How To Improve Google Adwords Campaign Performance

Whether you’re managing your Google Adwords campaign yourself or have entrusted it to an agency, the performance of your Adwords campaign can vary significantly based on its quality. A well-crafted campaign can generate up to ten times more business for the same cost as a poorly executed one. The effectiveness of Adwords can also differ across industries, making it crucial to assess the specific dynamics of your field. Even if you’re satisfied with your return on investment, there is always room for improvement. There are a few things to keep in mind if you want to know how to improve Google Adwords campaign performance.

Conversely, dissatisfaction may stem from industry-specific challenges rather than the campaign or agency. A proficient agency should conduct thorough research beforehand to set realistic expectations and advise if Adwords might not be suitable for your business.

Given these considerations, understanding the effectiveness of your campaign is paramount. Here are some essential checks to evaluate the performance of your Adwords campaign and learn how to improve Google Adwords campaign performance:

1. Understand Your Expenditure: If an agency manages your campaign, ensure transparency about how much of your budget is spent on clicks and how much goes to the agency. Typically, an agency charges around 25% for managing your campaign. Google encourages agencies to provide clear information about this breakdown.
2. Analyse Search Terms: Review the exact search terms that trigger your ads or request a report from your agency. Campaigns often use broad settings, leading to irrelevant clicks. For instance, I once encountered an accountant’s campaign where users searching for “PayPal account” or “Tesco online” consumed the budget without relevance to the services offered. To check this yourself, go to the keywords tab in Adwords, click “details,” then under “Search Terms,” select “All.” If using an agency, request a detailed report.
3. Match Keywords to Ads: Conduct searches on Google to see if your ads align closely with the searched keywords. Effective ads should feature the keyword multiple times, making it appear bold and stand out. A lack of bold keywords in your ads indicates a need for improvement.
4. Evaluate Quality Scores: Check the quality scores of your keywords. A lower quality score means higher costs per click and lower ad positions. If your quality score is 4 and a competitor’s is 8 for the same keyword, you might pay double for the same visitor. Aim for an average quality score above 5 across all keywords.
5. Implement Conversion Tracking: Without conversion tracking, optimising your campaign is nearly impossible. Conversion tracking monitors actions on your site, such as form submissions, enabling you to focus on profitable keywords and eliminate those that don’t perform.
6. Assess Keyword Quantity and Relevance: Ensure you have a sufficient number of keywords to target diverse quality leads. For example, the leads generated by “SEO Consultant” may differ from those searching for “SEO Agency” or “SEO Services.” Effective management requires detailed keyword segmentation, such as including variations like “SEO Consultant,” “SEO Consultants,” and “SEO Consultancy.” This granularity allows for precise tracking and bid adjustments based on conversion rates.
7. Utilise Landing Pages: Most businesses, particularly service-based ones, should use specially designed landing pages for Adwords traffic. These pages can significantly increase inquiries without additional Adwords spending and can reduce costs by improving quality scores.

If you suspect your Adwords campaign is not being managed effectively, please feel free to contact me for a complimentary review.

Improving your Google Adwords campaign performance involves a combination of understanding your expenditure, ensuring keyword relevance, evaluating quality scores, implementing conversion tracking, and utilising tailored landing pages. By following these steps, you can optimise your campaign and achieve better results, regardless of your industry.