How do you creatively stretch a tight SEM budget without compromising results?

1 Smart Bidding

Smart bidding in Google Ads is a set of automated bid strategies that use machine learning to optimize for conversions or conversion value in each and every auction—a feature known as "auction-time bidding". To stretch your SEM budget, consider using smart bidding strategies such as Target CPA (Cost Per Acquisition) or Target ROAS (Return On Ad Spend). These strategies help you get the most out of your budget by automatically adjusting your bids based on the likelihood of a search resulting in a conversion.

2 Keyword Focus

When funds are tight, focusing on high-intent keywords can make a significant difference. These are the terms that users who are further down the purchase funnel tend to search for. By targeting these specific keywords, you're more likely to attract clicks from users who are ready to convert, rather than those just browsing. This means your budget is spent more efficiently, leading to better results without additional spend.

3 Ad Scheduling

Ad scheduling allows you to display your ads on certain days of the week or during specific hours, so you can target users when they're most likely to convert. By analyzing your campaign data to identify peak performance times, you can allocate more of your budget to these periods and reduce spend during times when conversions are less likely. This ensures that you're not wasting money on ads that aren't performing well.

4 Negative Keywords

Utilizing negative keywords is an essential tactic for preventing your ads from showing up in irrelevant searches. By regularly updating your list of negative keywords, you can avoid wasting money on clicks that are unlikely to convert. This not only helps stretch your SEM budget but also improves the overall relevance and quality score of your campaigns, leading to lower costs per click and better ad positioning.

5 Quality Score

Quality Score is a metric used by search engines to determine the relevance and quality of your ads and keywords. It affects how your PPC (Pay Per Click) ads perform and how much you pay for each click. By optimizing your ads, improving landing page quality, and ensuring relevant keyword usage, you can improve your Quality Score. A higher score often leads to reduced costs and better ad placements, allowing you to get more out of your SEM budget.

6 Creative Ads

Creating compelling and relevant ad copy can significantly improve the performance of your SEM campaigns. Rather than increasing your budget, focus on writing ads that resonate with your target audience and clearly highlight the benefits of your product or service. A well-crafted ad can improve click-through rates, leading to more conversions without the need to spend more money. Remember, it's not always about how much you spend, but how effectively you use your budget.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?