Embarking on your inaugural Google Ads campaign?

Congratulations on making a wise decision to invest in Google Ads. It’s a fantastic choice as it has the potential to propel your business to new heights. However, the key to a successful campaign lies in meticulous planning and execution to yield profitable outcomes.

But fret not! I’m here to guide you through the essentials of Google Ads campaigns in this article. So, let’s dive into the basics and equip you with the necessary knowledge

What is Google Ads?

Google Ads is an online advertising platform that operates on a Pay Per Click (PPC) model. It enables you to display your ads in various formats, such as search results and on websites across the internet. These ads are triggered by relevant keywords. For example, if you search for “Pizza,” you may encounter a Google Ads advertisement related to pizza.

As of late Google has replaced the “Ad” indicative for “Sponsored”

In the Google Ads auction, high search volume keywords like “Pizza” are bid upon by advertisers. The highest bidder doesn’t always win as Google also considers the quality of the website before assigning the keyword. Google aims to deliver relevant and high-quality results to its users. Therefore, a website with good quality and a higher bid is more likely to win the auction. It’s important to note that the price for each keyword can fluctuate.

Why you should use Google Ads?

Using Google Ads can bring a multitude of benefits to your business. Let us go over the most important few we recognize.

Unchallenged ROI

It is proven that Google Ads has the potential to generate a high return on investment (ROI). This is a fact.

By bidding on relevant keywords and ensuring the quality of your website, you can expect to see a boost in your return on investment (ROI).

‘Genuine’ PPC Campaign

Google Ads operates as a genuine pay-per-click advertising platform. You only pay when someone clicks on your ad. If there are no clicks, you don’t incur any costs. This pay-per-click model ensures that you only pay for the actual engagement with your ads. While it’s challenging to find an example with zero clicks, it highlights the effectiveness of Google Ads in driving user interactions.

Securing Top Positions

When your ads are associated with relevant keywords, Google positions them at the top of the search engine results pages (SERPs). Being in the top position significantly boosts visibility and click-through rates. On average, the #1 position garners approximately 33% of the total clicks, surpassing the click-through rates of other SERP positions.

Understanding Search Intent through Keywords

Each keyword used by searchers provides valuable insights into their intent and what they are looking for. By targeting relevant keywords, you can advertise specific pages on your website that fulfill their needs. This alignment between search intent and your ad content leads to a decrease in bounce rate and an increase in traffic.

Expanding Your Keyword Database

As you bid for keywords, Google recommends a broad list of high search volume and high conversion rate keywords. Incorporating these recommended keywords into your database allows you to optimize your content and improve your ranking in the SERPs. It’s a strategic approach that requires running a Google Ads campaign initially to receive these keyword recommendations.

What are the different types of Google Ads campaigns?

Search Ads

Here’s an example of a search network ad:

These ads are prominently displayed in the top positions of the search engine results pages (SERPs), typically ranging from positions 1 to 4. Search Network Ads are triggered whenever a user searches for the specific keyword that the ad is targeting.

Call-Only

Typically, when users click on search ads, they are directed straight to the landing page. However, if you choose the call-only option, clicking on the ads enables users to directly initiate a call with you.

Dynamic

Are you familiar with the distinction between static and dynamic content? If not, it’s important to note that static content remains unchanged, while dynamic content adapts and changes. In the case of Dynamic Ads in Google Ads, the headline of your ad varies based on the keywords searched by the user.

Display Ads

As you browse websites, you may have observed various types of advertisements displayed, such as the ones listed below. By selecting website placements or targeting a specific audience, you have control over where and how your ad appears.

Video Ads

Video advertisements are exclusively displayed to your selected target audience. Additionally, the same principle applies here: you will be charged for these ads only when users choose to watch them.

Shopping Ads

Shopping ads are particularly effective for eCommerce websites as they have the potential to generate significant profits for such businesses.

Running these types of ads requires a different approach, as you need to regularly update product information in the Google Merchant Center. However, you still need to set a budget and CPC bid for your ads.

Universal App

By running a Universal App Campaign, you can advertise your app to both iOS and Android users. Your app will be visible in searches, on YouTube, and even in the app store.

How are Google Ads used?

Now that we have covered all the important aspects of Google Ads, let’s begin the process of creating a Google Ads ad. The steps are straightforward, but it is crucial to follow them correctly.

1. Determine your budget

To start preparing your Google Ads campaigns, it’s important to decide on the budget you can allocate. Google Ads operates based on your daily budget, so you need to determine the amount you’re willing to spend.

How to determine your Google Ads budget? You can determine your budget based on your overall marketing budget and goals. For example, if your monthly advertising budget is $3000, dividing it by the number of days in the month (e.g., 30 or 31) gives you a daily budget of $100. This can be your Google Ads daily budget.

Shared Budget: Google Ads also offers the option of creating a shared budget, allowing you to distribute your daily budget across multiple campaigns. This smart allocation ensures that your budget is utilized effectively. For instance, if one campaign is not performing well but has already spent $300 of the budget, Google Ads will allocate the remaining $200 to another campaign with higher ROI potential.

2. Log in to Google Ads & Define your goal

Log in to Google Ads using your Gmail account. Once logged in, a window will prompt you with the question, “What’s your main advertising goal?”

Based on your specific goal, whether it’s to generate more calls, increase visits to your physical location, or drive sales and sign-ups, Google Ads will guide you in creating an effective campaign tailored to your objective.

3. Select Your Business and Target Audience

Once you’ve determined your goal, the next step is to choose the business you want to advertise. If you have synced your Google Ads account with Google My Business, your business will be listed automatically. However, if you wish to advertise a different business, you can select “Add Business” to input the relevant information.

Additionally, you will also need to define your target audience, specifying the demographics, interests, and other relevant criteria to ensure your ads reach the right audience.

You need to provide your business name and associated website.

Audience: Once you have provided your brand name and website, click on ‘Next’ to proceed to the next page.

On this page, you have the option to select your target audience based on location. You can add multiple locations, including cities, counties, or countries, that are relevant to your business presence.

Product: Next, you will need to provide details about the language in which you want to advertise and a brief description of your business.

On selecting the business category, Google Ads prompts you to specify the products or services you want to promote in this ad.

It makes the suggestions as well. You can select more than one product or service.

4. Setting Up Your Google Ads

Google Keyword Planner: To identify high search volume keywords relevant to your business, make use of Google’s Keyword Planner. This will help you determine the keywords you should bid on. By bidding on these keywords, your ad has the potential to rank higher when a user enters a search term that matches your purchased keyword.

Write Your Ads: Compose compelling headlines and descriptions for your advertisements. Additionally, include a link to the landing page. You have the option to create multiple ads. Since you have identified keywords through the Keyword Planner, optimize your ad copy by incorporating them. This can lead to a higher return on investment (ROI).

Add Visuals to Your Ads: Next, it’s time to enhance your advertisements with visuals. For display ads that will be showcased on websites, incorporate relevant images, pictures, and logos to make your ads visually appealing.

5. Set Your Budget and Review

Once you have prepared your advertisement, it’s important to determine your daily budget. Enter the amount you are willing to spend each day on your Google Ads campaign. After setting the budget, carefully review all the details of your campaign to ensure accuracy and effectiveness.

Google Ads offers estimated performance metrics such as impressions and clicks for ads similar to yours. This provides you with insights into how your ads may perform based on historical data.

6. Provide Billing and Payment

Information In the final step, you need to enter your billing address and payment details to complete the setup process.

7. Access the Google Ads Dashboard

Once your ad is set up and billing is done, you can monitor the performance of your ad using the Google Ads dashboard.

The Google Ads dashboard offers comprehensive insights into various aspects of your Google ads. It provides information on clicks, top-performing search ads, keyword auction data, and device performance metrics. Additionally, the dashboard includes other valuable elements that can assist you in optimizing your ads for future campaigns. By analyzing these metrics, you can effectively run a successful Google Ads campaign.

Some Final Thoughts

In conclusion, utilizing Google Ads is an excellent choice to drive more website traffic and achieve your goals effectively. With Google Ads, you can attract clicks, engagement, and traffic to your website, and if your landing page is compelling, you may even witness conversions. It’s important to continuously monitor your ad performance through the dashboard, as it will help you determine when to pause or relaunch a campaign. While it’s advisable to be patient and allow campaigns to run for at least a week or longer to see results, if you don’t observe any improvement, it’s recommended to stop the campaign and make necessary adjustments. Best of luck with your first Google Ads campaign!

Ad Extensions are a valuable feature in Google Ads that can significantly improve click-through rates (CTR). However, it’s important to understand when and how to use them effectively. Adding ad extensions without a strategy can negatively impact CTR and attract irrelevant clicks. Proper utilization is crucial, as misuse can impact not only CTR but also your overall campaign performance and bottom line. To help you optimize your Google Ads campaigns, we have created a comprehensive guide to ad extensions, including the latest 2020 options and upcoming extensions. By following this guide, you can enhance your campaign performance and achieve better results.

Unlocking the Power of Ad Extensions in Google Ads

Google Ads can be challenging and frustrating, especially when dealing with character limits. Trying to fit all the necessary information into your ads, such as contact details, offers, and keywords, can feel impossible. Fortunately, ad extensions offer a solution to these pain points. They provide additional space to include essential details and enhance your ads’ effectiveness. With ad extensions, you can overcome the limitations and effectively communicate your message to potential customers.

• Can’t fit your business info in the description? Use ad extensions.
• Can’t drive app downloads? Use ad extensions.

Google Ad Extensions live up to their name by extending the length of your ad and providing valuable information to consumers. When you perform a Google search, you often encounter multiple ad extensions accompanying the ads.

Now here is a result that currently uses ad extensions:

Let’s quickly review:

Ad Extensions offer a simple solution to surpass the character limits of Google Ads’ ad text by including important information about your business. This guide will cover various forms of information that can be added through ad extensions.

Apart from expanding your ad text, what are the benefits of using ad extensions? Let’s find out.

Reasons To Use Ad Extensions

Ad extensions provide more than just ad length extension. While that is a significant advantage, it is not the sole benefit.

“Ad extensions increase an ad’s click-through-rate by several percentage points.”

Google

In various studies, Google has observed significant boosts in CTR, reaching up to 20% for ads with ad extensions compared to those without. When bidding on branded search terms, you can expect CTR increases ranging from 20% to 50%. These findings are compelling as increasing CTR leads to higher sales and improved ROI.

The best part about ad extensions is that they come at no additional cost. Click prices remain the same, and there are no fees for using them.

One of the major advantages of ad extensions is that they allow your ad copy to focus on creating a compelling call to action. Without ad extensions, there is a tendency to include details like coupons or discounts, which can boost CTR. However, they consume valuable ad space that could be utilized for extensions.

When your ad copy lacks room for impactful content, it becomes dull, repetitive, and fails to stand out among thousands of similar ads. Your ads should be irresistible to click on, and that’s not possible without extensions. However, before you start using ad extensions excessively, it’s important to understand common mistakes that prevent the promised CTR increases.

Common Mistakes with Ad Extensions

Ad extensions hold the promise of increasing your click-through rate (CTR) and driving substantial profits. It’s alluring to witness case studies showcasing a 50% CTR boost and impressive returns. However, it’s important to exercise caution and avoid taking ad extensions to the extreme.

The temptation to apply ad extensions excessively and indiscriminately to every ad, ad group, and campaign can be strong. Adding phone numbers, locations, messages, discounts, sitelinks, and callouts may seem like a logical step. But it’s crucial to recognize that this approach can have detrimental effects.

In reality, the indiscriminate use of ad extensions can lead to reduced ad relevancy and lower quality scores. As a result, you may experience more expensive clicks and poorer campaign performance, undermining the very goal you aimed to achieve.

If you need a quick reminder about the quality score metric, here’s a brief overview. The quality score is a numerical estimate, ranging from 1 to 10, that evaluates the relevance of your ad, keywords, and landing page experience.

According to Google, the higher your quality score, the more relevant and cheaper your ads will be. The quality score comprises three key components:

1. Landing page experience
2. Expected click-through rate (CTR)
3. Ad relevance

When it comes to ad extensions, it’s important to note that two out of the three major factors that make up the quality score can be influenced by them. Ad extensions have the potential to impact both ad relevance and expected click-through rate (CTR).

However, if you use inappropriate or irrelevant ad extensions that don’t align with your goals or the desired call to action in your ads, it can result in lower-than-average CTRs and a decrease in the quality score. This, in turn, can also negatively affect ad relevance.

While your landing page may still perform well, it’s crucial to remember that it constitutes only one-third of the quality score. Many people make a common mistake with ad extensions by not customizing them for each specific ad. Let’s consider an example of such an extension:

This particular company is advertising their SEO tool through search network ads. They have wisely included sitelink extensions that directly correspond to the functionalities of their SEO tool, such as audits, keyword research, and more.

This is an excellent example of utilizing ad extensions that are highly likely to generate a higher-than-expected click-through rate (CTR), improve relevance, boost quality scores, and ultimately reduce costs.

Now, let’s examine another example where the ad extension doesn’t align with the apparent objective of the ad:

They use two forms of ad extensions on this ad, yet neither of them relates to the call to action they give.

It’s evident that their main objective is to drive phone calls to their business, as they are offering a significant discount for calling. However, both of their ad extensions are geared towards directing people to their website for more information. Can you spot the problem? This mismatched approach is likely to yield fewer desired results.

Avoid the mistake of adding ad extensions to your ads just for the sake of it, solely based on studies that highlight improved click-through rates (CTR). Every time you utilize extensions, ensure that they align with and enhance your desired call to action.

If your goal is to drive website visits, refrain from using phone call extensions. On the other hand, if you want to encourage phone calls, avoid extensions that prompt users to click around your website.

Now that you have a clear understanding of what ad extensions are, why you should use them, and where most people go wrong, let’s explore each ad extension offered by Google Ads and learn how to set them up today.

Google Ads Ad Extensions in Detail

1. Location Extensions

We’ve all heard the phrase “location, location, location,” and surprisingly, it still holds true even in 2020.

Thanks to modern technology, we can spot something we like while walking down the street, quickly search for it on Google, and locate a nearby store that sells it within seconds.

The rise of online commerce can be seen as either a threat or an opportunity for local businesses.

That’s where location extensions come in, offering immense potential for growth. If you run a local business with a physical presence, location extensions will become your best friend.

Many people tend to view offline and online commerce as separate entities, believing that online and offline marketing cannot coexist or generate compounded results. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. By integrating online and offline marketing and sales efforts, you can accelerate revenue growth faster than treating them as isolated functions.

Google’s latest studies support this notion. They analyzed numerous searches related to local queries and discovered that 76% of people who searched for a nearby product online visited the physical store within a day, and of those, 28% made a purchase.

76% of people who search for something nearby on their smartphone visit a related business within a day, and 28% of those searches result in a purchase.

“Near Me” searches grew more than 130% year over year.

Meaning the opportunities to attract online searchers to your physical stores are increasing day by day, month by month, and year by year.

Having an online presence alongside your offline store has never been more advantageous, especially when you leverage both in synergy.

Location extensions play a crucial role in this strategy by displaying your local business address directly on the ad for relevant search results.

For example, when searching for a local plumber, you’ll come across ads with location extensions that look like this:

Clicking on the location extension is treated as a regular click, similar to clicking on your website. However, instead of directing the user to a website, this extension takes them to Google Maps with the location pre-filled as the destination:

These types of extensions are particularly beneficial for campaigns targeting mobile users since they are more likely to be on the move compared to desktop users. However, it doesn’t mean that desktop users don’t use maps or won’t use them to find local businesses. Instant foot traffic is just more common among mobile users. So, how can you set them up? Setting up location extensions requires some additional steps compared to other ad extensions because it involves linking your Google My Business account. Follow these instructions, and you’ll be able to set up location extensions in just a few minutes. Start by accessing your Google Ads account dashboard and navigating to the ads and extensions tab:

From here, click the extensions sub-section in the menu to head to the extension tab.

Then, click the plus sign to add a new extension, and select the location extension option from the drop-down menu:

Next, link your Google My Business account with Google Ads:

If your Google My Business account is not listed as an option, you can choose the second option and send yourself an email to link the accounts. Then, click on “Manage locations in Google My Business.” This will enable you to edit the locations and addresses for your business. If you have multiple business locations, you can add and edit them and select the relevant ones for your campaigns. That’s all! After connecting your GMB account, you will see the location extensions available for use in the ad extensions tab.

2. Affiliate Location Extensions

magine this scenario: You’re walking down the street and spot a product that catches your eye. Or perhaps you try someone’s headphones and decide you want to purchase them. You search online and discover that there are three local locations that sell the product. Pretty cool, right? It’s amazing how online searches can drive traffic to real, in-store purchases.

Even if you don’t have a physical store yourself, you can still benefit from this by using affiliate location extensions. These powerful extensions are ideal for companies that sell products through different stores. For example, if a local hardware shop in the searcher’s area carries your products, you can use these extensions to target them. Searchers will find the affiliate extension, which will direct them to the local store where they can purchase your product off the shelf.

Why are these extensions beneficial? Because they offer searchers multiple options. People don’t have to visit a single store; they can choose from different ways to buy your product. Making the buying process easier and more convenient for users is always a plus. These extensions help reduce friction.

Affiliate location extensions can be utilized by national retail brands, brands that sell products to other retailers, or businesses with multiple locations in the same area. For example, if your store has three locations in Los Angeles, you can display all three locations in the same ad using this extension, making it easier for customers to buy based on their proximity.

Here’s how affiliate location extensions will appear in Google Ads when you search:

These extensions are displayed when users search for specific products or general product categories. They are not generated for online products. To set up these ad extensions, return to the ads and extensions tab in your dashboard. From the list, choose affiliate location extensions.

From this point, you can start setting up general retailers by connecting your accounts and locations to local retail shops according to the country where they operate.

After selecting your country, you can browse or search an extensive list of chains:

Choose a store, and Google Ads will handle the rest. You will immediately see a preview of how the ad extension will appear on your ad.

Now you can reap the rewards of affiliate locations to drive sales for your business.

3. Callout Extensions

Callout extensions are incredibly user-friendly and widely utilized extensions in the market. The reason behind their popularity is their accessibility to anyone and the minimal time required for setup. You don’t need to have a local business with an address or a retail store selling your products. Even a business phone number or messaging capabilities are not necessary. All you need is a creative text to incorporate into your ads and basic typing skills.

The significant advantage of callout extensions is that they allow you to expand your ad copy, providing additional space for important pieces of information that would otherwise need to be squeezed into your descriptions and headlines. Take a look at the example below to see how callout extensions typically appear:

Callout extensions offer a straightforward and concise way to highlight features and compelling information that can influence consumers to make a purchase. When callout extensions appear in your ads, you can display two to six of them alongside your ad text. Each callout extension has a 25-character limit, but it’s recommended to keep them even shorter.

The key to effective callout extensions is to focus on simple, snappy, and quick features or benefits. Instead of using valuable description space for features like “free shipping” or “24/7 support,” move them to your callout extensions. Use your description copy to emphasize benefits that customers truly care about, such as speed and a smooth user experience. Callouts provide an opportunity to showcase features without sacrificing the impact of benefits.

To set up callout extensions, simply create a new one from the drop-down menu in your ad settings

In the “Callout text” box you can add your callouts with the 25 character limit.

However, it’s important to keep your callout extensions punchy and limit them to two or three words maximum. Use callouts to advertise unique features of your business that differentiate you from others, such as free shipping, ongoing discounts, or 24/7 phone support.

One common mistake people make with callouts is neglecting to adjust the advanced settings for each campaign. It’s easy to quickly add callouts without taking the time to optimize them. Before you finish and exit Google Ads in frustration, make sure to click on “Advanced options.”

This is where callouts truly shine. If you take a closer look at most search network ads, you’ll find that the majority of callouts are uninteresting, basic, and used by almost every business. Why is that? It’s because they are not leveraging the advanced settings to their full advantage.

The advanced options in callout extensions provide valuable customization opportunities such as device preferences and scheduling, which contribute to brand positioning. Brand positioning, when optimized, can lead to a 50% increase in repeat conversions.

Consider important aspects of your business to inform your callout positioning strategy. For example, if you want to boost mobile sales, create a “free shipping mobile-only” callout and set the device preference to “Mobile” to target mobile users specifically.

To promote a limited-time sale, utilize callouts with specific start and end dates for coupons. If you have live agents available, create a callout indicating their availability and set the “Days and hours” to match your business hours, ensuring users can interact with a live agent promptly.

By offering tailored and customized options through callout extensions, you can enhance the effectiveness of your ads. The impact of callout extensions has been proven through A/B testing by PPC Hero, showing a 221% increase in click-through rates and a 40% lift in conversion rates. Removing callout extensions resulted in a significant decrease in CTR and conversions.

Maximize the potential of callouts by adding greater specificity, and you’ll achieve superior outcomes.

4. Sitelink Extensions

Similar to callout extensions, sitelink extensions are highly popular among Google Ads advertisers. The reason is simple: they offer significant value with minimal effort required for implementation.

Let’s consider an example. Imagine you’re searching for a product for the first time, such as SEO tools. You’re not yet familiar with the subject, so clicking on the first link to make a purchase might feel overwhelming. You may not even know what you’re looking for, let alone being ready to sign up on a landing page.

This is where sitelink extensions prove their worth:

Just like callout extensions, sitelink extensions are highly favored by Google Ads advertisers because they provide users with more options to navigate to different pages on your website.

For example, if someone is interested in learning more about SEO tools before making a purchase, sitelinks can guide them to pages that explain different tools, their usage, and even offer a trial.

When creating ads on Google Ads, you typically have a single “Final URL” or landing page for each ad. However, sitelinks allow you to overcome this limitation by adding additional relevant links.

The key to successful sitelinks is relevance. If you’re advertising socks, make sure your sitelinks focus on different sock types rather than promoting unrelated products like hats.

To set up sitelink extensions, go to your Google Ads dashboard and create them as a new ad extension. You’ll have plenty of options to customize and edit them according to your preferences.

You also have the opportunity to add a significant amount of text with sitelink extensions. Each sitelink text can contain up to 25 characters, and each description line can have up to 35 characters.

When you add sitelink text to your ad extensions, they will appear in the following format:

The appearance of sitelink extensions is similar to callout extensions, but with the added feature of clickable links to your website. If you choose to include descriptions to provide more information, they will be displayed in this format:

We suggest two options:

1. Utilize full sitelink extensions with completed description information, along with callout extensions (as shown in the above ad).
2. Use sitelink extensions without descriptions and without callouts to maintain a clean and concise ad appearance.

Before activating your new sitelinks, make sure to edit this crucial feature:

Change the “Add to” setting. By default, it is set to your account, which means the sitelink you create will be applied to all your ads, past and future. However, it is generally not recommended to do that. Instead, you want your sitelinks to be relevant to each specific ad or campaign.

Remember the importance of being specific. In the advanced options settings, you have the opportunity to customize your sitelinks using the same features as callouts.

If you have specific links for mobile users, you can select “Mobile” as the preferred device. That’s it! Now you can add sitelinks to your ads to provide more depth and options.

5. Call Extensions

When you find yourself in a situation like coming home to a flooded basement after a long day, your next move is to call a plumber. However, choosing the right plumber can be a challenge. That’s where call extensions come in handy, as they help capture business leads that are in immediate need of help, products, or information.

People facing a flooded basement are unlikely to spend hours browsing websites or filling out forms. They need assistance urgently and prefer to contact service providers directly by phone. This is where call extensions become invaluable. When users search on Google, call extensions are often displayed based on the specific query used.

On mobile devices, call extensions are displayed as clickable buttons, making it even more convenient for users to contact businesses. This enhances their effectiveness in driving calls. If you want to prioritize phone calls from mobile phones, you can also consider using call-only ads.

When users search for queries that indicate an immediate need for services, phone numbers associated with call extensions will be displayed.

To set up a call extension for your business, simply go to your dashboard and create a new extension. You can enter your business phone number quickly to make it live.

Next, you should enable call reporting and tell Google Ads to track calls from ads as conversions:

Implementing call extensions can prevent seeing a zero in your conversion metrics on Google Ads, alleviating potential concerns. While calls may not be counted as conversions initially, you can adjust your metrics to reflect conversions when people convert to services.

However, it is crucial to consider your ability to answer incoming calls promptly. Failing to do so can result in missed opportunities and wasted leads, costing you money. Ideally, you should be prepared to answer calls when they come in, as leaving calls unanswered can be detrimental to your business.

Furthermore, it’s important to be mindful of call duration. Research shows that around 66% of consumers consider two minutes as the maximum acceptable hold time. Beyond that, callers are likely to hang up. Therefore, it’s essential to provide prompt assistance and avoid unnecessarily long wait times.

To address these challenges, you can optimize the advanced settings of your call extensions. For example, you can configure the extensions to only appear during your business hours, ensuring that calls are answered promptly and efficiently.

Using call extensions is beneficial when you have the capability to answer calls promptly. These extensions are ideal for businesses that aim to generate quick sales or have skilled sales staff who can effectively convert leads into prospects.

However, if your business typically doesn’t handle incoming calls or you lack the resources to handle them efficiently, it’s best not to force the use of call extensions. It’s important to align the extension type with your business’s operational capacity and prioritize customer experience by providing appropriate channels for communication.

6. Structured Snippets

urrently, you can choose from the following data points for structured snippets to enhance your ads and cater to different user intents:

• Amenities
• Brands
• Courses
• Degree programs
• Destinations
• Featured hotels
• Insurance coverage
• Models
• Neighborhoods
• Service catalog
• Shows
• Styles
• Types

By adding relevant structured snippets, you can provide users with specific information that aligns with their search intent, increasing the effectiveness of your ad extensions.

For instance, selecting the “Service catalog” option will display a structured snippet listing the various services offered by your company.

By choosing a header such as “Insurance coverage,” you can showcase a structured snippet featuring a comprehensive list of the different types of insurance your business provides.

Structured snippet extensions are a great way to highlight specific information about your business in a dynamic manner. When selecting a header like “Degree programs,” you can feature a structured snippet that displays various degree options offered by your school, such as business, accounting, HR, marketing, and more. These extensions are visible on both desktop and mobile devices, and Google recommends including at least four different values per header. The key advantage of structured snippets is their ability to adapt and display relevant information based on the user’s search query, ensuring that users find the specific details they are looking for. Use structured snippets to provide additional information about your business within the listed categories/headers mentioned above.

7. Message Extensions

Message extensions leverage the current trend of messaging apps and the decreasing popularity of phone calls. Instead of relying on traditional phone calls, people prefer to communicate through messaging platforms like WhatsApp, Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, and Kik. To tap into this shift in communication preferences, consider using message extensions in your Google Ads.

Message extensions are straightforward to use and enable users to initiate a conversation with your business directly through messaging apps. They provide a convenient and familiar way for potential customers to connect with you, aligning with the messaging culture that has become dominant in today’s digital landscape.

Message extensions offer customers the option to text your business for information instead of making a phone call. This is a valuable alternative or complement to call extensions, especially considering the prevailing aversion to phone calls. To set up message extensions, simply go to your dashboard and create one from the extensions page.

Setting up message extensions can be complex and requires careful customization based on your campaigns. There are two key components to consider: the extension text and the message text. The extension text serves as a headline to convince users to text you, while the message text is pre-populated when a user clicks on the extension, making it easier for them to initiate the conversation. However, it’s crucial to avoid generic messages and instead customize the message extensions for each campaign or ad group. This ensures that the message text is tailored to the specific product or service you’re promoting, increasing the likelihood of user engagement. Additionally, make use of the advanced settings to only display the message extension during your business hours when you can respond promptly.

8. Price Extensions

Price extensions are a valuable tool to display pricing information directly in your ads, appealing to users who prioritize cost when making purchasing decisions. When people search for specific products or services, they often engage in comparison shopping to find the best deals and maximize the value they receive. By utilizing price extensions, you can provide users with transparent pricing information upfront, increasing the likelihood of conversion. With price extensions, you have the opportunity to add depth to your ads and showcase competitive pricing, enticing users to choose your offering.

Price extensions offer more than just the ability to display prices. They also allow you to showcase multiple products or services within a single ad, making them suitable for reaching broader markets. Rather than creating separate ads for different haircuts targeting specific demographics, you can create one ad with multiple pricing options as extensions, catering to a wider audience. Furthermore, price extensions are compatible with both mobile and desktop ads, ensuring that you can leverage them to drive sales regardless of the device being used.

To add price extensions, you can create them as a new extension type in your dashboard. It’s important to understand the various features and their meanings. Here is a breakdown of the key features:

Type: This refers to the type of pricing extension you want to display. Google Ads currently offers several options to choose from, including Brands, Events, Locations, Neighborhoods, Product categories, Product tiers, Service categories, Service tiers, and Services.

For instance, if you select the “Events” type, you can list various concerts for which you are selling tickets. This allows you to provide specific pricing information for each event.

By choosing the “Locations” type, you can showcase a variety of cruise destinations offered by your business, along with their respective pricing. This allows potential customers to easily compare prices and make informed decisions based on their preferred location.

Choose the appropriate type based on your campaign objectives and the nature of your products or services.

For the price qualifier, consider whether you want to display exact prices or use qualifiers like “from $99.” You have the following price qualifiers to choose from:

• From
• Up to
• Average

For each product or service, you can add up to eight price extension items. Google recommends including at least three.

To begin, enter your desired price qualifier and type. Then, provide the necessary details for each price extension item, such as headers, descriptions, and the final URL.

The header and description fields have a character limit of 25 each. The “Final URL” is the landing page you want to direct users to, which should correspond to the specific product mentioned in the extension.

If you have separate mobile links, you can input a mobile Final URL to redirect mobile traffic to a specific URL instead of the standard Final URL.

9. App Extensions

Mobile applications have become integral parts of our daily lives. Statista (an online platform specialized in market and consumer data) reports that the Apple App Store alone houses nearly four million applications.

If you’re aiming to increase downloads for your mobile application, you’re probably familiar with the challenges posed by intense competition and oversaturation in the market. Standing out and attracting genuinely interested users to download your app can be a daunting task. However, there’s good news: application ad extensions are here to help. These mobile-specific ad extensions provide effective and targeted strategies to quickly drive qualified downloads for your app. Take a look at their appearance below:

When a user clicks on the app extension, they are directed to the app store that corresponds to their device’s platform (such as Apple App Store or Google Play Store). They will be taken directly to the information page of your application, where they can learn more about it and proceed with the download if they’re interested.

When setting up your app extension, choose the mobile app platforms that your application is available on. This ensures that the extension will be displayed to users on the respective platforms, increasing the chances of attracting relevant and interested users. Remember, the app extension is not designed to drive traffic to your website but rather to direct users to your app’s information page on the app store. Therefore, it’s crucial to optimize your app store page with compelling visuals, detailed descriptions, and engaging content to captivate potential users and encourage downloads.

After selecting your desired mobile app platforms, you can search for your app by its name or publisher name. Once you locate your app, you can proceed to customize your download text, also known as your call to action. This is the text that will be displayed on the ad to entice users to click and download your app. It’s important to craft a compelling and persuasive call to action that highlights the value and benefits of your app to encourage users to take the desired action of downloading it.

Make sure to create a compelling call to action and to keep it under 25 characters.

Here is a good template to follow:

[Click to Download appname Now!]

Lastly, you can choose whether or not you want your ad extension to show on tablets:

If your application is not optimized for tablet usage, it is advisable to exclude it from the app extension. This will help you avoid wasting clicks on users who may have a negative experience with your app on their tablets, leading to potential app deletion. It’s important to prioritize providing a positive user experience and targeting users who are more likely to have a seamless and satisfactory experience with your app.

10. Promotion Extensions

The promotion extensions allow you to effectively communicate your holiday sales and offers without limiting your ad description text. By utilizing these extensions, you can convey the message that your product is great while also highlighting the discounts and deals available. This approach is more compelling and provides potential customers with a clearer understanding of what they can expect. Make the most of promotion extensions in your next campaign to run successful holiday and seasonal sales campaigns.

When setting up promotion extensions, you have several key elements to adjust based on your products and the type of promotions you want to run. These elements include:

1. Promotion type: Choose whether you want to offer a monetary discount, percentage discount, or up to a certain amount or percentage off.
2. Currency: Specify the currency you use for your promotions, which can be customized based on the advertising locations.
3. Occasion: Select the specific holiday or occasion for your promotion, such as New Year’s, Valentine’s Day, Easter, Mother’s and Father’s Day, Labor Day, Back-to-school, Halloween, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Christmas, or Boxing Day.
4. Promotion details: Specify the requirements for the coupon or promotion to be applied, such as a promo code or a minimum order value.
5. Displayed promotion dates: Set the start and end dates and times for your promotion.

Depending on the occasion you choose, the promotion extension will display the corresponding holiday directly within the extension.

Using specific occasions for your promotions is a great way to create a sense of urgency and appeal to holiday sales. However, if you want to run ongoing promotions that are not tied to a specific holiday, you can select “None” from the occasion list and set your own start and end dates for the campaign.

Here is a table listing the start and end dates that you can use for occasion-based promotions:

• New Year’s: [Start Date] – [End Date]
• Valentine’s Day: [Start Date] – [End Date]
• Easter: [Start Date] – [End Date]
• Mother’s and Father’s Day: [Start Date] – [End Date]
• Labor Day: [Start Date] – [End Date]
• Back-to-school: [Start Date] – [End Date]
• Halloween: [Start Date] – [End Date]
• Black Friday: [Start Date] – [End Date]
• Cyber Monday: [Start Date] – [End Date]
• Christmas: [Start Date] – [End Date]
• Boxing Day: [Start Date] – [End Date]

By selecting the appropriate occasion and setting the start and end dates, you can effectively promote your sales and create a sense of urgency for your customers. Promotion extensions are an excellent tool for boosting sales during holidays or promoting new offers that can attract the attention of Google users and potential buyers.

11. Lead Form Extension

Google has introduced its answer to Facebook lead ads to prevent losing market share to other online advertising giants. With Google’s lead form extension, users can sign up for coupons, quotes, or offers directly within the ad, eliminating the need to visit a separate landing page. This feature is particularly convenient for mobile users and logged-in Google Chrome users, as their information can be pre-filled. After being announced in October 2019, the lead form extension entered open beta in August 2020, allowing advertisers in most countries to test it in their campaigns. The extension consists of three parts: the initially visible extension, which includes a CTA and a 30-character description.

Next, there’s the lead form itself within the extension, where you can create a 30-character headline, specify your business name, and provide a description of up to 200 characters.

Finally, you can customize the submission message to give the leads any further instructions or information, and even link to your website:

Overall, the lead form extension is ideal for service-based businesses aiming to bypass the need for a landing page and capture leads directly, without the assistance of a designer.

 12. Image Extensions

Image extensions are a powerful type of ad extension that enables you to incorporate visually appealing and relevant images alongside your text ads. By showcasing compelling visuals of your products or services, image extensions enhance the effectiveness of your ads and can significantly improve their performance.

For optimal performance, it is crucial that image extensions are closely aligned with the queries within the ad group or campaign. The images should provide valuable information to searchers and reflect the experience they will encounter on your landing page. It is recommended to place important content in the central 80% of the image to ensure maximum visibility.

To maintain a high-quality consumer ad experience, image extensions must adhere to all Google Ads and personalization policies. Additionally, Google will review each image extension to ensure compliance with specific requirements listed below, which take precedence over general Google Ads policies. It’s important to note that image extension requirements are more stringent compared to other platforms, and disapproved image extensions may still run on Google’s other owned and operated properties.

The performance of an image extension relies on the quality and relevance of the image to the associated keywords and ads in your Google Ads account. The images should effectively showcase the actual product experience and comply with the outlined requirements.

13. Automated Extensions

The Google Ads algorithm automatically generates and shows extensions based on relevant search terms. This is particularly noticeable in campaigns with few manual ad extensions. In case you haven’t provided sufficient information through manual extensions, the algorithm may implement the following types of automated extensions:

• Automated call extensions
• Automated message extensions
• Dynamic sitelink extensions
• Dynamic structured snippet extensions
• Automated location extensions

To determine if your campaign is affected by automated extensions, you can check the stats for the specific campaign or ad group. If you notice a significant number of impressions for automated extensions, it indicates that there is room for improvement and adjustments in your ad extensions.

If Google is often forced to generate generic extensions, like sitelinks and callouts, it will often make recommendations in the regular extensions tab.

Contrary to a common myth, Google may still display automated extensions even if you already have other forms of extensions in your campaigns. Google’s algorithm can override existing extensions in certain cases where it identifies a better match for specific search queries. For example, if a user searches for “horse riding lessons gallery” and you don’t have a pre-existing gallery sitelink, Google may dynamically generate and display relevant sitelinks. However, if you have comprehensive coverage with manual extensions, the presence of automated extensions will decrease significantly. Additionally, in some countries, you may also have automated seller ratings extensions based on ratings aggregated from “reputable sources” as determined by Google.

Conclusions about Google Ad Extensions

Ad extensions are a valuable asset for Google advertisers, but relying on a single extension won’t revolutionize your campaign. It’s crucial to leverage the relevant extensions effectively to enhance the experience for your target audience. When implemented correctly, extensions can address your pain points by boosting performance, increasing click-through rates (CTR) and display rates, and reducing cost-per-click (CPC) on your ads. They expand the character limit, enabling you to focus on compelling ad copy such as calls to action and keywords. However, many people make the mistake of assuming that combining multiple ad extensions will yield results. In reality, it’s often the opposite. The key is to use specific ad extensions that align directly with the desired call-to-action (CTA) for each ad. With a wide range of options available, select a few extensions that align with your campaign goals or specific ads. Take advantage of these ad extensions in your next campaign and see the impact they can make.

Like any specialized field, digital marketing has its own set of acronyms. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and SEM (Search Engine Marketing) are commonly used terms and effective strategies for inbound marketers. However, many people struggle to differentiate between the two and understand their symbiotic relationship. Some common questions include:

• What is SEM, and how does it relate to SEO?
• Should SEM be part of an inbound marketing program?
• Is an organic focus on SEO the best long-term choice?

If you have similar questions, there’s no need to worry. This article will clarify the distinctions between SEO and SEM, highlight how they support and enhance each other, and explore effective ways to leverage both strategies for maximum impact in your B2B inbound marketing plan.

Getting Started: Decoding the Meaning of SEM

When it comes to the basics, it’s essential to understand the distinction between SEM and SEO. SEM stands for search engine marketing, while SEO stands for search engine optimization. To grasp the concept better, let’s draw an analogy to traditional marketing methods like push and pull marketing. In this comparison, SEM aligns more with an outbound or push approach, in contrast to SEO. To keep things simple, remember this key difference between the two strategies.

SEO is an organic search strategy.

SEM is a paid search strategy.

In order to have a comprehensive online search marketing toolkit, it is crucial to incorporate both of these distinct yet interconnected strategies. Effective SEM relies on effective SEO, making it essential to have a strong SEO foundation for successful SEM implementation.

SEO is Foundational for Inbound Marketing

Search engine optimization (SEO) endeavors to enhance website traffic by improving its ranking on a search engine results page (SERP). This involves ongoing optimization of site content through keyword research, performance analysis, and content enhancements. As search algorithms evolve, SEO strategies must adapt accordingly to ensure effective results.

On-page SEO Strategies

• Optimized meta data — incorporating target keywords into web page title tag, meta description, heading tags, image alt tags
• Optimized page copy — well-written text based on strategic keyword research and target audience insights
• Simple, well-formatted page URLs that include essential keywords
• Optimized page speed and performance
• Social sharing integration within the content
• Internal link building using targeted keywords and avoiding generic “link” text
• Content formats optimized for featured snippets, such as bulleted lists, callouts, tables, definitions, and numbered steps

On-page SEO Strategies

• Link building to attract and establish quality inbound links that build site authority; backlinks help make up the majority of off-page SEO
• Social signals — increasing traffic to a website as a result of social media sharing
• Social bookmarking to grab attention using sites like Reddit, Digg, and MIX
• Links from industry-specific online communities and trusted sources to attract your target audience
• Local SEO to promote products and services to prospective customers at the local level

Over time, as you develop high-quality and valuable content that resonates with your target audience (such as blog articles and web page copy), the performance of these pages contributes to the establishment of authority. This, in turn, leads to enhanced organic website traffic, greater potential for inbound links, and, most importantly, improved conversion rates.

SEM Builds on Your SEO Foundation and Amplifies Results

Search engine marketing (SEM) encompasses the utilization of paid advertisements on search engines to enhance a website’s visibility and drive traffic. However, it is not a straightforward process of writing ads and bidding on keywords. Ad copy and targeting strategies must align with keywords that match the search queries of target buyers, ensuring that the ads appear to the right people at the right time in relevant search engine results pages (SERPs).

By tactically employing paid ads, marketers can increase the visibility of specific web pages, landing pages, blog posts, and other crucial content. Therefore, SEM practitioners need to leverage both search engine optimization (SEO) and pay-per-click (PPC) ads to effectively target potential customers and generate traffic.

In summary, SEO plays a significant role within an SEM strategy, serving as a key component in driving targeted traffic and achieving marketing goals.

Search Engine Marketing (SEM) Strategies

Google Ads is by far the most popular platform for hosting search engine ads, but it’s not the only option available. Depending on your industry, other platforms like Microsoft’s Bing, Yahoo! Native, and Amazon ads can also be viable choices. If your target market is in China, placing ads on Baidu would be the preferred option.

Regardless of the platform you choose, there are key practices to keep in mind for successful SEM:

1. Launch targeted ad campaigns to reach specific audiences based on industry vertical, geography, target persona, or other relevant characteristics.
2. Create ad groups consisting of variations of target keywords.
3. Write relevant ad copy that incorporates the selected keywords.
4. Set a budget for your ad spend.
5. Monitor performance metrics such as clicks, impressions, click-through rates, and average cost per click.
6. Develop retargeting audiences to reinforce your messaging through increased exposure.
7. Utilize targeted social media ads on platforms like LinkedIn, tailored to your audience.

If you’re new to paid advertising, these considerations provide a good starting point. However, launching and maintaining an effective paid search ad campaign involves additional factors. If you’re looking to complement and amplify your SEO efforts, starting with Google Ads is likely the best choice.

Which is Better, SEO or SEM?

By now, it should be evident that this is a deceptive question. It is well understood that SEO plays a fundamental role in SEM. Achieving successful results in SEM is impossible without a well-established SEO strategy. SEO and SEM are not in competition with each other, nor can they be swapped out for one another; instead, they work in harmony.

SEO as a first focus

SEO sets the foundation for SEM by optimizing content to provide value to your target audience. Without well-optimized landing pages, web pages, and blog content, SEM efforts will be ineffective and struggle to gain visibility on search engine result pages. This can result in wasted budget for SEM campaigns. While organic SEO helps establish credibility in search, the primary focus should be on consistently creating high-quality content that is worth searching for. Additionally, it’s crucial to promote this content through social media and other distribution channels to maximize its reach and impact.

When to five SEM a change?

There are several important scenarios where immediate visibility in search is crucial, such as when launching a new website for a company without an online presence or introducing a new product or service. In such cases, SEM is a valuable tool to drive traffic and establish a stronger online presence quickly, especially before organic credibility is built. However, relying solely on PPC in the long run is not advisable. It is essential to create valuable and engaging content that encourages visitors to interact with your website. Every situation is unique, so it’s important to assess what suits your specific needs. Ensure that you and your digital marketing team fully comprehend the distinctions between SEM and SEO and plan for ongoing content optimization and enhancement

Keywords play a vital role in the digital marketer’s toolkit, determining the success or failure of campaigns. They are the driving force behind clicks, connecting with the right audience and positioning your ads prominently in their searches. However, it’s not just about having the right keywords; it’s about knowing how to use them effectively. This knowledge sets apart a successful ad campaign from one that falls short despite its potential. If you’re here because you’re unsure about keyword usage, you’re not alone – we’ve been there too.

Contrary to popular belief, ad copy is not the most critical aspect of an ad. Fortunately, you now have PPC keyword match types at your disposal, acting as the guiding principles for your keyword strategies. Mastering your keyword match strategy is a crucial skill in online marketing.

In this post, we will delve into:

• Defining your match type options
• Understanding the differences between match types
• Executing a combination of match types effectively
• Setting up a high-performing Google Ads campaign

Get ready to enhance your keyword game and elevate your marketing efforts to new heights.

What are Google Ads keyword match types?

Keyword match types serve as parameters that allow you to define limits for your ads. By utilizing match types, you gain control over which search terms can trigger your ads. Ideally, your ads should only appear on search engine results pages (SERPs) when your ideal customer enters a search query that matches your targeted keyword.

Implementing different match types helps minimize the chances of your ad triggering due to function words or related search terms. It’s important to remember that while certain terms may be relevant to your keyword, they may not necessarily attract audiences ready for conversion.

Your ultimate goal is to capture bottom-of-the-funnel buyers, those who are actively seeking to make a purchase decision.

What does a Google Ads match type strategy do for your brand?

Are you familiar with Tinder? It’s a dating app where a right swipe signifies acceptance or interest in someone, while a left swipe indicates the opposite. However, there are instances when you unintentionally swipe left on someone you actually wanted to swipe right on.

In a similar way, think of keyword match types as a filtering mechanism, like a swipe filter, for Google Ads. They help refine your ad targeting, ensuring that your ads are triggered for the right search queries and reaching the most relevant audience. Just as you wouldn’t want to miss a potential match on Tinder, utilizing keyword match types helps you optimize your ad performance and connect with the right users.

When it comes to PPC keyword match types, you have the power to specify how you want your ads to align with user searches. By doing so, you eliminate any room for accidental swipes or mismatches.

Using the broad match type can be likened to a right swipe—it allows for a wider reach. However, you need to be cautious not to swipe right too often, as there will be many user searches that may not be relevant to your campaign.

On the other hand, exact match can be too particular, potentially limiting your ad’s exposure.

To strike a balance, it’s best to leverage all available matching options. By utilizing a combination of match types, you can achieve simplicity and precision in your PPC campaigns. This approach ensures a higher return on investment for your pay-per-click advertising endeavors.

How do match types relate to ROI?

PC keyword match types give you the power to fine-tune your ad triggers, which is definitely something to celebrate! Now, let’s explore how these tweaks can translate into a favorable return on investment (ROI) for your advertising efforts.

The key lies in aligning your keywords with your prospects’ buying cycle. By understanding where your potential customers are in their journey, you can strategically choose the appropriate keyword match types. Keyword match types act as valuable tools in ensuring that you target the right audience and minimize the risk of reaching the wrong individuals.

When your keywords align with someone who is ready to make a purchase, you can expect a high conversion rate. Conversely, if your keywords trigger for someone who is at the early stages of their buyer’s journey, your conversion rate may be lower. Since conversions directly impact your revenue, it’s crucial to meet your customers where they are in their decision-making process.

By setting the right keyword match types, you can optimize the value derived from your PPC ad budget, ensuring that your advertising dollars are well-spent.

There are three keyword match types

1. Broad Match
2. Phrase Match
3. Exact Match

The match type decides how wide to throw your net on your search audience.

Note: Google retired Broad Match Modifier as of July 2021

Google’s help file illustrates the different match types:

Why is match type important?

Why should you care about match types? Well, if making money is a priority for you (and let’s be honest, it usually is), then match types become incredibly important.

Implementing the right campaign keyword match types directly impact your return on investment (ROI). As a savvy PPC marketer, you understand the significance of leveraging different match types to drive success in your campaigns. By focusing your ad spend on ROI-focused audiences, you maximize the chances of generating profitable outcomes.

Moreover, utilizing match types allows you to avoid similar keywords that aren’t relevant to your ads, ensuring that your budget is allocated effectively. You can eliminate irrelevant matches, preventing your budget from going up in smoke.

Ultimately, match types play a key role in boosting your conversion rates, leading to higher profitability. So, let’s ignite the fire of success by strategically playing with these match types.

Harness the power of various match types to elevate the performance of your campaigns and maximize success. By doing so, you can strategically allocate your ad spend towards ROI-focused audiences, enhancing the effectiveness of your marketing efforts.

An added benefit of utilizing match types is the ability to steer clear of similar keywords that lack relevance to your ads. This ensures that your message reaches the right audience, improving the overall quality of your campaign.

By eliminating irrelevant matches, you safeguard your budget from unnecessary burn, allowing you to allocate your resources wisely and avoid wasteful spending.

In addition to these advantages, match types can also contribute to achieving higher conversion rates. By fine-tuning your targeting, you increase the likelihood of attracting qualified leads who are more likely to convert into customers.

So, embrace the potential of match types and unlock the pathway to campaign success, focusing on ROI-driven audiences, avoiding irrelevant keywords, protecting your budget, and driving higher conversion rates.

1. Broad Match

When you don’t specify a match type, the default option is the broad match type. Think of it as casting a wide net; your ad will have the highest chance of triggering with this setting. Search engines will display your ads for search terms that include misspellings, synonyms, singular/plural forms, related searches, and relevant variations.

With broad match, your selected keywords are matched with the broadest possible range of searches. However, this can potentially result in your ad being displayed for irrelevant variations of your keyword, leading to a waste of valuable PPC budget. (Gasp!)

Opting for broad match means sacrificing some control in exchange for reaching a broader audience. It offers less granularity but provides a higher level of exposure.

Say you own a Tacos Restaurant that sells a wonderful variety of shrimp tacos in Miami Dade County. If your selected keyword is “Shrimp Tacos Miami Dade County,” Google may show your ad for these search queries with broad match:

“Miami Dade County flour Juanito Tacos”

“Shrimp Tacos Miami County”

“Miami Dade Tacos Shrimp County”

“Shrimp Burrito Miami Dade County”

These search terms won’t convert at the same rate as the keyword you bid on: “Shrimp Tacos Miami Dade County.” They are irrelevant to your campaign but you’ll pay for them if someone clicks on them. 

This can happen with broad match. It’s something we call the Iceberg Effect.

The Iceberg Effect

Selecting a broad match type can lead to what we call the Iceberg Effect: paying more for search terms that don’t align with the keywords you bid on. And trust me, that’s not a good thing.

Your objective isn’t to have a massive iceberg lurking beneath the surface in the form of irrelevant search terms. Instead, you want to create smaller, contextually-relevant icebergs to achieve consistent and predictable performance. This can be accomplished through a combination of single keyword ad groups (SKAGs), strategic keyword match types, the Bottom Feeding Approach, and Keyword Tapering (which we’ll touch on later).

But you might be wondering, wouldn’t you want to catch a ton of fish with a large net? Nope. In the world of marketing, more fish doesn’t always equate to better results. If you’re targeting a specific fish off the California coast, your focus should be on spearfishing—utilizing exact match (more on this shortly).

Having a surplus of fish can lead to high-risk spending on irrelevant search topics. It’s crucial to have control over which search terms trigger your ads because, for every keyword you bid on, there could be numerous hidden search terms that “match” it beneath the surface.

What happens beneath the surface is beyond your control. Your focus should be on minimizing the disparity between the keyword you bid on and the search term that triggers your ad. The closer the match, the higher the ad relevance, and that’s a winning situation.

Ad relevance brings about a wonderful side effect: an increase in click-through rate (CTR). CTR is a crucial metric used by ad platforms like Google and Facebook to calculate your cost per click (CPC). When your CTR is high, your CPC decreases.

Achieving high CTR and low CPC is a reason to celebrate. These metrics contribute to the success and cost-effectiveness of your campaigns, ensuring you get the most out of your advertising budget.

Under what circumstances is broad match beneficial?

Broad match offers the widest reach, and reaching a large audience can indeed be advantageous. If your PPC campaign aims to generate maximum traffic to your landing page, using broad match may be suitable. However, it’s essential to monitor your search term report for any excess of irrelevant terms. If you encounter such issues, adjustments need to be made.

The challenge with broad match is that you don’t want to spend money on advertising to users who aren’t relevant to your business. Your goal is to invest in engaging potential customers and convert them into valuable leads or sales. By refining your keyword targeting and eliminating irrelevant matches, you can ensure that your advertising budget is allocated wisely and focused on the right audience.

Customers who are engaged are more likely to make purchases from your business. However, with broad match, although it can generate a high number of clicks to your website, the audience reached may not be as targeted, resulting in a lower conversion rate. This can lead to increased advertising costs with a lower return on investment (ROI).

However, it’s important not to dismiss a broad match strategy entirely. It can be a valuable time-saving approach when researching relevant keywords within your pool. Considering the vast number of daily searches on Google, including a significant percentage of previously unseen search terms, broad match can help identify the most relevant keywords for your campaigns in this ever-changing landscape.

Derek Hooker, a contributor to the Conversion Sciences blog, suggests creating keyword variations using different match types to cover a broader range of possibilities. Broad match is particularly useful when you don’t have an extensive keyword list.

Keep in mind that if an ad receives no clicks on a specific keyword variation, Google will stop displaying your ad for that particular search term. This allows you to optimize your spending by focusing on keywords that yield positive results while reducing costs associated with underperforming variations.

The use of negative keywords with broad match

Negative keywords serve as a filter to exclude unwanted search results, ensuring that specific words or phrases do not trigger your ads. Think of it like a big net with cherry bombs attached—negative keywords paired with broad match and phrase match keywords improve targeting and ultimately boost your return on investment (ROI).

To use negative keywords, simply add a minus sign before the keyword, like this: -negative keyword. According to Kayrooya, a tool for Google Ads & Bing ads, broad match negative keywords effectively block a significant amount of irrelevant traffic, addressing the concern of broad match keywords attracting too many irrelevant hits. This helps minimize irrelevance and makes sense strategically.

However, it’s important to consider the impact on reach when using broad match negative keywords compared to phrase or exact match. Before deciding on a broad match + negative keywords strategy, analyze your search query data. Is there a different match type, such as phrase match, that might work better for your specific needs without restricting your reach too much?

Choosing the right strategy involves balancing visibility and control over your ad budget. As a marketer, you have the flexibility to adjust your approach based on the results you’re seeing. If you’re getting a high impression count with broad match but not enough clicks, try incorporating negative keywords to narrow down irrelevance. This way, you can still capture search queries with your targeted terms in any order (broad match) while excluding specific search queries that are not relevant to your goals.

2. “Phrase Match”

Phrase match is like throwing a net that’s smaller than broad match but larger than exact match. It includes your keyword and close variations of it. With phrase match, your ad will only be triggered when the search queries contain your keyword phrase in the correct order. It will also display your ad for searches that have additional words before or after your keyword.

This is a key distinction between phrase match and broad match: Phrase match won’t trigger your ad if the search query contains words in the middle of your keyword phrase, while broad match is more inclusive and doesn’t discriminate based on word order.

To use the phrase match option in Google Ads, enclose your keyword phrase in quotation marks, like this: “phrase match”. This helps ensure that the meaning of your keyword is preserved based on the specific order of the terms.

Phrase match is particularly useful when the intended meaning of your keyword relies on the order of the terms, such as in the examples of “shrimp tacos Miami Dade” and “Dade Tacos Shrimp County”. In these cases, your keyword must appear in the order you specify with phrase match for your ad to be triggered.

Example:

If your phrase match keyword is “shrimp tacos,” your ad will trigger for these queries:

• flour shrimp tacos
• grilled shrimp tacos
• price of Mexican Shrimp Tacos
• where to buy shrimp tacos in Miami Dade County

But your ad won’t trigger with phrase match if the query is 

• tacos grilled shrimp
• shrimp spicy tacos
• where to buy shrimp Mexican tacos in Miami Dade County

Benefits of Phrase match

Phrase match is a popular choice among advertisers because it helps filter out risky and potentially irrelevant traffic that broad match can attract. It offers more flexibility compared to exact match, allowing for a wider audience reach while still maintaining some level of specificity.

By using phrase match, you give Google more context to discern the intent of the search queries, especially when combined with negative keywords. This can help improve the quality of the traffic driven to your ad and increase the likelihood of conversions. Although phrase match may not generate the same search volume as broad match, the traffic it does drive tends to be more relevant and targeted to your niche, resulting in a better return on investment.

However, it’s important to note that phrase match doesn’t guarantee complete elimination of ad irrelevance. There is still a possibility that your ad may appear to traffic that is not relevant to your campaign goals. Regular monitoring and optimization are necessary to ensure your ad is reaching the desired audience effectively.

3. [Exact Match]

Exact match is like throwing a spear instead of a net. It has a narrow targeting focus, as your ad will only be triggered when the search query precisely matches a keyword in your Google Ads account. This match type provides the highest level of relevance, ensuring that your ad reaches the most specific and targeted audience.

With exact match, you have strict control over when your ad is displayed, but the trade-off is a lower reach compared to broader match types. While you may not attract a large volume of traffic, the traffic you do receive is highly likely to be the audience you’re looking for.

Choose exact match when you want to serve your ad specifically for a particular keyword. Your ad will only be shown to customers who search for your exact keyword or a close variant that closely matches your specified keyword. This match type ensures precision in targeting and can be effective when you want to focus on a specific niche or have a precise campaign objective.

Similar variations of your target keyword encompass:

• singular or plural forms (shrimp taco, shrimp tacos)
• misspellings (srimp tacos)
• abbreviations
• accents
• stemmings (e.g. shrimp tacoed) 
• additional prepositions (eat on tacos)
• conjunctions
• reordered words with an identical meaning (tacos shrimp)

A critical consideration here is that close variants do not include synonyms (tacos can’t be replaced by prawns for example).

To set an exact match type, add brackets around your keyword like this: [shrimp tacos].

Exact match benefits

Exact match provides the most precise targeting, resulting in a significant reduction in ad traffic volume. However, this match type ensures that the traffic received is highly relevant and more likely to convert, maximizing the effectiveness of your budget. According to Semrush, even low traffic volumes from exact match keywords can have a positive impact on sales due to the high conversion potential. Additionally, using exact match keywords can indirectly improve your Quality Score by reducing the search term-to-keyword ratio. While exact match generates the highest click-through rates, it also tends to have a higher cost-per-click. This match type allows you to connect with your target audience on a more specific psychological level.

Risks of exact match

Exact match allows you to minimize your overall costs by paying only for targeted clicks, even though the cost per click may be higher. However, it’s important to note that you may miss out on valuable keyword-related traffic since exact match generates fewer impressions and reaches a smaller audience. Additionally, you won’t be able to capture long-tail data, which could provide valuable insights and opportunities.

In addition to keyword match types

Maximizing Your Google Ads with Advanced PPC Keyword Strategies

Discovering the right PPC keyword match types requires experimentation and analysis. Test different options, discard underperforming ones, and continuously refine your keyword list and match types.

The advertising landscape is dynamic, with Google regularly updating its algorithms to adapt to changing consumer behavior. Match type options also evolve over time. For example, Google phased out the broad match modifier in 2021, expanding the capabilities of phrase match.

As an advertiser, embrace the ever-changing rules of the game and enjoy the process.

Now that you understand how PPC keyword match types can enhance impressions, clicks, CPC reduction, and sales, there are other keyword-related strategies to explore.

Start with single keyword ad groups (SKAGs), a segmentation approach that simplifies campaign management and optimization. Then, delve into the Bottom Feed Approach and Keyword Tapering to gain further insights into which match types yield successful outcomes and optimize your return on ad spend (ROAS).

And as a bonus, get ready for an exciting sneak peek into the thrilling world of advanced keyword techniques. Strap on your helmet—it’s about to get wild in the keyword playground.

Success with the Bottom Feeding Approach

The Bottom Feeding Approach combines broad match targeting with precise audience targeting to maximize the potential of residual search traffic filtered out by SKAG match type layering.

Keyword Tapering

On the flip side, Keyword Tapering adjusts SKAGs to accommodate the evolving landscape of Exact Match, Phrase Match, and Close Variants. In essence, you create twin campaigns with equal budgets. The broad match campaign is utilized to discover high-quality search terms to target in the Exact Match campaign. As the winning terms are transitioned to Exact Match, the budget is also reallocated accordingly.

Major takeaways for PPC keyword match types

• Match type determines the level of precision in matching search queries to keywords.
• Broad match matches keywords to a wide range of searches, but the audience may be less targeted and have lower conversion rates.
• Negative keywords exclude specific search terms to minimize irrelevance, but it can restrict impressions.
• Phrase match triggers ads for searches with the keyword phrase in the correct order, allowing for additional words before or after. It targets more specific terms and improves relevance.
• Exact match only shows ads for exact keywords or close variants, providing high relevance but limited reach. It generates high click-through rates and cost-per-click

What is the best match type that works for you?

Google’s algorithms and machine learning are constantly evolving, requiring advertisers to stay sophisticated in their campaigns. Smart Bidding and automated keyword optimization are advancing, potentially targeting the exact keywords used by searchers in the future. The focus may shift from finding the smallest, most focused audience to reaching a wider audience with precise targeting. In any case, the underlying logic remains the same: utilize keyword match types to position your ads at the center of the winner’s circle

What are Google Ads?

Google Ads is Google’s pay-per-click (PPC) advertising product. These are the small ads that you see at the top and bottom of the search results. Whether you like them or not, they can be highly effective in driving traffic to your business. When someone searches on Google, the ads appear based on keywords that businesses bid on. Google runs an auction to determine the most relevant ads for the search query, and the winning ads are displayed at the top of the search results.

What are the benefits of Google Ads?

Google Ads can provide a quick and effective solution for driving traffic to your website. Unlike SEO, which can take weeks or even months to show results, Google Ads can generate traffic almost instantly. It offers a faster way to attract visitors and get immediate visibility for your business.

It’s time-efficient

Setting up Google Ads can be done quickly, allowing you to start running campaigns, creating ad groups, selecting keywords, and writing compelling ad copy in a short amount of time. Once your ads are approved, they can appear instantly, providing immediate visibility and potential traffic to your website. If you’re advertising products, uploading your product feed and writing headlines and descriptions can expedite the campaign setup process, as Google automatically targets customers based on product information and real-time data.

Target the right audience

By appearing at the top of search results, your ads can reach a larger audience actively searching for products or services that you offer. This increased exposure enhances the likelihood of potential customers choosing your business over competitors. With larger text ads and the ability to add site links and structured snippet extensions, your ads can stand out and appear more engaging than organic listings.

Gain insights about your customers

Google Ads allows you to test different keywords, landing pages, and campaigns, providing valuable insights into your customers’ search behavior and preferences. With the ability to gather a significant amount of data within a short time frame, you can learn more about your audience and optimize your marketing strategies accordingly. It’s an effective way to understand how driving a substantial number of visitors to your site can impact your business.

Flexible budget options

Google Ads accommodates budgets of any size. While certain industries like personal injury law may have higher cost per click rates, small businesses can still set up small and tightly optimized campaigns to benefit from Google Ads. You can specify your spending limits and set maximum cost per click for keywords, ensuring that you only pay for actual clicks. This level of control empowers you to manage your advertising budget effectively. Additionally, you have complete control over when your ads are running. You can activate your campaign to attract visitors and generate inquiries, and then pause your ads once you have enough leads to save budget. This flexibility allows you to allocate your budget strategically.

Are there any Google Ads Challenges?

Pay-per-click model

With Google Ads, you pay for each click on your ad, regardless of whether it leads to a conversion. This means you may incur costs from clicks that don’t result in any meaningful engagement or purchases. Insufficient use of negative keywords can lead to your ads appearing to the wrong audience, reducing the chances of conversions.

Increased cost in competitive industries

If your industry has high competition in Google Ads, the cost per click (CPC) can be higher. Bidding for the same keywords as your competitors can drive up the price, potentially resulting in your ads being pushed to lower positions in the search results.

Short-term investment

Google Ads offers immediate results, but once your budget is exhausted, your ads cease to appear. Consider SEO as a long-term investment that improves your organic ranking over time, offering lasting visibility beyond the limitations of a budget.

Limited ad space

Google Ads imposes character limits, restricting the amount of information you can include in your ads. Crafting attention-grabbing headlines, incorporating keywords, benefits, and a compelling call to action within the limited space can be challenging.

Time commitment

Managing a successful Google Ads campaign requires a significant time investment. After setting up the initial campaign, ongoing monitoring and optimization are necessary to assess performance, identify conversions, and make necessary adjustments.

Importance of seamless landing pages

Google considers the quality and relevance of your landing pages in relation to the search query. It’s crucial to ensure your website’s landing pages meet the necessary standards and align with your ads. Simply relying on Google Ads for traffic is insufficient; maintaining good SEO practices and optimizing landing pages are essential. Enhancing landing page quality can improve your Quality Score, resulting in lower click costs.

Consider the customer life cycle

For products or services that require a longer decision-making process, such as research and consideration, the return on investment (ROI) from Google Ads may not be immediate. If your marketing strategy involves a long-term approach, Google Ads can still help you reach a wider audience and generate brand exposure.