PPC Tips

What NOT To Do!

After many years observing clients' self-created Google AdWords campaigns, I have noticed the same mistakes being made over and over. Here are the top 6 things AdWords advertisers need to avoid doing:

1. Writing Boring Ads

Be sure to check out the other ads that come up for the keywords you're bidding on. You don't want to blend in with all the rest! Put yourself in your customers' shoes. If every advertiser is following conventional wisdom and putting their main keywords in the headline (or worse, dynamically inserting the user's query as the headline), then the ad that attracts more clicks probably does just the opposite. Try using a phrase that resonates with the consumer; it doesn't have to contain keywords to evoke them. Be evocative.

Challenge yourself to write not 1 but 2 ads for each ad group so you can test which gets more clickthroughs. (Be sure to set it to rotate 50/50 in your campaign settings, otherwise Google will skew results.)

2. Bidding on Broad Match Keywords 

Unless you have unlimited funds, broad match should be used with extreme caution! Don't know what that is? An explanation is here. If you're not using quote marks or brackets around your keywords, that's broad match. Quotes and brackets are the only way to ensure Google is showing your ads when YOU want it to, not whenever it thinks your ad MIGHT be a match for the query. Google calls this license to pick your pocket "expanded broad match." Sometimes only ONE of the keywords in your phrase can trigger your ad. Or a synonym you might not agree is a match. (Always remember that Google AdWords is really just a machine — don't trust it too much!)

If it's absolutely necessary to bid on broad match, you can find out what queries Google showed your ads for ONLY when it results in your ad being clicked. You will need to either 1) set up a separate ad group or 2) put the dynamic tracking code {keyword} (note the curly brackets) in your destination URL.

3. Not Using Tracking Parameters in the Destination URL

Many advertisers confuse the display URL with the destination URL. The former is what gets shown with your ad, so it's good for branding. The latter is hidden from view — you can use it to send users to a landing page rather than the home page. But what it's really useful for is labeling to keep track of your PPC visitors. 

It's very easy to create tracking parameters where Google asks for your Destination URL. Just type in your site address  followed by a question mark. Then you add words separated by ampersands (&).

A set of basic parameters will capture all kinds of data you can use later to make sense of how your campaigns are doing. At a minimum you want to track by campaign, ad group, which ad if there are several, and which keyword triggered the ad. Here's an example of how to type a tracking URL:

This string of code is tracking the first ad of the first ad group under Campaign #1. By using the {creative} parameter you'll be able to capture the Ad ID.

Feel free to use the name of your ad group or campaign instead of a number; Google allows an ample 255 characters. You can have as many parameters as you want and name them as you like (e.g. I abbreviate "source" as "s"). Just avoid spaces and be sure to put the ampersand & between each item you want to track.

4. Bidding Mainly on Short 1- or 2-word Phrases

Not only is it expensive to bid on overly broad words and short phrases, but they rarely seem to lead to conversions. People usually refine their queries when they see the vast array of search engine results that come up for a 1- or 2-word phrase. Longer, more specific phrases not only bring you more serious visitors but also typically cost less to bid on because there's usually not as much competition. (Your competitors might not realize they can outsource their keyword research to professionals like me!)

5. Not Turning Off the Content Network

Most newbies don't realize what the default campaign settings are, or that you have a choice of where to show your ads: on Google only, on Google and its search partner sites, and on the content network. In fact, most newbies don't know that means participating in the AdSense program. Just about any site owner can sign up to show Google ads to bring in additional revenue, and sometimes their own friends will click the ads to help them make money. So if you want your ads showing up on a wide variety of websites like this, just be sure to set up a separate campaign so you can track each visit. You'll want to pay close attention to bounce rates (how long each visitor stayed on the landing page).

IMHO, the content network is only good for 1) branding and 2) getting the word out about a new product (especially if it's something nobody knows about to search for).

6. Ignoring Your Server Logs

Many website owners don't know that server logs are available for their website. They do take up a bit of space so many hosts delete them automatically. It's important to let your host know to keep yours until you download them.

Log files are nothing intimidating — they're strictly plain-text data. Open one in Windows Notepad sometime and check it out.

You can run them through one of the analysis programs that translates and correlates the data into an easy-to-read report format.

Never rely solely on Google Analytics or another third-party program (which gives you a script to plant on your pages) to keep track of visitors. Your server logs will give you information that is lacking or inaccurate in the third-party program. Conversely, third-party programs will show you data that server logs aren't set up to collect. By using both a server-based AND a script-based system you'll be able to paint a truer picture of what your visitors actually did on your site.

So there you have it — 6 things to avoid doing if you want your Google AdWords campaigns to be cost-effective and successful!