10 Google Ads Best Practices to Improve ROI and Lower Costs

Understanding Google Ads

Figuring out Google Ads is a game-changer for anyone looking to jazz up their advertising efforts. We’re here to chat about why Google Ads matters and how to kick off your own campaigns.

Importance of Google Ads

Think of Google Ads as your magic wand for business. It’s how you snag more eyeballs, score leads, and make those cash registers ring. With countless searches popping up every day on Google, you can bet that Ads help you hit just the right folks. Here’s what makes it tick:

• Targeted Advertising: Nail down your market with laser-focus on the exact folks you want.
• Measurable Results: Watch your every move and size up how your ads are doing.
• Cost Control: Own your budget by defining limits and bid plans that keep the dough in check.

Using Google Ads lets you say, “Look at me!” when folks go hunting for products or services like yours. You’ll not only show up but stand your ground in the crowded marketplace, giving your brand the shout-out it deserves. For more tricks, hop over to our google ads strategies.

Benefit	Description
Targeted Advertising	Ads honed to hit specific keywords and peeps.
Measurable Results	Super-detailed charts track how you’re doing.
Cost Control	Budgets and bids you can tweak at will.

Basics of Google Ads Campaigns

Getting your toes wet in Google Ads? Mastering the basics is where it’s at. Here’s the lowdown:

• Campaign Types: Pick your style from Search, Display, Shopping, Video, and App promotion.
• Ad Groups: Sort your ads into neat, themed piles for better management.
• Keywords: Choose the magic words that make your ads pop up in browses.
• Ad Copy: Cook up snappy, catchy lines that make folks want to click. See our google ads ad copy for ideas.
• Bidding: Decide your max for a click. Want more on this? Peek at google ads bidding.
• Landing Pages: Spruce up your landing pads to boost ad mojo. For tips, check google ads landing page optimization.

Nail down what you want from your campaigns at the start—more site traffic, hauling in leads, or pushing sales. Google Ads gives you a roadmap to hit these bulls-eye targets.

Campaign Element	Description
Campaign Types	Your choice of Search, Display, Shopping, Video, App promo.
Ad Groups	Bundle ads with a common theme.
Keywords	Fire up ads in the hunt lists.
Ad Copy	Slick and attention-grabbing text.
Bidding	Set how much you’ll pay per click.
Landing Pages	Relevant pages that hit home.

When you’ve wrapped your head around Google Ads, you’re ready to launch campaigns that really shine. For more scoop, check our google ads guide.

Setting Up for Success

Clear Campaign Objectives

Nailing your goals from the get-go is where it all starts with Google Ads. Your game plan lays the groundwork for everything else like ad copy, which keywords to hit, and where your cash is going. Some of the usual suspects for Google Ads goals are:

• Boosting Website Traffic: Get more folks clicking their way over to your site.
• Generating Leads: Snag new contacts through sign-ups, calls, or whatever works.
• Pumping Up Sales: Find those ready-to-buy peeps and get them to click ‘buy.’
• Raising Brand Awareness: Make sure your brand’s getting seen and remembered by the right crowd.

Your campaign’s gotta line up with your business dreams, so you can actually tell if it’s working or if it’s back to the drawing board. If you need a bit more insight, take a peek at our Google Ads guide.

Keyword Research and Selection

Picking the right keywords is like choosing the right bait when you’re fishing—it’s how you’ll hook the right audience. Here’s the scoop on how to do your homework:

1. Kickstart Keywords: Jot down all the words and phrases that pop up when you think of what you’re selling.
2. Tools are Your Friend: Check out Google’s Keyword Planner for more ideas, and see what folks are searching for and how tough the competition is.
3. Scope out the Competition: Peek at the keywords your rivals are using to see where you could step in.
4. Think About Intent: Match your keywords with what people are really after, whether it’s info, directions, or making a purchase.

Keyword Type	Example Keywords	Monthly Search Volume	Competition
Broad Match	shoes	500,000	High
Phrase Match	“running shoes”	90,000	Medium
Exact Match	[buy running shoes]	18,000	Low

With these moves, you’ll have a solid list to go from, suited to whatever you’re hoping to achieve. If you’re feeling adventurous, hit up our Google Ads keyword research article for next-level tips.

Sprinkling in a good mix of broad, phrase, and exact match keywords means you’re casting a wide net while keeping things relevant. And don’t sleep on negative keywords—they stop your ads from showing up in places they don’t belong, so your budget goes further. Want the lowdown? Our guide on Google Ads negative keywords breaks it down.

Sorting out your campaign goals and nailing your keyword strategy is how you start winning with Google Ads. It puts you in front of the right crowd, manages your spending smartly, and cranks up your campaign’s overall mojo. For a deeper dive, check out advanced Google Ads.

Best Practices to Up Your ROI Game

Make Your Ads Pop

Getting your ads to stand out is like trying to grab the last donut in a busy office break room – you gotta be quick and precise! Nailing your ad copy can pull in potential customers like a moth to a flame and improve your ROI. Here’s how to make those words work harder for you:

• Stuff Those Keywords Right: Think of keywords as VIP passes for your ads – they’re not going anywhere without ’em. Pop your main keyword in the headline and sprinkle a few in the description.
• Brag a Little: What makes you special? Whether it’s something cool no one else offers, a sweet deal, or quirky perks, let your uniqueness shine.
• Say What You Want Them to Do: Be clear – do you want them to “Shop Now,” “Find Out More,” or “Get a Quote”? A crisp CTA boosts conversions.
• Utilize Ad Extras: Ad extensions are your friends. Use them to add more juice to your ads. Get the scoop on Google Ads extensions.

Ad Copy Element	Best Practice
Headline	Main keyword, clear, catchy
Description	Shine the spotlight on your USPs
Call to Action (CTA)	Strong, direct words
Ad Extensions	Get creative with extras

Want the full breakdown? Check our take on google ads ad copy for all the details.

High-Five Your Landing Pages

Your landing page is like a surprise party for the user – it better be worth the click! A sharp landing page makes everything smoother, cutting down costs and boosting your Google rank. Here’s the playbook for perfecting them:

• Keep It Together: Make sure your ad and landing page are on the same page (pun intended). Huge disappointment if your ad’s promising one thing and the landing page delivers another.
• Faster Than Fast: A zippy load speed means happy users, fewer bounces. Google likes quick pages too.
• Think Small (Screens): With more folks browsing on mobile, ensure your page looks good there. No pinching and zooming needed!
• Lead the Way with CTA: Just like on your ad, slap on a clear CTA on your page. Show ’em the path to action.
• Stick to What Matters: Your page content should match up with your ad and keywords. This means better conversion odds and a stronger Quality Score. Dig into our guide on google ads landing page optimization.

Landing Page Element	Best Practice
Message Consistency	Ad and page in harmony
Load Speed	Fast is the key
Mobile Optimization	Looks fabulous on any device
Call to Action (CTA)	Clear and upfront
Relevant Content	Singles out the main points

There’s more to boosting that ROI and flexing your Google Ads muscles, so check out our pages on google ads strategies and optimize google ads.

Lowering Costs Effectively

Running Google Ads isn’t just about throwing money at the wall to see what sticks—you’ve got to be savvy to stretch those dollars further. Lowering your costs while keeping your ads zippy and effective is the name of the game. A few tricks up your sleeve, like smart bidding and clever ad scheduling, can really make a difference.

Cost-Effective Bid Strategies

Getting the most bang for your buck means picking the right bidding style. Here’s a cheat sheet for how to do just that without burning through your budget.

• Manual Bidding: You’re in the driver’s seat, deciding what you want to pay per action. It’s all about control, baby!
• Enhanced Cost-Per-Click (ECPC): Let Google do some work for you. It tweaks your manual bids to snag extra conversions.
• Target Cost-Per-Acquisition (CPA): This one’s got your back if you need a specific cost per lead—set it and forget it!

The best strategy depends on what you’re aiming for. Check out our detailed piece on google ads bidding for the full lowdown.

Bid Strategy	Best For	Control Level	Cost Management Level
Manual Bidding	Tight budget control	High	Moderate
Enhanced Cost-Per-Click (ECPC)	Boosting conversions	Moderate	High
Target Cost-Per-Acquisition	Nailing specific costs per lead	Low to Moderate	High

Ad Extensions and Ad Scheduling

Boost your ad game with extensions and scheduling—they’re the secret sauce for ads that perform like a dream while spending wisely.

Ad Extensions: More info equals more clicks, and more clicks mean more happy customers dropping by your virtual doorstep. Common picks include:

• Sitelink Extensions
• Call Extensions
• Location Extensions
• Callout Extensions

These nifty add-ons make your ads super relevant. Head over to our google ads extensions guide to get the scoop on fine-tuning them.

Ad Scheduling: Timing’s everything sometimes. Show your ads when customers are keen and watch that budget stretch further.

Ad Scheduling Strategy	Campaign Objective	Cost Efficiency Level
Business Hours	Local spots, services	High
Specific Days	Special promos, events	Moderate
Peak Performance Hours	Based on real action data	High

Getting your timing just right means fewer wasted bucks. Want to master the clock? Check out google ads strategies for more tricks.

Incorporating these strategies can make a world of difference in how your Google Ads campaigns perform without burning a hole in your wallet. If you’re hungry for more genius tricks, our google ads guide is packed with insightful strategies. Jump in and discover all the ways you can leverage them.

Monitoring and Adjusting Campaigns

Keeping an eye on your Google Ads campaigns and tweaking them is a must if you want to see the best results. When you get the hang of tracking conversions and doing A/B testing, your campaign’s gonna be on fire.

Tracking Conversions

Tracking conversions is like knowing if your home team won the game. You need it to figure out how your Google Ads gigs are doing. Conversions can mean anything from someone buying your thing, filling out a quick form, making a call, or any other stuff that adds value to your scene. If you skip out on tracking those, you’ll be flying blind when it comes to ROI—or as we like to call it, making smart money moves.

To set up conversion tracking:

1. Get clear on what a win looks like for your crew.
2. Use Google Ads’ conversion tracking trick to set up what counts as a win.
3. Stick the magic tracking tag on your site or app, pronto.

With spot-on conversion info, you’ll see which ads, keywords, and campaigns are really pulling their weight. This lets you toss cash where it counts and keep your eyes on the prize.

Conversion Tracking Data Example

Metric	Campaign A	Campaign B	Campaign C
Clicks	500	700	600
Conversions	50	85	70
Conversion Rate	10%	12.14%	11.67%
Cost Per Conversion	$10	$8.2	$9.5

If you’re looking for the nitty-gritty, check out our complete write-up on google ads conversion tracking.

A/B Testing for Continuous Improvement

A/B testing, or split testing if you’re fancy, is like putting two contenders in the ring and watching who wins—you got two versions of an ad, landing page, or another part you wanna test. This tactic is gold for ironing out your Google Ads strategy and getting some serious ROI action.

To conduct A/B testing:

1. Pick the one thing you wanna change up (like ad wording, a button that screams “click me,” or how the page looks).
2. Create two versions (let’s call ‘em A and B) with just that one difference.
3. Let them battle it out side-by-side with a crowd that ticks the same boxes.
4. Check who’s got the better stats and make ‘em your MVP.

Keep the A/B testing as a regular gig—constant nipping and tucking means your ad game stays sharp and on point.

Test Element	Version A	Version B
Ad Copy	“Buy Now and Save!”	“Limited Time Offer!”
Click-Through Rate (CTR)	4.5%	6%
Conversion Rate	10%	8%
Cost Per Conversion	$15	$12

Need more juice on pumping up your campaigns? Scope out our write-up on optimize google ads.

By locking in on conversion data and diving into A/B testing, you can give your Google Ads some real zing, seeing better results while being tight with your ad dollars. For a full spread of Google Ads strategies, have a peek at our google ads checklist.