23/05/2018 4 min read by Andrew Hou

10 Google Ads Mistakes You’re Making Right Now

10 AdWords Mistakes You’re Making Right Now

[activecampaign form=1]
Google AdWords allows advertisers pay to display brief advertising copy, product listings, and video content within the Google ad network to web users. Most local businesses utilise this service, either themselves or through a digital marketing agency in Sydney. The results, when implemented well, can be significant for business. However, like all things marketing, AdWords is not a passive, set-and-forget activity. There are many moving parts to ensure that your AdWords campaign is gaining the best results possible.

Here are 10 AdWords mistakes you could be making right now:

#1 Poor keyword choices

The most obvious of all, selecting poor keywords with low search volume are going to damage your Quality Score. Duplicating keywords is equally as bad as your cost per click increases when you use the same keyword for multiple purposes.

Use keyword planner to add new keywords with high search volumes, and make use of keyword matches to get the most bang for your buck. You can find duplicate keywords by using the Editor Feature in the “Tools” section.

#2 Not using negative keywords

Everyone knows keywords are essential to a good AdWords campaign, but many overlook negative keywords, which help you to avoid paying for irrelevant searches.

If you were advertising your marketing company, you could add ‘eggs,’ ‘vegetables,’ ‘groceries’ as negative keywords.

#3 Lack of targeting

Targeting is what allows you to direct your ads to the audience you want, which in turn drives conversions. This also ensures that you don’t pay for clicks that won’t convert.

Choose targeting strategies based on your business goals. Some ways to narrow down include location, audience, and device.

#4 Not using extensions

Ad extensions help your customers to navigate your site and take action without having to even go to your landing page.

Familiarise yourself with the various types of ad extensions and add them whenever it is suitable for your business. Callout extensions are almost always applicable.

#5 Not creating an ad group for your brand

It’s a competitive space, and the competition can be sneaky. One tactic is competitors creating an ad group with your brand keywords, so they come up when your customers search for you.

Get in ahead of them and create an ad group with your brand keywords first.

#6 Not testing ad positions

Depending on your business goals, the top spot is not always the best performing. If you want to drive conversions, the third and fifth positions are often best, and also cheaper.

Play with your Cost Per Click (CPC) bids to adjust your ad’s positions and analyse what works best for you.

#7 Not testing ad copy

Even the most perfect copy can underperform. Therefore, all copy should be tested.

Craft a few variations of your ad copy, and try adopting different angles. Wait until they receive around 20-40 clicks before pausing any that aren’t performing as well.

#8 Ignoring Regional Trends

You may want your AdWords campaigns to reach nationally, but targeting an entire country can make the campaign too broad to get the desired results.

If you start nationally, be sure to watch your campaign closely for geographic patterns; some areas will perform better than others. Look at regional user data regularly to ensure you aren’t wasting time and budget on underperforming audiences.

#9 Failure to Sculpt

Keyword sculpting ensures exact phrases and broad match keywords aren’t competing against each other. It also gives you control over which advertisements are displayed for each keyword, allowing you to more successfully funnel search queries.

Keyword sculpting increases website traffic, improves your Quality Score and lowers the average cost per click.

#10 Landing page experience

In the end, you could have the best AdWords campaign, but your landing page is where you capture these leads. If it is not optimised for excellent user experience and relevant to the campaign, you will lose many of the leads you had funnelled there. It will also impact your Quality Score.

You need to check it for quick loading speeds, mobile optimisation, aesthetic content, and clear Call-to-Actions.

Whether you’re running AdWords yourself or working with an AdWords company in Sydney, if you do not see the ideal results or you’re wondering if they could be better, why not take a complimentary AdWords audit from one of the best digital agencies in Sydney? AdVisible offers Google AdWords Services in Sydney, ensuring our clients are achieving the best results possible. Contact the team at AdVisible today.

Our Recent Blogs