AdWords is one of the most widely used and established ad platforms on the planet, but the difference between a successful account and a total flop can be as simple as understanding basic setting and structure.
Here are 9 simple, yet significant, tips that can help you improve your campaigns:
1. Understand Searcher Intent
When creating search campaigns it's vital to choose keywords that make sense for a searcher of your product, not necessary ones related to your product, if you can relate the intent behind the search term, you'll be able to choose keywords that convert.
2. Appropriate Language
When selecting language settings, unless you have a specific reason, always choose "All languages". The reason for this is that language is set by the users' operating system, so limiting languages limits your reach. And because its search based, the searcher needs to search for your keywords in their language anyway.
3. Structure is everything
Create your campaigns based on location and category and create your ad groups with similar keywords in each campaign so that the ads are relative to the keywords within them.
4. Specific Ad Groups
When it comes to keywords less is more. Sure, you need to find the best converting keywords at first, but every time you find a well converting term, you should create a campaign and ad group just for that keyword - this way you can control the budget directly and let other keywords have a better chance. This will also improve your Quality Score.
5. Beware of broad terms
While 'broad" insures the best chance of receiving impressions, it also can mean you show up for unrelated keywords, ones that might relate to your keyword but not in the way you intended.
If you run broad matches, always check your negative keywords tab and add additional qualifiers as needed.
6. Location setting
When choosing location, make sure you select the option for "only people within my location" otherwise your ads could show up for people searching for words which include your location.
For example, say you own a pizza shop in the New York called "Johns Pizza" and you choose "USA" as your location setting but not the "Only in my chosen locations tab". Due to your settings you would show up to anyone searching for New York Pizza regardless of your setting.
7. Transparency
Make sure your landing pages have a "privacy policy". Google takes transparency seriously, and when their crawlers scan your site, they'll look for elements of transparency, such as your policy. Having one present can improve your quality score.
8. Don't be blinded by conversions
Always speak with your sales team and make sure your campaigns and providing quality leads, not only quantity, then optimize accordingly. Always keep your eye on your ROI - after all, the best leads/sales in the world are worthless if you're losing money in the long run.
9. Quit while you're ahead
Ask any gambler and they'll tell you - at one point or another, they always get on top, but the hunger for more eventually leads them down the wrong path. In other words, optimize your campaigns until you're happy with the results and then let them be and move on to new campaigns.