Google Search Ads Best Practice for SEM
Did you know?
Optimising Google Search Ads campaign requires more than just nailing ad copy and targeting.
The way you structure your Google Ads account can also make a huge difference!
A solid account setup not only makes your life easier but also boosts your ad relevance, improves Quality Scores, and keeps your cost low.
In this guide, we'll break down the essentials—from creating Google Ads account to managing campaigns, ad groups, and keywords. Whether you're new to Google Search Ads or a seasoned advertisers, these tips will help you get the most out of your campaigns. Let’s get started!
Account Level
1. Account Creation:
Create a Google Ads Account: Visit ads.google.com and sign up using any email address (not necessarily Gmail). Follow the setup prompts to create your account.
Google Ads Manager Account: Consider creating a Manager account if you need to manage multiple accounts. This is useful for agencies, consultants, or businesses with multiple brands.
2. Settings:
Account Name: Choose a short and clear name for your account. This helps with easy identification, especially when dealing with multiple accounts.
Billing Info: Set up your preferred payment method to ensure smooth billing processes.
Time Zone: Set your account to the correct time zone to ensure your ad scheduling is accurate.
Auto-tagging: Enable auto-tagging to automatically add the GCLID parameter to your URLs. This is crucial for tracking conversions.
Ad Suggestions: Decide if you want Google's ad suggestions to be automatically applied. This can be adjusted at any time.
Account Status: Ensure your account is enabled and ready for ad campaigns. Check for any limitations or issues.
Tracking Template: Use tracking templates to add additional information to your URLs for better tracking and attribution.
Conversions and Attribution Model: Define which actions you want to track as conversions and choose an attribution model that aligns with your business goals.
Linked Accounts: Link your Google Ads account to other Google products (e.g., Google Analytics) to leverage additional data and insights.
3. General Tips:
Switch to Expert Mode: Start in Expert Mode rather than Smart Mode to gain more control over your account settings and campaign structures.
Perform Regular Audits: Schedule regular audits to identify optimization opportunities and fix any issues before they impact performance.
Be Cautious with Auto-apply Recommendations: Google's recommendations can be helpful, but always review and decide what's best for your campaigns.
Campaign Level
1. Campaign Types:
Choose the appropriate campaign type based on your marketing goals (e.g., Search, Display, Video, Shopping, etc.). Each type serves different purposes and reaches different audiences.
2. Settings:
Campaign Name: Choose descriptive names that help you easily identify the campaign's purpose.
Status: Manage your campaign's status (enabled, paused, or removed) based on your needs and goals.
Goal: Set a clear objective for each campaign (e.g., increase website traffic, generate leads).
Budget: Define how much you are willing to spend daily on your campaign. Adjust this based on performance and ROI.
Bid Strategy: Select a bid strategy that aligns with your campaign goals, whether it's manual bidding or automated strategies.
Locations & Languages: Target specific geographic areas and languages to reach the most relevant audience.
Networks: Decide where your ads will appear (e.g., Google Search, Display Network) based on your campaign type.
Ad Schedule: Set specific days and times for your ads to run, optimizing for when your target audience is most active.
Devices: Choose which devices your ads will appear on (e.g., desktop, mobile).
3. General Tips:
Mix Campaign Types: Run different campaign types to maximize your reach across Google’s networks.
Keep Campaigns Manageable: Start with a few well-targeted campaigns and expand as you get more comfortable managing them.
Test Different Strategies: Experiment with different campaign settings and strategies to find what works best for your business.
Ad Group Level
1. Ad Group Setup:
Ad Group Name: Use clear and descriptive names that reflect the theme or focus of the ad group.
Ads: Create relevant ads for each ad group, ensuring they are closely related to the ad group's keywords and theme.
Ad Group Bid: Set a Max CPC bid if using Manual CPC to control how much you're willing to pay for each click.
2. Settings:
Keywords: Select keywords that are highly relevant to the products or services in the ad group. Use keyword research tools to identify the best keywords.
Ad Group Status: Manage the status of your ad groups (enabled, paused, or removed) based on performance and budget.
3. General Tips:
Systematic Organization: Keep ad groups tightly themed to maintain high relevance and Quality Scores.
Optimal Number: Aim for 7-10 ad groups per campaign to keep management simple and effective.
Regular Adjustments: Continuously monitor and optimize your ad groups to improve performance.
Keyword Level
1. Keyword Selection:
Research: Use keyword research tools to find the most relevant and high-performing keywords for your ad groups.
Match Types: Utilize a mix of broad, phrase, and exact match types to balance reach and precision.
2. Settings:
Keyword Bids: Set bids if using Manual CPC to control your spending on individual keywords.
Match Types: Choose the appropriate match type for each keyword based on your targeting strategy.
3. General Tips:
Mix Match Types: Use a combination of match types to optimize reach and relevance.
Limit Keywords: Keep your keyword list concise (no more than 20 keywords per ad group) to maintain focus and relevance.
Ad Level
1. Ad Creation:
Ad Components: Write compelling headlines and descriptions, and use relevant images or videos. Ensure the ad copy is engaging and includes a clear call to action (CTA).
Landing Page: Ensure all ads in an ad group point to the same landing page that is relevant and optimized for conversions.
2. Settings:
Tracking Template: Use tracking templates to add parameters for better tracking and analysis.
Custom Parameters: Include any necessary custom parameters for specific tracking needs.
Ad Label: Label ads for easier management and reporting.
3. General Tips:
A/B Testing: Regularly test different ad variations to determine what performs best. Swap out keywords, images, and CTAs to find the optimal combination.
Effective CTAs: Always include a strong call-to-action to guide users on what to do next.
Brand Consistency: Ensure your ads are consistent with your brand’s voice and messaging.
That’s it!
With this “cheatsheet”, you should now be able to set up and manage Google Search Ads campaigns effectively.
