That is why I have created this report – to help these new or not-as-experienced advertisers battle through the initial learning curve, and to implement a few very simple but effective strategies that will help you achieve your advertising goals and improve the overall performance of your advertising campaign.
1. Expand Relevant Keyword Terms
Keyword
relevancy is the KEY to success with Google Adwords While it may be
tempting to include all sorts of keywords you can get your hands on, be
aware that this is often the #1 mistake advertisers make when creating their first campaign.
The keyword term qualifies
the user as someone who is interested in the your products/services.
For this reason, we need to make them as relevant as possible. Do not
go out on a whim and start adding terms that are somewhat related,
because, chances are, even if users do find interest in clicking on
your ad, they will end up leaving your website without making a purchase because your product/service was not exactly what they were looking for.
2. Be Familiar with the Various Matching Options
While
broad match is the default match type and should be used more than 90%
of the time, you should also be familiar with the other matching
options that are available to you. Selecting the right match type will
increase your performance potential and for driving clicks/sales.
If you are unfamiliar with the different matching options, here is an example:
When
tennis shoes is broad matched, your ad will show when users search on
the keywords tennis and shoes, in any order, and even if the query
includes other terms, such as tennis rackets and shoes. With broad
matching, the keyword is also automatically enrolled in expanded
matching. This means that Google will show the ads for other relevant
terms and variations (such as tennis sneakers) even if these terms are
not included in the Keyword list.
When tennis shoes is phrase
matched, your ad will only show when users search on the keywords
tennis shoes in that order. For example, queries red tennis shoes and
tennis shoes sale will generate your ad, but not shoes for tennis.
When
tennis shoes is exact matched, your ad will only show when users search
on the keyword tennis shoes. This must be typed in exactly in this
format. No other variations of this term will trigger your ad.
3. Use Negative Keywords
Negative keywords are specific terms you can select
to prevent your ad from displaying. For example, if -red is entered as
a negative keyword, the ad will not show if a user searches for red
tennis shoes.
To maximize the relevancy of your keywords, negative
keywords should always be used. If you can stop irrelevant results, you
should! Always double check your negative keyword list to make sure
that you really do not want to run on them.
A few universal negative
keywords to use may be –free, if you do not offer a free product, or
–uk, -canada and –australia if you are offering a product that only
ships within the United States.
4. Create Relevant Ads Text
You
can spend hours compiling an amazing list of relevant keywords, but
your campaign can only be successful if the terms are used with
appropriate ad text. The keyword does its job by triggering your ad,
but clicks are generated by the relevancy and quality of the ad text.
The ad text is arguably the most important part of your campaign
because it is the ONLY aspect of your account that is visible to the user.
If
the keywords do not relate to the same products/services, you may want
to separate the keywords into different Ad Groups. In different Ad
Groups, Target ads text can be created to specifically relate to the
keyword terms and will, as a result, be more relevant and better
targeted.
5. Multiple Creatives
When
multiple creatives are created within an Ad Group, the ads will rotate
evenly when the keywords are searched. Reporting statistics for each
creative are listed in the account, so you can test several different
creatives for CTR and ROI. Based on these statistics, you can then
delete any creatives that are not performing well for you. This feature
also allows you to test different landing pages. By using tracking
URLs, you can measure conversions, which allows you to optimize the
account so that you are using the most effective ad text and landing
page combination possible.
6. Unique Special Offers/Promotional Language
Because
you would want to distinguish your own product/service from your
competition, keep in mind that a generic ad typically does not perform
as well as a creative that contains specific information. To make an ad stand
out, consider including factors such as special offers, unique
qualities and promotions to differentiate this ad from competitors.
(Ex. “discounts,” “free shipping,” “low price guarantee,” “price
matching,” “award-winning.”)
7. Call-to-Action Phrases
Specific
call-to-action phrases that reflect the your goals, such as “sign up
for free newsletter,” “try a free sample,” “order make-up online” and
“buy CDs
at 15% off,” are strongly encouraged because they clearly spell out
what the user should do on the website in order to achieve a successful
conversion on your end. Such phrases give the user a clear idea of what
to expect before visiting the website and can increase your overall CTR
and ROI.
8. Destination URLs
The
destination URL of the ad should be accurate and working. For best
results, make sure that it takes the user directly to the
product/service advertised. This will ensure relevancy and increase the
chances of a successful conversion.
9. Individual Ad Groups for Each Product Line
Another
effective method of using the keywords is by plugging them into the ad
text. It is especially effective when inserting the keywords in the
ad’s first line (ad title) because it increases the relevancy of the
ad. The ad title should be an “eye-catcher.” It should ask a question,
make a statement, or sum up the specific product or service being
advertised.
When a user searches on a particular term and sees an ad
with the same term in the ad title, the relevance is right on the
money. In addition, the keywords will appear in bold within the
creative. This draws attention to the ad and increases the probability
that the user will click on it. If inserting the keyword in the ad
title is not possible, at least try to incorporate it into the ad text
itself.
10. Use the Available Tools and Features!
That’s
what they’re there for! Learn about all the great things you can do
with these tools that were specifically designed to help you achieve
success with Google Adwords.
When you have a moment, definitely take
a closer look at the various features you can add to your campaign,
such as the Keyword Suggestion Tool, Budget Optimizer, Conversion
Tracking and Reporting Generator. These features can help you discover
what is performing well in your campaign and what is not, and you can
then make the appropriate changes to ensure that your campaign is
performing at its peak.
If you are interested in additional
information and insider secrets to making your AdWords campaign explode
in profits, be sure to check out the resources. |
