Google Ads Optimization Checklist
Google Ads optimization checklist: Boost ROI and CTR with key steps in ad structure, keyword selection, and bidding strategies.
Google Ads optimization checklist: Boost ROI and CTR with key steps in ad structure, keyword selection, and bidding strategies.
The digital marketing world is fast and if you want to be on top, you need to be able to manage your Google Ads to get better results and a better return on investment.
In this article, we’ll present our Google Ads optimization checklist that includes:
But first let’s discuss why it’s important to optimize your Google Ads account
A well optimized Google Ads account will make the business win considerably more money than what it spends. Ideally you want to get a 5x ROAS or more.
A well optimized ad campaign will get you better ad placements, better impression share and higher CTRs, increasing the chance people who see your ad will become paying users.
First of all, let’s start with your current campaign structure. Do your campaigns work? A well structured campaign is easier to manage and to optimize than one which is not.
A great way to evaluate if your campaign structure is good is by answering the following questions:
For example if you run ads for an ecommerce store and one product range or category page is taking all the budget it means your account structure isn’t ideal as Google Ads is favouring that product over the others, leaving them without any visibility (and spend). The same can apply to a service based business.
If you can’t report in a logical and granular way that makes sense for the business, then your account structure might be failing you.
Make sure that your ad groups are in line with your campaign settings. Just make sure that they are relevant to your business and audience you are targeting. Sometimes the settings can make a big difference to your campaign results.
Aspect
Assessment Guidance
Campaign Segmentation
Ensure campaigns are divided by product type, service, or audience to increase relevance and control.
Ad Group Consistency
Check if ad groups are thematically consistent, focusing on specific products or services.
Keyword Grouping
Verify that keywords within ad groups are tightly related to improve ad relevance.
Ad Copy Relevance
Make sure ad copy is closely aligned with the targeted keywords for better Quality Score.
Budget Allocation
Confirm that budget is allocated effectively across campaigns based on performance and goals.
Geographical Targeting
Ensure campaigns target the right locations, reflecting the target audience for maximum impact.
Performance Metrics Review
Regularly monitor key metrics such as CTR, CPC, and conversion rates to assess effectiveness.
Find your target and negative keywords. Negative keywords exclude the unwanted traffic and target keywords should be the keywords a user is searching for your products or services types in Google.
To find new keywords, use keyword planner tools like Google Keyword Planner to get information on search traffic and competition. Then refine keywords according to performance and to refine the list of keywords.
Check your current bidding strategies: Are you getting the outcomes that you desired? Try to adjust bids in an effort to get a better performance.
When doing this there are two options, manual bidding and automatic bidding. All of them have their advantages and disadvantages, and your choice will depend on the objectives of the campaign, the available resources for the campaign.
Scenario
Review Action Description
Underperforming Keywords
Lower bids on keywords with low performance to reduce unnecessary costs.
High Conversion Keywords
Increase bids on keywords that have high conversion rates to maximise reach and conversions.
Budget Limitations
Reallocate bids to prioritize the highest performing keywords within budget constraints.
Competitor Outbidding
Adjust bids to remain competitive when key competitors consistently outrank your ads.
Seasonal Trends
Modify bids based on seasonal patterns to capture increased demand during peak times.
New Campaign Testing
Set lower initial bids for new keywords or campaigns until enough performance data is gathered.
Smart Bidding Transition
Gradually transition from manual to smart bidding to leverage automated optimizations.
Key Area
Description
Campaign and Ad Group Structure
Proper campaign and ad group structure helps in easy management and improvement.
Review and Revise Ads
Regularly review and modify ads to keep them engaging for the audience.
Keyword Optimization
Focus on high-performing keywords, remove low-performers, and add relevant new keywords.
Ad Copy Relevance
Ensure ad copy matches landing pages to boost conversion chances.
Landing Page Experience
Enhance landing page usability to influence campaign success positively.
Refine Location Targeting
Set location targets to reach the desired audience effectively.
Bidding and Budget Allocation
Adjust bids and budgets rationally based on campaign outcomes.
Test Bidding Strategies
Experiment with various bidding strategies to identify which works best for performance and ROI.
Explore Different Campaign Types
Testing different campaign types enriches advertising strategy and reaches more clients.
Monitor Keyword Performance
Track keyword performance and adjust the strategy accordingly.
Use Smart Bidding Strategies
Consider using smart bidding to adjust bids automatically based on performance metrics.
Good campaign and ad group structure is the foundation to the success of a Google Ads account. It also enables insightful and actionable reporting. It also assists you in managing and enhancing your ads in a very convenient manner.
Review if your ads are performing as expected. Test different headlines, descriptions, url paths, sitelinks, etc.
Look for high performers, and low performers to adjust bids and add negative keywords. Experiment with broad keywords, and new relevant keywords if you’re not getting the results you want.
It has to be smooth for the user, so you have to ensure that your ad copy is in sync with your landing pages.
Improve the conversion rate of your landing pages. Improving the performance of a Google Ads account can be quite hard compared to improving the performance of a landing page. The usability of your landing page can greatly influence your campaign results.
Make sure you’re targeting the right location to serve ads only to a relevant audience
Update your bids depending on their results. Are important products or services spending a healthy amount or is one campaign keeping all the resources? Make sure budget allocation matches up with business goals.
Experiment with bidding strategies and see which one will be most effective in your given campaign. Then this can be used to assist with performance and ROI.
It is recommended to use different types of campaign to enrich your advertising strategy. It allows you to reach potential clients and get better results. Consider Search Ads, Performance Max, Demand Gen Ads and others.
Track the performance of the keywords and adjust the strategy as to which keywords are effective and which ones are not.
If you’re not in the mood for manual work, then consider using smart bidding strategies that will adjust bids based on performance metrics. It is faster and it can enhance the outcome. Just make sure you’re not spending more than what you want.
A general monthly performance check is recommended to find out how your campaign is going, but depending on the campaign you should monitor some metrics weekly for you to make the necessary changes in good time.
Review your strategy on a quarterly basis to make sure your business objectives are in sync with your campaigns (performance and budget allocation)
Following this checklist is hard as there is a lot of nuance involved in each step and decisions might differ depending on the situation and the business.
If you want an expert for your case, we recommend you to hire Google Ads Agency to help get the best out of your campaign in order to generate leads and grow your business.
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