out a form, make a purchase on your website, or call your company. Google AdWords counts these valuable interactions as conversions. Your goal should be clear throughout your ad text, call-to-action, and landing page. As a result, customers know what you want them to do—and you can count those interactions as a win.
Not setting up conversion tracking
Now that you have a goal in mind, you need a method of tracking its success. Set up different conversions in AdWords to associate with your campaigns. Then, Google will provide you with code snippet to place on your website, allowing you to record and measure these interactions. That way, you can attribute new clients, sales, and revenue to the success of your campaigns.
Forgetting call extensions
Give customers an easy, immediate opportunity to call your company by adding call extensions to ads. You can also set up calls to count as a conversion based on the duration of the call. Be sure to keep track of your call reporting data to gauge these conversions.
Not utilizing Google forwarding numbers
By using a Google forwarding phone number with your call extensions, Google can track the calls attained from your ads. This unique number will route calls to your business phone number, then generate detailed reports for you to analyze later.
Not utilizing negative keywords
Don’t waste impressions on keywords you don’t want to appear for. Our marketing campaigns might pop up for “fish market,” “produce market,” or “meat market” (see the pattern?) if the right negative keywords aren’t set. Keep track of your search terms to recognize the words and phrases associated with your campaigns, then clear out unwanted terms by adding them to your negative list.
You can even segment negative keyword lists for future use, so you won’t appear for the same unnecessary searches in your next campaign.
Neglecting to run ads on a schedule
Ad scheduling allows you to run ads when customers are most likely to search for your business. Running ads while your customers are fast asleep may exhaust your budget. Instead, adjust your bids based on work hours—when employees can answer the phone—so you don’t miss out on valuable conversions.
Not utilizing remarketing
Remarketing campaigns allow you to advertise to customers who have already visited your website. There are numerous benefits to remarketing, such as increased brand awareness. This strategy also allows you to reach customers when they’re searching for your product or service and are most likely to make a purchase. That’s not an opportunity you want going to waste.
Not checking your Google AdWords campaigns regularly
The best way to see what is—and isn’t—working is to check your ads from time to time. You may notice a successful campaign needs a higher budget, so you’re not limiting clicks and conversions. You may also want to A/B test ad copy, landing pages, and bids to discover what works best.
Study the Search Terms tab to discover additional—and sometimes better performing—keywords, or to find new terms for negative keywords.
Be sure to check on your Opportunities tab, too. There, Google AdWords suggests strategies to increase reach, clicks, and conversions, so you can improve campaign performance.
Just like that, you’re on the way to optimizing your Google AdWords campaigns for better results!
Need help improving your Google AdWords campaigns or other search engine marketing strategies? Give us a shout!