Fanatically Digital

Category: Google Ads News and Information

  • Google Ads Match Types Lack Meaning

    As Google continues to push its belief that the Google Ads AI is better at aligning search queries to advertisers’ needs than are advertisers, the Google Ads Match type becomes less meaningful. From phrase match to exact match, Google increasingly serves ads for queries that are not aligned with the goals of the advertisers.

    This isn’t to say the queries are not relevant to the general themes of the keywords, but they tend to push the edge of relevance. Google reps will argue that these terms are connected to future sales or conversions. The reality is, most programs have shorter timelines for ROAS than can be attributed to these peripheral queries.

    We’ve always managed programs with deep sets of negative keywords. As Google (and Bing) make match types meaningless, these negative keyword lists become ever more important.

    Shared Negative Keyword Lists

    Google’s shared negative keyword lists make for more efficient management of the negative keywords.

    The way Google Ads aligns search queries, we see ads for one campaign showing for keywords that are in other campaigns. This is true for the expansion of phrase match and exact match as well. While this has been true with broad match keywords all long, we were “safe” with the other match types. Now, not so much.

    So, while each ad group should have a distince set of negative match types, you will need to leverage shared lists for negative keywords. We find that adding all the targeted keywords for a campaign or ad group to a nagative list, you can then share these lists across the other campaigns. This will keep Google (in theory) from showing ads in campaigns or ad groups that you would prefere to go to a defined ad group.

    That sounds familiar, and it is. This technique was used extensively for broadmatch ad groups, and quite a bit for phrase match. But, unfortunately, if you want control of how your ads appear, to which pages you drive users, and how you align offers with ad groups, you need to do this for every campaign, every match type, in your account.

  • Google Exact Match Changes: Review Your Search Terms Reports

    Google Ads, (AdWords) has become a mainstay of most advertising programs, and certainly of most digital advertising programs. Let’s face it, it’s pretty easy to light up a new campaign. But, it’s not so easy to do it well. Then, once running, there are a lot of actions to make a paid search program run well. Chief among these is the search query analysis using the Search Terms Report.

    A little background for those unfamiliar with query data.

    When you bid on keywords, Google will decide if a user really meant something close to the keyword on which you bid. It used to be that you could say “match only exact queries.” But that option is gone. You can say “exact”, but Google will decide “how exact” you really mean. So, your ads appear for queries that are different than the target keywords on which you bid.

    This has always been true for broad (modified or standard) and phrase match bids. But the changes to how Google interprets exact match have moved it to a vague area.

    The query report shows the queries for which Google has shown your ad. These may look nothing like your target keywords. The times that you can isolate your terms based on exact match are gone, not even close anymore. Use the Google Search Terms report (in the keyword area of the UI) to see the queries for which your ad was shown. This also shows you the target keyword, ad group, and campaign associated with the query.

    How To Use The Search Terms Reports

    Getting the Search Term Data

    We find it best to pull the search terms data into a spreadsheet. You can download the reports in the Google Ads interface, or (as we do) connect to Google Ads via api and pull the data automatically.

    Google Ads Search Term Report nav

    If you have conversion data feeding back to Google Ads, be sure this is part of your data set.

    Before you dive too deep

    The first step is a quick review of the report. The purpose is to determine if Google Ads is showing your exact match keywords for a whole lot of non-exact queries. Ultimately, you should consider revamping the account campaigns to adjust for the changes in exact match. A review of this report will tell you if that change should happen sooner rather than later.

    If there are many queries that are different from the exact keyword, you will spend a lot of time managing the changes based on the Search Term report. If this is the case, you may want to jump to restructuring your campaigns now; essentially pushing everything to number three below.
    If you’re one of the fortunate people who have a lot of time, you should probably do #3 now anyway.

    Using the Search Term Report

    Reviewing the user queries should be a regular practice in managing your campaigns. The actions apply to all ad groups, and now, all match types.

    There are three basic decisions to make when reviewing the Search Terms(query) report:
    Add a query term as a negative match
    Add a query term as a new target keyword to the ad group
    Create a new ad group, or campaign structure

    Negative match

    If you add queries as negative keywords, look beyond the ad group that generated the query. It may be applicable to other ad groups or the broader campaigns. No sense restricting it in one ad group only to have Google Ads decide to show your ad from another campaign anyway.

    Add the query term

    There is a tendency for some campaign managers to throw everything from the Search Terms report that is relevant to the ad group into the keywords. This has a couple of issues.

    First, it leads to keyword bloat. Having hundreds of keywords in an ad group dilutes it’s relevance to any one term. Be sure only keywords that are tightly aligned with the core message are in the ad group.

    Second, Google has a “low search volume” designation that is applied to keywords that have few searches. The days of bidding on the hyper-long tail are gone; Google will simply not even create an auction for these keywords. Instead, Google uses its AI to decide if your ad should appear for the long search terms. Putting everything in an ad group simply clutters it with terms that never see the search results.

    Create a new ad group or campaign

    If you see a lot of search terms that truly deserve to be directly managed, pulled these from the report and develop new campaigns or ad groups just as if you were starting a new program. Build a solid campaign structure around these new terms, even if it is just one ad group.

    The change to Google’s Exact match policy has taken some level of control away from search marketers. But, with proper use of the Search Term report, you can effectively create an “exact” match ad group by building out a strong negative match list.

  • Exact Match Will Be Even Less Exact… what you should do

    Google Ads will no longer offer Exact Match. Yes, it has not been truly exact for some time, but now, it’s not even close.

    In the next couple of months, Google will do away with even the appearance of exact match.

    Google’s AI knows that when someone types in “maroon widget”, they actually mean “red widget”.

    But, it goes beyond that. Based on clues available only to Google, if someone search “blue macadamia nuts”, Google will know they really are looking for “red widget”.

    The explanation I received was simple and straight to the point. Google’s smarter that searchers and advertisers.

    According to Google, the  AI can tell that someone is likely to convert even if the search doesn’t match. So, the searcher should see the ad, and the advertiser should see more conversions.

    Share your data

    If you’re an e-commerce retailer, this may (or may not) work in your favor. You’ll know pretty quickly if the campaign performance is improving. If you give Google access to the conversion and sales metrics (and you should), the AI will benefit you.

    I know some folks are shy about sharing data with Google. But, the more you can feed the Google AI, the more it can learn about what works and what doesn’t. So, share as much as you can.

    Impact For Offline Conversion

    For those whose revenue comes offline, there is a problem. A cost-per-lead is great until you realize that not all leads are created equal. Factors such as close rates, margins and even LTV are important when deciding where to focus your money.

    Someone who types in “maroon” may submit a lead as often as someone who types in “red”. But what if “red” closes more often, or has a higher AOR?

    We know these metrics because we can see what happens offline. We know that an exact match on “red” is worth a lot more than a fuzzy match on “maroon.” That is why we apply exact match. It’s more work to structure accounts this way. But, it pays off in the end.

    What to do when there is no Exact match

    The simple answer that Google provided, build out your negatives on all campaign and match types.

    Given that Exact and Phrase are likely to behave the same way, you may just go with phrase match. (I wasn’t given clear guidance on the UI and if the pretense of Exact match type would even continue).

    Build out your negatives and keep building them out. The query stream is your friend.

    Be sure all broad matches are modified. Then keep an eye on the query stream to be sure the “fuzzy” matching isn’t happening there as well.

    We have yet to see where this will end up. But, over the next few months keep a close eye on the query report, build out the negatives, and track as far down the sales process as you can. Depending on how far Google takes this, you may be better off with a single match type and an extensive negative build out.

    If you want any help reviewing your program, please give us a call or fill out the request form.

  • 10 Successful Google PPC Tips All Digital Marketers Should Know

    Mishandling your digital marketing is a great way to waste money.

    Digital marketing is fast becoming the most important advertising stream. But many businesses still undervalue it or make mistakes in the execution.

    If you’re using Google PPC, you want every advantage over your competitors. That’s why we’ve put together 10 tips for the successful PPC marketer.

    Smart Keywords

    Keywords are still a major player in effective online advertising.

    To make the most of Google PPC, your keywords need to be tailored to your target audience. This ensures maximum traffic to your site while minimizing clicks from uninterested customers.

    Plan your keywords based on trends and previous ad campaigns. You might not be able to zero in your ideal keywords until after a few campaigns. But if you can learn something every time, you’ll be able to laser-focus on the important ones.

    Your keywords might have a lot of overlap with similar terms. Consider whether to use match types to filter out irrelevant clicks. This might result in fewer impressions, but it’s no loss if those impressions would’ve been wasted. Focus on the clicks that matter.

    Negative Keywords

    Negative keywords can be just as important as positives.

    Negative keywords are vital to disambiguate your service from similar options or even brands with similar names. One of the quickest ways to find your negative keywords is to search your keywords.

    You’ll probably receive a lot of results that aren’t relevant to your service. These should form the basis for your negative keywords. Use these to cut down on wasted clicks and maximize your ROI.

    Landing page

    Having a strong landing page is vital to making the most of Google PPC.

    If your ads are landing visitors but you aren’t receiving anything for it, you’re just wasting money. Your landing page needs to be eye-catching, simple, and easy to use.

    Your landing page should be 100% relevant to your keywords. It also needs to be tightly targeted at your audience. You don’t want your landing page to attract the general public. Focus your efforts!

    Think about your landing page layout. Your call to action should be prominent. Your headline should be immediately visible and relevant. Any images you use should be appropriate for your targeted customers.

    Also consider using testimonials and reviews on your landing page. This acts as a trust signifier to your visitors and gives you credibility.

    But don’t obscure your call to action. This is the aspect of your ad campaign that will give you ROI. Give it a prominent place on the page and be specific.

    Attractive CTAs

    If you know what kind of calls to action your competitors are using, you can beat them.

    Offer more attractive CTAs. This could be deeper discounts. Or perhaps a voucher code for subscribing. Use eye-catching figures, like “20% off”. These are easily parsed and trigger the discount-seeking part of the brain. Free trials are also a great way to hook customers.

    Make your call to action simple. If you’re asking for subscribers, only gather the bare minimum information you need. Generally, they should need to make as few clicks as possible to access your service.

    Timed Ads

    Time your ads for your market to catch the most visitors.

    In general, the English-speaking internet is busier in American waking hours. But you’ll want to narrow this down to your target audience where possible.

    If you trade B2B, then 9-5 hours in your country are likely to be the most appropriate. For regular consumers, you’ll need to think about their habits.

    Is your target audience unemployed? In that case, daytime hours could be best. But if they’re working professionals, you’ll want your ads to run on the evening or weekends.

    Use previous campaigns to work out when people are visiting your site. This will give you a good idea of when to schedule them.

    Targeted Locations

    Another way to seek our your primary audience is to target by location.

    If you’re a physical business that relies on foot traffic, you’re wasting money advertising worldwide. You’re more likely to get results targeting your city and other feeder areas.

    Likewise, if you’re a national business like a hauling company, you’ll want to limit your ads to inside the country. This prevents wasted ad revenue. It also makes you more relevant to visitors in your country and may prevent wasted inquiry time.

    Targeted Devices

    Google is now smart enough to know what devices visitors are using.

    Perhaps your service favors a particular device, such as a mobile app. You’re wasting revenue by advertising to desktop PC users. Targeting your ads for devices gives you precision.

    This also reduces traffic from frustrated users who won’t remain on your page. If your target devices aren’t clear, your page could slide down the rankings due to poor visitor retention.

    Ad Extensions

    Ad extensions are a way of tagging more information onto your ad.

    This can maximize Google PPC by giving you more opportunity to engage visitors. It provides them with additional information and makes your ad more helpful.

    Ads with extensions often receive higher priority as they’re seen to have more value. You need every advantage over your competition you can get, so extensions could be a difference maker.

    Using Feedback

    Making use of feedback is the most important part of any marketing campaign.

    You should take on feedback in two ways. Firstly, check what’s working while your campaign is running. You can often make small alterations on the fly to bring in more traffic. Traffic data could tell you which keywords to target, for instance.

    Secondly, there’s the after-action report. Once the campaign is over, take on all the feedback and use it to shape your next ad campaign.

    Google PPC Made Simple

    By following these simple tips, you can get the most out of your Google PPC. Be sure to bookmark this article and use it as a resource when running your campaign. It’s easy to forget a small detail, so treat this like a checklist.

    Be sure to follow our blog for more digital marketing hints and tips.

  • Big changes coming to Google paid search results

    Fewer Ads to Show on Google Search Results Page – No Right Sidebar

    Google will remove the right sidebar ads from desktop search results, globally. There is an exception for product listing ads only.

    In some cases Google may add a fourth ad to the top results if it is a localized (inferred or explicit) commercial query.

    The change in Google search results is big, no two ways about it.

    Google shows for ads on top of serpsGoogle showing PLAs

    The impact on cost per click and click through rates will be seen quickly, as will impressions.

    If you are a position 3 or higher player in adwords, then expect an upward cost pressure. Those who are normally on the right side of the first page will have to make a decision, drop to virtually no impressions or start bidding up the landscape to try to make it to the top three positions. It is one thing to accept lower CTRs while on the right sidebar. Its another to get virtually nothing.

    For those who played the right sidebar, they are coming to a crossroads. To continue to be in Adwords with any real volume of clicks, they will have to pay more, perhaps much more. If they are not willing to do that, then one has to question if being in the game at all is worth it. The time it takes to manage a program well has a cost on top of the media spend. Is there enough volume at the bottom of page one, or pages two+ to justify the time? Something to seriously consider.

    For those who stay in the game, what is the best next step?
    Most companies have a limited budget. With the increase in CPC, this will get tapped out more quickly. Within any program there is an “averaging” that happens. Some clicks are more valuable, others less so, but to get the volume, the managers accept the range and average to the target. PPC manager will have to tighten up and shift to the higher end of that range. This could be more narrowly defining the keywords, dayparting, geography or ad copy. If you are not familiar with the top performing segments of your program, do the analysis asap. You have decisions to make.

    Revisit the landing pages.
    If you can’t decrease the cost of the click, you need to make the click more valuable. Too many programs become complacent with landing pages. It takes a lot to do it well, so there is an aversion at times to putting in the effort. Use this as an opportunity to refocus on conversion rate optimization. Make each click worth more to your program.

    Impact on SEO?
    There is also an argument to be made that this move puts an emphasis on organic search results. As users have fewer paid options to click on, will they take the organic into higher consideration? This is something to be watched very carefully. Know where your page one keywords are landing people on your site and monitor them carefully. Really optimize the description tags and titles for ctr. You have an opportunity here, take it.

    Google’s decision to change paid search results is going to have a broad impact and be a real pain for some programs. Look at it as an opportunity to focus and leverage more of what works, weed out the borderline stuff and increase the value of each click.

  • Paid search ads directed to Facebook?

    A recent Media Post article proffered the question, should paid search be used to send users to a facebook page.

    The author didn’t actually answer the question, but posited a number of “issues”. The only upside that was suggested is that doing so is a way to marry the search and social channels.

    Don’t Force Social Media On Users

    This is a distraction for the user and the brand. Paid search users have a specific intent, and expectations that they will be brought to a page relevant to that intent. Basic optimization requires a level of tracking and control that is not available on FB. Search traffic should be directed to a landing page directly connected to the brand site, created for the intent. This allows the experience to be optimized to the expectations.

    Social media engagement should be in the context of a user’s social media experience. While cross channel engagement may be desirable, it is only so when the connection between the channels is natural to the user, not forced by the brand.

    Social Media Advertising

    In the area of social media, when it comes to advertising, we view brand interactions at three levels:

    1) Resident – The brand is actively engaged in the social landscape with ongoing interactions with users, involvement in topics related to but beyond the brand or brand’s products & services (charities or the arts as examples) and is generally “expected” to be seen.

    2) Visitor – The brand has a page and responds regularly to user initiated interactions such a product queries, help requests, or review responses. The brand is not expected by users, but in mild doses, it is accepted.

    3) Intruders – Dormant pages, poor response times or no natural connection to the users. Ads seemingly appear from nowhere and don’t serve a purpose in the user’s experience.

    Not all paid search users are on facebook. Even if they are, being there at that moment (when conducting a google search) is not what they wanted; if they did, they would start on facebook. By pushing search users to facebook, brands are creating an unnatural path for them. Regardless of what your standing is on facebook, the interaction you create by doing this is forced, unexpected and creates a tension that should not be there.

    Social media is a connection while paid search is a transaction. The two should not be confused.

  • The Paid Search Sweet Spot

    The Paid Search Sweet Spot

    google growthIt was an average ad position of 2.5 in paid search.

    We couldn’t explain why, but some how if our average ad position was 2.5, then the average cpc, conversion rate and customer value all aligned to hit our targets. It was basic math. By why 2.5? We couldn’t say, but we dubbed it “The Sweet Spot” and for a while it held.

    If we bid higher to get further up the results, the conversions couldn’t justify the increase bids (in some cases the conversions decreased). If we drew back, the conversion dropped too much, the ROI just disappeared for us (or close to it). Yup, The Sweet Spot was 2.5.

    I could have given a webinar on The Sweet Spot. I had all the numbers showing how this one place in the ad rankings was key to financial freedom, independence and untold fortunes for the company. I would have been able to show explicitly how this was better than 2.9 or 2.1, backed up with numbers to support my case. I might have called the presentation, “The Sweet Spot, A Guaranteed Strategy To A Perfect Paid Search Program.” It’s simple, easily demonstrated and easily replicated.

    The only problem is it was also bullshit. Things changed and 2.5 became the outcast. Our managers worked through the problems and once again we saw the program re-optimized. The change could have been caused by any number of things in and out of our control. But, tagging ourselves to a position was not a long term strategy, but an opportunistic tactic.

    This is the issue with so many of the seminars I’ve watched over the years. The presenters take something akin to “The Sweet Spot” and convince a fair number of people that success is simple. Just repeat what I’ve done and you to will be the Paid Search phenom in your organization. If only life were so simple.

    It is not that these things are all bad, or bad at all. Many are legitimate tactics. But none are “the only” strategy. These seminars can have two detrimental effects for paid search programs:

    1. Search managers looking for the silver bullet will jump from one unrelated tactic to another, with no strategic connection between them. This lack of continuity or true planning causes the learnings to be lost in the process. Instead of building on what one learns, each change tends to be a complete tear down and rebuild.
    2. Unreasonable expectations. I saw one session where a person who “followed the process” experienced a 1400% increase in CTR. I can only imagine that the program was set up so horribly wrong to start, or the result was an isolation of one very bad part that was separated from the rest. An entire program that increased the CTR by 1400%? Not buying it. But, my skepticism comes from 20+ years in digital marketing. A person who is periodically involved or relatively new to search may jump at this.

    These webinars are not devoid of value. Often the tactics are solid and if presented as tactics to be tried and not the ultimate solution, they can have a positive impact. When watching these webinars, consider the context in which these case studies take place (if they provide that level of detail). Industry, shopper habits, competitive landscapes, search engine environment, etc. With a simple overview, you can quickly determine if a tactic is applicable to your program.

    If it is applicable, then see where it fits in your overall optimization plan; don’t just throw it into your program. How you implement the tactic should be informed by your history and results of passed optimizations.

  • Google Adwords Spring Cleaning

    Getting ready for spring, Google will help clear out some of the account junk you’ve accumulated over the year. Starting March 23, unused ads over 100 days old will go away. This is a good move, but if you are not aware, then you’ll be surprised by what you don’t see in the last week of March. But of course, now you are aware. So, no surprises.

    More here 

  • Google AdWords Drops Four Data Points

    googlelogo225I’ve often cautioned clients about “over consuming” data. I’m a data geek, but I know that data you can not use often clouds the data you can.

    The news that Google Adwords is reducing the number of columns (Google, the data Geek of the world) because advertisers are confused by too much adwords data shows that even the biggest fans of data recognized the limitations of unlimited data.