Since Google is the number one search engine in the world, you should utilize it as much as possible. For digital marketing, the best way to use Google is through Google Ads. The platform allows you to reach a massive audience, but are you doing enough to convert those leads into customers?
Fortunately, we’ve compiled a list of the top five best practices you should be using with Google Ads. Whether you’re just starting or need to jumpstart your latest campaign, these tactics can help you get more out of your ad spend. Here’s what you need to know.
Focus On High-Quality Keywords
One mistake that many companies make is trying to broaden their keyword set to reach a wider audience. Unfortunately, doing this is a mistake because you could be spreading your budget too thin. Instead, it’s much better to focus on the keywords that have the best chance of converting. As long as you can increase your market share for a particular keyword, you can improve your traffic and, by extension, your bottom line.
But, how do you know if you can increase your market share? Look at your competitors. See how well they’re doing and then research ways that you can outperform them. There is always room for improvement, so start with what works before moving onto new keywords and challenges.
Understand Your Audience Better
The primary reason Google is number one is that it understands user intent better than other search engines. Since the beginning, Google has always tried to make the user experience as valuable as possible. Each new update to the algorithm focuses on delivering high-quality search results every time.
As a business, you should take the same approach. Not only will understanding your audience help you rank higher on SERPs, but it will also allow you to serve your customers better. Fortunately, Google has tons of data available about users, such as their search history, interests, and more.
If you’re familiar with customer avatars, you can essentially create an avatar from Google Analytics data. Since the brand delivers so many details to your account, you can flesh out a specific customer and focus your ads on their needs and interests. From there, you can make sure that you’re addressing and solving your user’s unique problems.
Improve Your Ad Visuals
With so many advertisements bombarding people at all hours of the day, it can seem impossible to capture anyone’s attention. If your ads aren’t eye-catching, they’ll fade into the background, giving you a significantly reduced ROI.
Here is where knowing your audience can help immensely. Using the basic principles of visual design, you can make sure to highlight the elements of your product or service that will solve a particular problem. Then, once a user searches for a related keyword, your ad will appear much more appealing.
That said, it’s almost impossible to know which ad elements will stand out the most. Thankfully, Google allows you to conduct A/B testing to refine your message until it delivers the highest ROI. Of course, doing this will take time, but it’s worth the effort since you can improve your click-through rate and, presumably, your conversion rate.
Optimize Your Landing Pages
Piggybacking on the previous tip, you have to pay attention to the user experience after clicking the ad. If the ad itself is striking, but the landing page is boring or confusing, users will bounce off almost immediately. When optimizing your landing page, consider these elements:
- Keep it Simple – Don’t overwhelm your audience. If there are too many words and/or visuals, the page can seem hectic and off-putting.
- Put Core Information First – Although users are used to scrolling on mobile devices (more on that next), they shouldn’t have to scroll too far. Make sure the pertinent information and graphics are front and center as soon as they land.
- Utilize Specific Calls to Action – What is the purpose of your landing page? To sell a product? To have a user sign up for a newsletter? Make it obvious and provide compelling evidence to engage your customer.
Make a Killer Mobile Site and Landing Page
Now that more people are using mobile devices to surf the web, you have to take a mobile-first approach to your digital marketing. If your pages aren’t optimized for smaller screens, Google will penalize you, leading to a lower rank. In this case, you need simpler visuals and lower resolution images to ensure fast loading and scrolling speeds.
Do You Need Help Getting the Most Out of Your Google Ads? Work with the Professionals at BizIQ to Improve Your Ad Campaign Today
Stop throwing money away on bad Google Ads. Instead, let us help you develop a stronger campaign that converts leads into customers. Contact us today to find out more.
