I have the opportunity to analyze many client CPC accounts, particularly within Google Adwords. It's amazing how many missed opportunities I see when reviewing these campaigns. Advertising budgets are nothing to gamble with these days, so instead of hoping you've got a winning hand, I'd like to offer this checklist for your Google Adwords accounts:
- Tightly Themed Ad Groups – It would be hard to find a reason why you would only have one ad group. Focus on bringing similar key phrases together into one ad group, so all words contained are similar. here is no downside to having many ad groups in a campaign.
- Targeted and Relevant Ad Copy – Once you have narrowed the key phrases into small ad groups, now is the chance to write copy that addresses those exact words. Implement "Call to Action" phrases within your ads. Stand out from the rest of the advertisers on the page. Utilize the "Keyword Insertion" function in the ads, where possible.
- Phone Numbers in Ads – This is a tactic to test, as it may not work for all advertisers. Google allows phone numbers, and there is no charge if someone calls you but doesn't click on the ad; so try it out. If running a Local Campaign, use your Local (versus toll free) number to reinforce you are in their region.
- Multiple Campaigns – Since Google allows advertisers to set budgets at the campaign level, an easy way to manipulate your budget toward certain products or keywords is by creating multiple campaigns. This way, the words you want to have full distribution on, will not be impeded from any other words you are advertising for. They will have a separate budget, if they are in another campaign.
- Day Parting – One of the best ways to maximize your budget is to determine the most optimal days or times your ad should be running. Google allows this to be set up in advance, on auto pilot. Selections for days or hours are whatever you deem appropriate and can be easily edited, as appropriate.
- Negative Match – This feature allows you to preclude searches on your keywords that are irrelevant to your business, based on a trigger word within the search query. Those trigger words become your campaign or keyword negative terms.
- Google Analytics & Conversion Tracking – these two very powerful tools are offered free and will provide more data then you could ever ask for. "Conversion Counter" is from AdWords and displays conversions only. Google Analytics requires you to open a separate account, but the two can be integrated to allow for Adwords cost data to populate into your Analytics reporting. If your site is coded properly, it can track every visitor that arrives, regardless of traffic source or ad campaign.
If you are interested in an audit of your existing Google Adwords or Analytics account, contact me. It may be the best investment you've made this year!
