It seems like I get a call a month from a client or prospect that have been running pay per click on Google and getting terrible results. Once I look at the campaigns I consistently see the following three BIG problems.
First. So far this year with only one exception, the campaign is set up using broad match keywords.
Google gives you 4 options of the way you can run your keywords. Here is their explanation:
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You can set each search-targeted keyword to have one of those four settings. To use a keyword matching option, just add the appropriate punctuation to your keyword:
- Broad match: keyword
Allows your ad to show on similar phrases and relevant variations
(The broad match modifier may also be used to further refine your broad keyword matches: +keyword.)
- Phrase match: “keyword”
Allows your ad to show for searches that match the exact phrase
- Exact match: [keyword]
Allows your ad to show for searches that match the exact phrase exclusively
- Negative match: -keyword
Ensures your ad doesn’t show for any search that includes that term
With some options, you’ll enjoy more ad impressions, clicks, and conversions; with others, you’ll get fewer impressions and more narrow targeting. By applying the appropriate matching options to your keywords, you can best meet your ROI goals.
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So as an example, I have seen a House painter show up in the search Basement Finishing. Why? Because they are using Broad Match, and when someone searches Basement Painting, they have “painting” as a broad match keyword. You can imagine how many searches the ad shows up for that have little or no relevance to house painting.
The natural thought is, so what, if no one clicks on the ad under a non relevant keyword, it doesn’t cost you a thing. Well…. Wrong. Your keywords quality score, which I will blog on latter, is lowered when your ads click through rate (number of times the ad is cliced on divided by the number of times the ad is served) and the lower your quality score, the more your bid will need to be to get higher placement.
So… use phrase and exact match!
Two. I also see the client or prospect has added all of their keywords under on ad group and possible one ad.
Your keywords should be divided into very specific groups, where the keyword matches the ad you use for that ad group.
Using house painting again, here is a brief example. You should have diiferent ads for each of these and the ads should use the exact keywords in it.
House painting
House painter
Exterior House painting
Painting contractor
In a perfect world you might see a new ad group and ad for each keyword. Lot’s of work, but well worth it. Your cost will be lower and your conversion rate will be higher.
Three: Scheduling. Your product or Service has peak days and times that prospects will look for it on the Internet. You know what these are, just track back to when prospects call you the most. When was that last time someone called you on a Saturday? For home improvement companies, Mondays and Tuesdays are peak, and Friday and Saturday (generally) are dead. Why show your ad on day’s no one is really looking? Instead, up your bids on the peak days and lower your bids on off days and hours.
And I do need to mention a 4th. Geo Targeting! Google has great options for you to serve your ad just in the cites you want, or a specific radius around your business. Don’t advertise across n entire metro area, if in reality you are not going to get sales more than 15 miles (or 7 or whatever) from your business. The natural tendency of customers is to have a preference for a company closer to them, no matter what you sell.
I will go into some other areas and more detail on future blogs. Pay attention to these 4 areas in an account when you set up an Ad Words campaign. We do offer very affordable PPC management and set up, so if you just don’t want to go through the learning curve, and need to see better results, call us!
Related articles
- Keyword Strategy for Local Search Engine Optimization (metasocialweb.com)
