Google Ads; a Budget-Slurping Monster ??

Why Keyword Research is Essential and How to Do It

In my previous article on the differences between push and pull marketing, I discussed how Google Ads can be a powerful tool in your pull marketing strategy. However, without effective keyword research, Google Ads can quickly become a budget-slurping monster that devours your marketing budget without delivering results. Keyword research is not just a helpful addition but an essential part in setting up any successful Google Ads campaign. We always start off with this step to make sure that everyone is aligned on the keywords before we start designing the Google ads campaigns.

Let's explore why and how you should do it right.

1. Prevents Wasted Spend

One of the biggest challenges with Google Ads is preventing your budget from flowing in the wrong direction. Poorly chosen keywords can cause your ads to be shown to an audience that isn't interested in your offer, leading to wasted clicks. By conducting thorough keyword research, you can avoid this pitfall and ensure that every click adds value to your campaign. To broad and uou will be wasting money on not realevant clicks, to narrow and there won′t be many people seeing your ads. Somewhere between these is the sweetspot where we want to be with our choice of keywords.

2. Increases Relevance

Relevant keywords help your ads stand out to potential customers who are genuinely looking for what you offer. Key to this is making sure that the keywords you choose are those that potential clients/buyers would type into the Google searchbar at the moment they actually have the intention to make the purchase, fill out the form or whatever you want them to do. This not only boosts your click-through rate (CTR) but also improves your ads' quality score, ultimately leading to lower costs per conversion and a better ROI.

3. Builds a Solid Campaign Structure

Good keyword research lays the foundation for a strong campaign structure. It helps you organize your ads and ad groups to effectively target specific search queries and customer needs. A clear structure ensures that your campaign is easier to manage and delivers better performance. In Google search campaigns we use SKAG (Single Keyword Ad Groups) making sure we are hyper relevant. This is subject to a lot of debate but my experience and track record still shows its the best approach for both B2B as B2C campaigns.

How to Conduct Keyword Research

1. Start with Broad Keywords

Begin your research with broad keywords relevant to your product or service. This gives you an idea of the terms and phrases users are using to search for your type of offer. Use tools like Google Keyword Planner to assess search volume and competition.

2. Identify Long-Tail Keywords

Long-tail keywords are more specific and often less competitive search terms that can lead to higher conversionrates and better ROI. They may have lower search volume, but the people using them usually have a clear intent to purchase. Ensure you choose long-tail keywords with decent search volume—typically more than 30 searches per month—otherwise, your ads might not get displayed by Google.

3. Analyze Competitors

Look at what your competitors are doing by analyzing their keywords. Tools like SEMrush and Ahrefs can help you with this. Discover which keywords are performing well for them and see if there are opportunities you might have missed.

4. Use Negative Keywords

Negative keywords help you avoid irrelevant clicks by ensuring your ads don't show up for certain terms. This is crucial for maximizing your ad spend. Identify terms that aren't relevant to your offer and add them to your campaign to sharpen your focus. In the Google Keyword planner you can refine your search which simulates the use of negative keywords. This provides you with more accurate simulations and helps you manage expectations of the campaign results.

5. Monitor and Optimize

Keyword research isn't a one-time task. User search patterns constantly change, and you need to continuously adjust your strategy to stay relevant. Regularly (at least weekly) check the performance of your keywords and optimize your campaigns based on data insights. Going through you searchterms (actual texts people put into the Google searchbar) can help you iliminate terms for which you do not want to show your ads and help you identify new kewywords that can be added to your campaigns.

Conclusion

Slaying ?? the budget-slurping monster ?? in your Google Ads campaign starts with effective keyword research. By planning carefully and using the right tools and strategies, you can make sure your ads reach the right people and add value to your business. Keyword research is not just a way to improve your campaign; it's the backbone that supports your entire marketing strategy.

Feel free to reach out to if you have any questions on setting up your campaign. We're always here to help!