Solved: Need advice on Google Ads strategy and keyword matching

Hi there,

Thanks for getting in touch. I'm happy to give you some initial thoughts and guidance on your Google Ads strategy.

From what you've described, it sounds like you're proactively thinking about how to structure your campaigns and manage keyword match types, which is a good start.

We'll need to look at the Bidding Strategy...

I'd say that the 'Maximize Clicks' bidding strategy can be a double-edged sword. While it can drive a lot of traffic to your site, it doesn't always guarantee quality traffic that converts into customers. It's not uncommon to see a rapid burn through your budget with this strategy, especially if your campaigns aren't tightly managed.

A more targeted approach might be to experiment with 'Manual CPC' bidding, where you have more control over the bids for specific keywords, or 'Target CPA' bidding, which aims to get you conversions at your desired cost per acquisition. However, it's crucial to closely monitor performance and make adjustments as needed to ensure you're getting a solid return on your investment. You really gotta keep an eye on it. It might burn through your money if your not careful.

It's worth testing out the Manual CPC, you can then adjust all your bids accoridngly. Or test out a Target CPA.

I'd say you gotta review Your Keyword Match Types...

Your concern regarding keyword competition is valid. Running all your campaigns on broad match can lead to keyword cannibalization, where your own ads compete against each other for the same searches, driving up costs and diluting your results. This is where careful consideration of match types becomes important.

Switching your main search campaign (camp1) to 'Exact Match' is definitely a sensible move. This ensures that your ads are only triggered by searches that precisely match your target keywords, giving you more control over when and where your ads appear.

Then, setting your low CPC campaign (camp3) to 'Phrase Match' can help you capture a wider range of relevant searches that are closely related to your target keywords. This allows you to expand your reach and potentially uncover new search terms that you may not have considered.

It's really important that you use a good negative keyword list to exclude irrelevant searches and make sure that you're only targeting the keywords that are relevant.

You probably should use Negative Keywords Effectively...

To prevent overlap and ensure that your campaigns are targeting the right audience, you absolutely must use negative keywords effectively. Negative keywords prevent your ads from showing for searches that include specific terms, allowing you to refine your targeting and eliminate wasted ad spend.

Make sure to add negative keywords at the campaign level and account level to make sure you are actually excluding terms you don't want to target. Otherwise your spend might just keep increasing on irrelevant search terms.

Regularly review your search term reports to identify new negative keyword opportunities and refine your targeting over time. It's worth a lot of time to stay on top of this and make sure your ad spend isn't being wasted.

You'll need to look at Demand Gen Cautiously...

Demand Gen is a relatively new campaign type, so it's essential to approach it with caution and closely monitor its performance. While the automated nature of Demand Gen can be appealing, it's important to ensure that the platform is effectively targeting the right audience and delivering relevant ads.

Keep a very close eye on the metrics like click-through rate (CTR), conversion rate, and cost per acquisition (CPA) to assess the effectiveness of your Demand Gen campaigns. If you're not seeing the desired results, don't hesitate to make adjustments to your targeting, bidding, or ad creatives.

If you feel that Demand Gen isn't working as well as expected, it may be worth reallocating your budget to other campaign types that have a proven track record of success. I'd start with a low budget and increase if you see results.

You'll need to improve your landing page...

Ads are only half of the equation. If your website or landing page isn't optimised for conversions, you'll struggle to get the results you want, no matter how well your ads are targeted. Think of your landing page as your digital storefront. It's the first impression that potential customers have of your business, so it needs to be visually appealing, easy to navigate, and highly persuasive.

Start with sales copy that directly addresses your target audience's pain points and highlights the benefits of your product or service. Use compelling visuals, such as high-quality images and videos, to capture attention and showcase your offerings. Make it easy for visitors to take the desired action, whether it's filling out a form, making a purchase, or scheduling a consultation.

A few small changes like improving your product descriptions can make a big difference.

This is the main advice I have for you:

I know this is a lot to take in, hopefully you find it helpful!

Paid advertising can be a complex and ever-changing landscape, so it's not uncommon to feel overwhelmed or unsure of the best approach. If you're looking for expert guidance to help you get the most out of your campaigns, it may be worth considering working with a paid advertising agency like us.

We offer a free initial consultation where we review your strategy and account together which usually is super helpful and gives you a taste of the expertise you'll see going into your project if you decide to work with us.

Regards,

Team @ Lukas Holschuh