Google is a popular ad platform because it is highly effective when it comes to driving traffic to your website. One reason behind its popularity is that it is one of the most widely used search engines in the world as more than 75-80% of the world’s laptop and mobile searches come through Google! Therefore, getting your Google Ads right is essential for your business growth.
Google Ads also impacts the SEO of your website; therefore, SEO and PPC are not opposite ends of a stick. No, having a good PPC strategy can help increase the SEO of your website. Most people are not aware of how to optimize Google Ads and end up losing a lot of money because of faulty marketing campaigns.
Common Google Ads Mistakes You Must Avoid for Maximum Results
The following are some of the most common Google Ad mistakes that are hurting your business and must be avoided for a successful ad campaign and maximum performance.
1. Too Many Generic Keywords!
The first mistake is, having too many generic keywords. A lot of people put together keywords in their Ads that are too generic and have the same theme. For example, if you are using a generic keyword that can have different meanings, then you need to split that keyword into more groups to see which one performs better.
Optimizing your ad keywords according to different themes will ensure that your landing page aligns perfectly with your ad copy, i.e., the user will get what he/she is searching for. For example, instead of using “accounting and bookkeeping firm,” you can have a themed ad by splitting them like “accounting+ bookkeeping + Seattle.” This will give you control of your ads.
2. Unsuitable Keywords
Poor keyword research and using unsuitable keywords is one of the most common mistakes mostly made by new businesses and marketers. However, the right keyword choice is very tricky. For example, at first glance, a short tail keyword might seem like the right choice. But if you research, you will find out that it is too generic and won’t yield any results.
A better option is to use a long-tail keyword for your website. Or you can use both short-tail and long-tail keywords and see which one performs better in terms of click-through rates. If it is too technical for you, consider consulting an SEO services company in Dubai for better results.
3. Matching
Another most common mistake is not picking the right match for your ad. There are four matches to choose from:
– Broad Match
Broad match is when Google displays all relevant searches regarding a particular keyword. It is very generic and is not recommended. It shows a lot of irrelevant stuff, so don’t use it for your ads. These keywords are also expensive.
– Broad match modifier (BMM)
The BMM is one level up from the broad match. Unlike Broad match, BMM allows you to use themed keywords and shows searches around it. For example, it could be “I need accounting and bookkeeping firm in Seattle” or “I live in Seattle, and I need accounting services.”
– Phrase match
Phrase match is for searches in quotes. For example, “accounting and bookkeeping services.” But for this, you cannot add words in the middle of a phrase match.
– Exact match
An exact match will not trigger results with different wordings. For example, if you have the keyword “accounting and bookkeeping services,” then it will not trigger if a user searches for “accounting and bookkeeping services in Seattle” if you don’t have this keyword. This is best for highly competitive keywords.
4. Missing Ad Extensions
You might be aware, but Google Ads offers a lot of opportunities when it comes to making ads unique and pop out. And you can do that by adding extensions. These extensions are things like an address on your ad, links, etc. There are different types of extensions that you can use in your Google Ads for different groups.
Use CTA’s and callouts to highlight important news or information. For example, highlight areas like free shipping, fast delivery, etc. Similarly, add links to your relevant webpages like product page, contact us page, etc. And last but not least, make sure you structure your snippets to make your ad easily to digest.
5. Lack of Bidding Strategy
SEO and Google Ads are like a battlefield. You have to plan well ahead of time, or you will end up losing a lot of money. Most people lack the keyword bidding strategy and make bad decisions. For example, it is clear that keywords with $1,000 cost per conversion will not have the same bid as the one with $50 per lead. Here are some of the most popular PPC bidding strategies that you should use:
– Conversion Strategies
These strategies are based on how likely your keyword will increase conversion. It has a further two types:
a) Cost-Per-Acquisition Strategy: CPA allows you to maximize conversion for a specific price. You set up a CPA, and the PPC platform reduces the bid when the price reaches the ceiling.
b) Enhanced Cost-Per-Click Strategy: eCPC allows you more control over your bid while optimizing conversion rates. The PPC platform analyzes ad auctions and then raises your CPC threshold for maximum impact.
– Revenue/Conversion Strategies
These strategies drive your bottom line revenue by predicting the profit of your campaigns. It has the following types:
a) ROAS Strategy: Return on Ad Spend offers a specific amount of revenue over your ad costs.
– Click-based Strategies
These are perhaps the most used strategies on Google Ads as it maximizes the volume of clicks for your budget.
If you don’t feel confident about manually adjusting your bids, you can always consult Spiral Click, an SEO services company in Dubai for effective bidding.
Ready to Redesign Your Google Ad Campaign!
These are some of the most common mistakes to avoid when it comes to Google Ads for getting better SEO results. You must be thinking that people are “ad blind” and have ad blockers on so your ads don’t matter. That is not true! People are just bored with seeing the same usual stuff again and again. However, with a powerful and creative ad campaign, you can still surprise them with something unique and new.
So, focus on the positive and enhance positive emotions in your audience and drive them to take action. Create compelling ads and offer them something they cannot refuse for maximum impact and increasing customer loyalty.
Avoid these mistakes, and with every ad, make sure to bring joy to your online searchers.