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Google Ads Campaign – Does Your Agency Do It?

• Google Ads Campaign – 80 Key Settings
• STRATEGY:
• CAMPAIGN OPTIMIZATION:
• GENERAL ACCOUNT SETTINGS/GOOGLE ADS CAMPAIGN
• GOOGLE ANALYTICS:
• SEARCH NETWORK:
• GOOGLE MERCHANT CENTER:
• DISPLAY NETWORK

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Google Ads Campaign – 80 Key Settings

Below we present you a list of 80 most important Google Ads (formerly Google AdWords) campaign settings. The list has been divided into several categories related to both general Google AdWords/Analytics/Merchant Center accounts and particular types of campaign. It will surely help you find relevant information if you use one kind of Google advertising tools. You can make use of this list to check your agency’s operations or just audit your own Google AdWords campaign. AdWords campaign – and its specific settings – is a time-consuming procedure but crucial from the point of view of expense optimization.

This list is supposed to show you what to pay attention to when creating and setting AdWords campaigns. It also allows fast and effective audit of advertisements. Every point has been explained in a few words for better understanding – especially to those who take their first steps in the world of online marketing.

The final selection of tools, targeting, keywords and settings is always established on a case-by-case basis. It is not possible to specify one universal collection of rules. Therefore, we present you with the most important elements which you should pay special attention to, remembering that every campaign is different.

We do hope that this list will help you maneuver between various settings of Google AdWords campaign. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact us. AdWords campaign settings are our bread and butter!

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STRATEGY:

1. Setting campaign goals:

selection and analysis of a relevant goal allows selecting the proper type of campaign and budget. It helps you specify preferable campaign results (e.g. increased product sale, larger number of phone calls, more frequent visits of potential customers on the website)

2. Selecting key products or services:

it helps you specify the type and size of the campaign. If you budget is small, you can focus on the products/services which should sell best or the ones which are competitive in relation to other advertisers

3. Specifying the budget:

you can make a decision on the size of the campaign and number of tools used. The campaign budget cannot be too small. When specifying the budget, you have to consider the goal of the campaign, its geographic availability, number of products and suggested cost per click

4. Specifying the target group:

before you build your campaign, you should decide whether you direct your offer to individuals or businesses. Think about age, sex and interests of potential customers in order not to spend funds on wrong recipients

5. Specifying the area of displaying campaigns:

the geographical range of your campaign must be established in order to estimate its costs and select relevant phrases/targeting. Depending on the region, the selection of phrases/targeting may vary

6. Specifying duration of campaign:

depending on the type of services/products advertised, you have to decide if the campaign should be seasonal or continuous. As for seasonal industries, please check traffic/number of orders in particular seasons of the year

7. Selecting advertising channels:

advertising channels should be chosen on the basis of the campaign goal and related budget. Various types of campaigns support one another. It is advisable to use several types of campaigns to reach various groups of recipients

8. Specifying parameters to be measured:

selecting relevant types of conversions adapted to the goal of the campaign (e.g. purchasing, making a phone call, sending a contact form) and specifying their value. To optimize your campaign successfully, you are advised to measure all possible parameters

9. Analyzing competitors:

you can check how effective your ads are when compared to other advertisers. It is important that you analyze the ad in terms of quality of target website, advert contents and keywords

10. Verifying the website:

is necessary before the start of each campaign in order to make sure that all necessary elements are working (e.g. SSL certificate in the case of product campaigns)

CAMPAIGN OPTIMIZATION:

1. Adding new keywords and groups of ads:

essential from the point of view of the campaign development. It is advisable to inspect keywords regularly and add them to the campaign (keeping the order in the structure)

2. Adding excluding keywords:

helps you save campaign budget and direct advertisements to a relevant target group

3. Adding new targeting:

lets you expand the campaign in the Google Display Network. It helps you find new groups of recipients

4. Optimizing rates of keywords/products/targeting:

required when working over campaign effectiveness. It allows adjusting costs per click, depending on current needs, e.g. raising the rate in case of low position of the advert

5. Optimizing devices rates:

lets you increase the rate per click for key devices. It allows saving costs with regard to devices which generate empty traffic

6. Optimizing location rates:

similar to devices, it lets you adjust the rate, depending on the location of Internet users. Thanks to this, you can focus on the area which converts best  

7. Optimizing ad schedule rates:

lets you adjust rates per click on the basis of relevant week days or times of the day

8. Optimizing advert content:

allows selecting most effective advert contents, editing weakest ads as well as adjusting them to current situation (e.g. periodical special offers)

9. Suspending ineffective campaigns, groups of ads, keywords and products:

lets you save funds or invest them in more effective channels. You can concentrate on effective elements of the campaign and direct ads to most suitable target groups

10. Adjusting campaign to company events, temporary events, special offers:

you can inform potential customers about special offers (e.g. discounts, sales) with the use of well-selected advertising contents, banners or remarketing lists. It helps you boost product/service sales

11. Transferring budget into most effective advertising channels:

increases effectiveness of the campaign thanks to allocation of more funds in advertising which converts better. Simultaneously, it helps you reduce costs generated by the least effective channels

12. Ongoing account analysis:

conducted regularly in terms of basic data (e.g. number of clicks, displays, rates per click, position and result of ad quality, as well as quantity and value of conversions), it will facilitate campaign optimization and let you notice all anomalies

13. Expanding the campaign:

lets you reach Internet users through new channels, increase campaign effectiveness by providing messages to the Internet users who do the shopping

GENERAL ACCOUNT SETTINGS/GOOGLE ADS CAMPAIGN

1. Basic Google Ads account settings:

let you check if you have chosen a suitable time zone (significant if you adjust the schedule to ad displaying), what other accounts have been linked and who has access to the account

2. Google Analytics account:

it is necessary to check whether the website has its Google Analytics account which allows analyzing a large amount of data and substantially improved optimization (based on website traffic data)

3. Google Merchant Center account:

with regard to product campaigns, you are obligated to check if the account intended to store the product feed has been created and configured properly. Lack of Merchant account prevents operation of PLA campaign

4. Setting location/time zone:

intended to show the system in which area the campaign is to be displayed in

5. Setting ad display schedule:

the schedule must be adjusted to the line of business. It lets you choose specific days of the week or times of the day for displaying adverts. It also allows advertising only in company’s working hours

6. Setting the language:

allows you to choose the language of the sites where you want your ads to appear. It is especially important in countries with more than one official language or when targeting foreigners

7. Setting rotation and way of displaying advertisements:

you can choose a standard or fast method of displaying (depends on the budget). The rotation settings let you display ads alternately or automatically – focusing primarily on more effective ads

8. Selecting rate setting strategies:

gives you the option to choose to pay for clicks, impressions or for watching your ads, and one of several automated bidding strategies. It is important due to the selected campaign goal

9. Selecting target websites:

has a considerable impact on campaign effectiveness, and is directly related to ad quality results. Every advertisement must direct the Internet user to the website of the specific product/service. Targeting the wrong subpage may result in no effects

10. Configuring conversions:

setting relevant types of conversions (depending on industry and target website), e.g. purchasing, making phone calls, queries sent

11. Specifying the value of conversions:

lets you assign cash to various kinds of conversions, which helps you optimize them better and estimate the relevant cost of winning the customer. It does not apply to e-commerce transactions which adopt the value of products purchased

12. Verifying conversions:

obligatory before launching the campaign. It is all about testing a conversion in order to make sure data are counted properly

13. Setting eCPC:

eCPC (enhanced CPC) is a smart system which adjusts costs per click. It lets you raise the rate automatically when you are likely to sell something and decrease it when such probability is low.

GOOGLE ANALYTICS:

1. Linking Google Analytics account with Google AdWords account:

you can analyze the most important data on the website traffic. Also you are allowed to track e-commerce transactions (for online stores) and use remarketing. Possible from Analytics and AdWords accounts

2. Implementing Google Analytics tracking code:

to collect data on the website traffic properly, you have to paste Google Analytics tracking code. When you initiate the campaign, you need to check if the code has been implemented properly. Data from the Analytics account play a crucial role in the process of optimizing the campaign

3. Configuring remarketing function and creating lists of recipients:

remarketing helps you reach the people who have already visited your website. Creating appropriate audience lists allows you to display your ads to Internet users who were on the site even 540 days earlier

4. Setting goals and events on Google Analytics account:

goals and events measure how often the Internet users take specific actions on the website. Properly configured goals provide information on conversions (from all sources – entering the website). They are a perfect solution when you are unable to configure AdWords conversions

5. Activating e-commerce model:

Required to measure number and value of transactions with respect to online stores. Lack of active e-commerce module hinders optimization of campaigns which promote online shopping.

6. Analyzing traffic on Google Analytics account:

You can check who entered your website and where from. Thanks to this, you can analyze users’ behavior on the website, length of visits and rejection rate.

SEARCH NETWORK:

1. Selecting and dividing keywords and groups of advertisements:

properly selected keywords and clear campaign structure determine the results. The quality and quantity of phrases must be considered carefully on the basis of goal, budget and ad recipients

2. Selecting suitable keyword matches:

types of matches (exact, broad, phrase) help you control whether advertisements are displayed to a broad or narrow group of recipients. They let you display adverts in response to undefined words. Remember to use them reasonably in order not to spend the funds on wrong phrases   

3. Preparing advertising texts:

it is advisable to use 2-3 various text variants to be able to choose the most effective ads afterwards. The advertising contents must be catchy, adapted to business and target group; they must contain calls for action

4. Adding excluding keywords:

prevents displaying ads in response to wrong keywords, helps you reach the relevant group of recipients

5. Setting rates for keywords:

a proper rate causes the advertisement to be displayed in a visible place and lets Internet users click the ad. It is important that the cost per click is not too low. Rates must be selected on the basis of the suggestions of AdWords system, and further in the process on the basis of data analyses

6. Setting a daily budget:

a daily budget must be fixed depending on the number of keywords and rates per click. It is essential that you don’t set your budget too low because it may cause your advertisements to be displayed rarely. Check if there are no notifications on limited campaign budget

7. Setting RLSA:

remarketing in the search network is important due to the fact that you can modify rates for the Internet users who look for products/services in the search engine and they have already visited the website advertised before. It is a perfect solution to advertisers whose products are sold regularly

8. Protecting the brand:

it is concerned with using the so-called brand phrases in the campaign. It effectively protects you against losing customers whom your competitors try to steal by displaying their name on them. Lack of brand protection in AdWords campaigns should be unacceptable.  

9. Setting the sitelink extension:

worth using due to larger advertising space and providing additional information in the form of links to important subpages (e.g. price list, contact tab)

10. Setting the callout extension:

you can add important information which cannot fit the advert content. It should be part of any campaign and present as many offer attributes as possible

11. Setting extension of information:

worth using due to the possibility of distinguishing types of products/services, models, brands, facilities, programs and places. It perfectly enriches the advertising contents

12. Setting extension of calls:

crucial to businesses which value phone calls. It allows displaying a phone number to make a phone call directly from the ad (displayed on a mobile device)

13. Setting extension of messages:

lets you send a free text message (SMS) with a request for feedback or to arrange a visit or send a quote. It is advisable to use it in the case of service campaigns because it gives customers additional form of contact

14. Setting extension of locations:

absolutely required by advertisers who run their brick-and-mortar stores/offices. It helps you find the company address, location on the map and distance from the premises, encourages to visit the head office

15. Setting extension of prices:

lets you present your products/services broader. It displays in the form of sliding tabs which contain the name and price of the specific service/product. Effectively brings customers closer to conversion

16. Setting extension of applications:

allows you to include a link to download the application in the ad. It allows you to download the application with one click

17. Creating the dynamic campaign in search engine (DSA):

the solution highly valued with regard to a wide range of products/services. The advertisements are displayed automatically on the basis of the website content rather than defined keywords. It perfectly supplements the basic type of campaigns in the search network

18. Creating the campaign “Just calls”:

obligatory to business which prioritizes fast phone calls (e.g. road assistance). It is displayed in response to relevant keywords, it allows you to make a fast phone call when you click the ad.

GOOGLE MERCHANT CENTER:

1. Linking Google Merchant Center account with Google Adwords account:

lack of connection between the accounts prevents preparation and operation of the product campaign

2. Verifying and booking the website:

Google’s notification on who the authorized website owner is and what website is to be linked to Google Merchant account. The lack of these actions makes it impossible to carry out the campaign

3. Loading the product feed and inspecting the approved products regularly:

product feed – required for the campaign – should be saved on the Merchant account. You have to choose suitable settings related to sending and updating product condition/quantity in the campaign. If you inspect the account on an on-going basis, you can identify problems with particular products

4. Building campaigns on AdWords account:

requires selecting suitable settings for the campaign: setting the campaign priority, adjusting the budget to the number of products and method of displaying ads

5. Setting a daily budget:

the product campaign budget must be adjusted on the basis of the type and number of products advertised. If the daily budget is too low, you can use it up in the middle of the day, which results in suspension of advertising

6. Setting the campaign priority:

it is useful when you advertise products only with the use of several different product campaigns. It lets you establish which campaigns are more important and consequently which of them are to be displayed in the first place

7. Dividing the product feed:

if the product feed is divided properly, you can optimize the campaign effectively and adjust the rates to specific products. Each product feed should be divided as much as possible (by types, brands, categories)

8. Adapting rates per click to products:

adapted to specific products, their potential, sales value and arranged on the basis of the estimated cost per click (presented in the keyword planner, for example). Too low rates may cause the advertisements to be displayed in low-visibility positions or prevent displaying

9. Adding excluding words:

required due to savings on campaign costs and improvement of advert accuracy. It should be regular and precise when using exclusions both in broader and narrower types of matches

10. Setting RLSA:

similar to text advertisements, you can modify rates for recipients who have visited your website at least once and who look for the same products again. It works when the remarketing list collects at least 1000 cookies

DISPLAY NETWORK

1. Selecting proper channels in Display Network:

highly important due to the campaign purpose and selected target group. Depending on the products/services advertised, you can choose: image ads, video ads, Gmail ads and targeting by: keywords, interests, topics, demography, target sites, remarketing lists. You have to select channels based on the available budget because the campaign being unlimited in targeting in the Display Network may prove to be the so-called bottomless pit which cannot guarantee a satisfying number of conversions

2. Linking YouTube account with Google AdWords account:

required to conduct a video campaign. It lets you advertise videos and ad spots

3. Building the campaign:

it is always advisable to create a clear campaign tree in the form of relevant types of targeting divided into separate groups of advertisements. This is how you can optimize smoothly and exclude the targeting which proves to be ineffective

4. Setting capping:

you can limit the number of banner/video displays to a single user. It is extremely important from the point of view of budget savings and the Internet user fatigue with excessive ad impressions. It should be used with any Display Network campaign

5. Setting a daily budget:

adapting the budget to the relevant target group, targeting channel and specific rate setting strategy. If you choose the budget unskillfully, you may cause the ads to vanish in the middle of the day

6. Setting the rate for targeting:

should be arranged on the basis of the campaign goal and rate setting strategy. It will be different depending on the strategy you have chosen, that is cost per click or cost per 1000 impressions

7. Setting method of displaying advertisements:

depends on the budget and advertising goals. You can distribute means and display ads throughout the day or you can use the available daily budget as quickly as possible

8. Setting exclusions (keywords, destinations, website categories, apps):

you are allowed to suspend displaying adverts in all places which they should not be visible in. This way you can save cash, exclude the wrong target group as well as all redundant webpages (e.g. those dedicated to violence). It is one of the most important aspects of optimizing campaigns in the Display Network

9. Preparing/loading graphic creations:

it is vital that you use all possible sizes of advertising banners, interesting top-quality graphic elements and call for action which encourages customers to click the ad

10. Preparing/loading advertising spots:

using interesting videos which encourage users to visit YouTube or target websites. Enriching them with catchy descriptions and proper call for action should result in obtaining as many views/ interactions and conversions as possible