You're analyzing your SEM strategy. How do you pinpoint underperforming keywords?

Start with key performance indicators (KPIs) like click-through rate (CTR), conversion rate, cost per conversion, and return on ad spend (ROAS). Use these metrics to identify trends and areas for improvement. For example, during a campaign, I closely monitored CTR and conversion rates to fine-tune ad copy and landing pages, leading to a 25% increase in conversions. Employ analytics tools to track these metrics in real-time, allowing for prompt adjustments that optimize performance and ROI.

Review key metrics like Clicks and Spents on a partcular keyword and tCTR (Click-Through Rate), CPC (Cost Per Click), and Conversion Rates of those respective keywords. Low CTR or conversion rates often indicate underperformance.

I’d add that regularly reviewing these metrics can help you make data-driven adjustments and improve your overall strategy. For instance, if you notice a consistently low CTR, it might be worth revisiting your ad copy and keyword targeting to better align with your audience's interests.

Pinpointing Underperforming Keywords in Your SEM Strategy Utilize these key steps to identify and optimize low-performing keywords for better Results: Review Metrics: Check CTR, conversion rate, and cost-per-conversion. Benchmark Comparison: Compare against industry standards and goals. Keyword Reports: Use SEM tools to identify low performers. Quality Scores: Look for low scores indicating relevance issues. Segment Data: Analyze by device, location, and time. Monitor Trends: Track performance changes over time. A/B Testing: Test different ads and landing pages. Assess Search Intent: Ensure keywords match user intent. Negative Keywords: Verify correct negative keyword usage. Adjust Bids: Reallocate budget to better-performing keywords.

Evaluate key performance metrics such as click-through rate (CTR), cost per click (CPC), conversion rate (CVR), and quality score to identify underperforming keywords in your SEM campaigns. Low CTR, high CPC, low CVR, and poor quality scores indicate issues with keyword relevance, ad copy, or landing page experience that need addressing.

Closely monitor conversion data to identify keywords that generate high traffic but have low conversion rates, as these can drain your budget without contributing to your bottom line. Assess if these keywords are too broad or if the associated landing pages fail to meet user expectations, using conversion tracking tools to understand where potential customers drop off and optimize for conversions to drive valuable actions that align with your business goals.

To identify underperforming keywords, focus on conversion data. Keywords that attract high traffic but yield low conversions can waste your budget. Examine whether these keywords are too broad, misaligned with your target audience, or if their landing pages fail to engage users effectively. Conversion tracking tools reveal where potential customers drop off in their journey, helping you adjust your strategy. By optimizing these elements, you ensure that your SEM efforts not only bring clicks but also drive meaningful actions aligned with your business objectives.

To spot underperforming keywords in SEM, start by checking key metrics like CTR, conversion rates, CPC, CPA, ROAS, and Quality Score using Google Ads. Keywords with low CTR and conversion rates, high CPC and CPA, or low ROAS need attention. Segment your data by match type, device, location, and time to find patterns. Review Quality Scores—low scores signal a need for better ad relevance or landing pages. Use built-in and third-party tools for insights as DesignDiverso Automata. Run A/B tests on ad copies and landing pages. Pause or adjust bids on poor performers, improve ad copy, optimize landing pages, and add negative keywords.

Filter all the keywords according to search impression share. Filter those who have less than 60% search impressions share. Now apply another Filter on these selected keywords of quality score less than 6. So now you have a bunch of non performing keywords with low impress share and low QS. You can do few things now. 1. Sort then cost wise (Highest to lowest), and now look at the SQR. If you find lot of negative keywords in the SQR then remove them 2. Immediately create new ad copies and A/B testing them to see if the Quality score improves. Because what you want is now to increase the CTR thereby improving your QS 3. See if you have deployed site extensions like (call out extensions, ad extensions, dynamic snippet extensions) etc.

Identify underperforming keywords by reviewing Quality Scores, which reflect alignment with user expectations. Ad Relevance: Use a SKAG approach to ensure ads match user intent. Refining ad copy to align with search terms can boost Quality Scores and CTR. Landing Page Experience: Ensure landing pages are relevant and fast. Adjust content to match ad promises, improving conversions. User Intent Alignment: Regularly analyze keyword intent and adjust. Focus on keywords that closely match user searches. Continuous Monitoring: Track metrics like CTR, conversion rates, and bounce rates. Adjust low-performing keywords. Success Metrics: Ensure keywords drive conversions and align with business goals.

A low quality score, a measure of keyword, ad, and landing page relevance, indicates underperforming keywords. To improve, ensure your ad relevance and landing page content align with keyword intent and provide a seamless user experience, which can enhance your quality score, lower costs, and improve ad positioning.

Review competitor performance using analysis tools to see which keywords they target and how their ads rank compared to yours. If their ads consistently outrank yours, it may suggest those keywords are highly competitive or not as effective for your brand, prompting you to decide whether to compete for those terms or shift focus to more niche keywords for better visibility and ROI.

Refining your keyword list is an ongoing process essential for SEM success. Focus on the SKAG (Single Keyword Ad Group) strategy to maintain precision. Remove underperforming keywords after adequate testing—those with low search volumes or high costs that don’t convert. Instead, shift your focus to long-tail keywords, which are more specific and often yield higher conversion rates due to their targeted nature. This aligns with the Jobs To Be Done (JTBD) framework, ensuring your keywords fulfill specific user needs effectively. Monitor search impression share to gauge keyword visibility. Low impression share might indicate the need for bid adjustments or further keyword refinement.

Regularly refine your keyword list by removing consistently underperforming keywords, such as those with low search volumes or high costs without conversions. Focus on long-tail keywords for higher conversion rates and update your list to include new terms that reflect evolving user search behavior and trends.

Reassess your budget allocation based on keyword performance, ensuring that underperforming keywords do not use an excessive portion of your budget. Redirect funds to high-performing keywords and consider increasing bids on successful terms or experimenting with new keyword variations, as a flexible budget strategy is crucial for continuous optimization and maximizing SEM campaign effectiveness.

Conducting customer interviews is crucial for uncovering insights that data alone cannot provide. These interviews reveal the true jobs customers are trying to hire your product for, allowing you to refine your SEM strategy more effectively. By understanding their needs, motivations, and pain points, you can tailor your keywords, ad copy, and landing pages to better solve the customer’s job, ultimately leading to higher engagement and conversions. Customer interviews bridge the gap between quantitative data and qualitative insights, ensuring your SEM efforts align closely with customer expectations and demands.