Google Search Campaigns - Basics

Everything starts here, from Search Campaigns. Google was founded in 1998 as a well Search Engine and started showing ads in 2000. The mechanics are simple; you have two options to show information in Search Results: through SEO optimization or by increasing your Ads Position through participation in the auction. Pay more - get more traffic. There was a time when you didn't have to worry about the quality of your copies or landing pages. There were not many competitors in the Search Results; you just paid a little to Google and got a lot of purchases. Everything changed around 2013. It wasn't really comfortable for small businesses to pay as much as their big market players, so Google decided to introduce a fair rule. If your copies have a higher CTR, if your headlines are relevant to search phrases, and if your landing page shows more engagement for your customers, then you're lucky—you have to pay less than your competitors. I think it was a great boost to professional Digital Marketing because now, with a good specialist, even small businesses can participate in the 'marketing race.'

Here's a simple example of Search Results placements. As you can see, Google found 404,000,000 results in 0.53 seconds, but the magic happened in a shorter period of time—what's called the Real-Time Bidding Auction. Google found the proper keywords in many accounts, compared the performance of landing pages (such as streeteasy.com, zillow.com, homes.com), evaluated the quality of their ad copies, assessed their bids, and voilà... showed three ads in their proper positions. And this is just a simple example. If all of these advertisers have manual CPC, but if all of them have automatic strategies, then, based on a large amount of data, Google decides which site is the most appropriate for me and where I'll likely make a conversion (some specific action, like a call, callback, purchase, or perhaps not primary actions like scroll depth or time spent—it depends on the marketer's skills).

How to set up Search Campaign?

• Start by scraping as many search phrases as you can.

Look at your niche and determine which phrases are relevant to you. Also, it's important to identify irrelevant phrases. For example, if you sell new cars, make sure you anticipate that users will also search for “used cars.”

The easiest way to find keyword ideas is to imagine that you're your customer. Try to understand what you would enter if you needed your product/service. And don't be overly focused on marketing language during your explorations. If you're promoting a dentist clinic, don't forget that more people search for “my tooth is in pain” than “I need a Tooth Extraction Procedure” or “Endodontist specialists near me.”

Most marketers use online services to scrape keywords:

Google Keyword Planner

1. Serpstat
2. KWFinder
3. Keyword Tool
4. Wordtracker
5. Key Collector
6. WordStream

• Write Ad Copies.

You need to create 15 Headlines (each with no more than 30 characters) and 4 Descriptions (each with no more than 90 characters). There are also a lot of assets available, like Sitelinks (for navigation assistance), Call buttons (allowing users to call directly from the Ad), Callouts (to highlight your propositions), Structured Snippets (providing more information about your product), and Images. Don't be lazy; use every asset to share as much information about your product/service as possible.

Another tip is to write your copies in an informative style. Avoid using slogans or generic phrases. Remember, everyone claims to have the “Best Prices,” “Highest Quality,” “Fantastic Service,” “Just for You,” “Follow your Dreams,” and “Special Offers.” Try to imagine this copy: “Worst Prices, Lowest Quality, Routine Service, Not for You, Follow Grey Reality, Usual Offer.” As American comic George Carlin said, “If every adult is special, that means none of us are.”

Try to identify your Unique Selling Proposition (USP). Don't rely on general phrases; explain them. I've seen so many copies with a lot of duplicates because people think that general phrases suffice. Instead of writing “Best Prices,” provide information about the number of discounts, the range of promotions, or simply state your price. Alternatively, if the price is high, you can choose not to mention it at all. Instead of claiming “Highest Quality,” elaborate on the material of your product or the experience of your team. Answer the most important question: Why should your customer click on your ads, visit your landing page, spend time, and buy your Product or Service? Don't waste time talking about your competitors.

• Structure your campaigns.

The ongoing debate about whether 1 ad group = 1 keyword or having 5 keywords in each of 5 groups is a big question deserving its own article. But try to understand the logic.

Separate campaigns based on similar features. For instance, you can start with the fact that your Brand campaign is much different from Non-Brand Campaigns because it targets customers specifically searching for you. A Competitors campaign is the opposite; users aren't interested in your product since they've already found what they were looking for. However, it's your last chance to show them that your product/service is better. If you're selling cars, the main campaign is different from accessories because they have different prices and revenue. Different accessories can also be separated. The primary goal of separating campaigns is their CPA. Try to group keywords with similar costs.

Regarding Ad Groups, the sole reason for separation is relevance. Your ad copies must address the customer's query. So, if they're searching for “<something> price,” don't write “Buy/book <something>,” “Buy/book <something> - Prices,” or “<something> near me.” Instead, address their intent with “Buy <something> near me” or “Buy <something> in <your city>.”

• Upload your campaigns and launch them.

For the first three days, I recommend testing your campaigns using the Manual CPC strategy with low bids. While Google has a keyword planner, its predictions might not always be accurate. Also, if you're using Broad Match, it could quickly consume your budget. Before you set up Maximize Conversions, make sure you're getting at least 1 conversion per day. Try to avoid the Maximize Clicks and Target Impression Share strategies because the logic of these strategies isn't appropriate for your campaigns. The first strategy aims to generate as many clicks as possible, but the easiest way to achieve this is by neglecting relevant and useful traffic, focusing instead on lower-quality clicks. Similarly, Target Impression Share seeks to elevate the visibility of the cheapest keywords, potentially sacrificing the effectiveness of your campaign.

• Optimize your campaigns

First and foremost, ensure that your ads are displayed throughout the entire day. If you request Google to display your ad without allocating sufficient budget, it tends to exhaust your funds within the first hour of the day. If budget constraints are an issue, consider adjusting schedules so your ads are shown during working hours.

Secondly, conduct a weekly Search Query Report and exclude irrelevant phrases, especially if you're using Broad Match. Though it might feel like an endless routine, this practice aids in reducing CPC by enhancing the quality of your ads.

Experiment with different ad copies. There exists a multitude of combinations involving headlines, descriptions, and assets. Endeavor to find your optimal formula.

Explore various strategies. If you're employing the Maximize Conversions strategy, attempt to establish a lower tCPA than your current value. This adjustment can potentially yield more cost-effective traffic. Subsequently, experiment with raising or lowering your tCPA. Such changes could either expand the reach of your campaigns or conserve your budget.

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