Tag: Google AdWords

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AdWords Enhances Phone Call Tracking for Websites

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AdWords has rolled out a nice improvement for call tracking that every business owner who is using AdWords should implement.

This new conversion tracking feature allows website owners to code their website phone number to auto insert an AdWords call forwarding phone number. This new feature now allows for website visitors to use the auto generated phone number to improve lead tracking that happen back on the website but originated from an AdWords click.

This new conversion feature will give website owners a more accurate picture about how AdWords is driving lead phone calls that had previously not been recorded as AdWords generated activity.

Implementation of the code is really a three step process:

  1. New code is generated from within the AdWords account from the conversion tab.
  2. Two bits of code are installed in the <head> tag of the web pages and then these codes are called into the page using an onload function in the <body> tag.
  3. Code is then created to tag each incidence of your old phone number in the page content with a dynamic insertion call to the two scripts.

What happens after implementation is the following:

  1. A person clicks your ad and lands on your website.
  2. When your website page loads, the scripts go into action and instead of showing your default phone number on the page, AdWords inserts dynamically a special unique phone number tied to that specific search query action/ad click.
  3. The customer then phones you using the phone number they see on your page and AdWords records the action of a call lasting 60 seconds (you can select the duration in set up), as a conversion back in the AdWords control panel.

This is really a revolutionary improvement for AdWords conversion tracking. I found that when Google first started call tracking clients were surprised how effective AdWords was in making their phone ring. This new enhancement will surely boost metrics even more proving that AdWords is driving more lead conversions than previously expected.

I highly recommend this implementation on your website if you are using AdWords to drive lead generation. If you are looking for a savvy AdWords account manager make sure to check out our pricing and services.

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Are You Really Working Negative Keywords in AdWords to Your Benefit?

Educate yourself on the value of negative keywords in Google AdWords.
Educate yourself on the value of negative keywords in Google AdWords.

Keywords are the backbone of a successful AdWords campaign, but negative keywords are the “secret sauce” that make a program truly successful.

Negative keywords in an AdWords account will limit the search queries where an ad will show on Google search, but not quite as effectively in the Display network. That being said, the inclusion of negative keywords into every AdWords program is something that should be done and routinely reviewed.

Here are some of my tips on developing your own negative keyword list for your AdWords account.

1. Create a standard list you can use for every program but review it first before using as some keywords may not be appropriate for every campaign. Some I routinely use are: free, discount, info, information, forum, reviews, stories, school, job, hire, career.

2. Decide if you want to add all your keywords to the negative keyword field as broad match or if you would like to use phrase match instead or in addition to the broad match keywords you’ve added. This requires a little bit of thought; think how searches for your product would be done. I will typically add a combination of both.

3. Do a reality check and monitor your account for actual search queries. If you are seeing keywords that are not targeted to what you are really selling, take some time to review if you need to expand the negative keywords you are using. You may find that there are new versions you may want to add. An easy way to do additional negative keyword discovery is to use the “add keywords” button just above the keyword table. Look at the keywords that Google is suggesting that you add. Look over the list, you’ll find all kinds of additional keywords that may really not be about your product or service and these keywords will give you great ideas on new negative keywords to add.

4. If you add your negative keywords as broad match, you will not need to create such an extensive list as Google will also use synonyms and close variations in your negative list as a nice benefit of using broad match.

5. Watch your AdWords alert button for negative keyword conflicts that Google will tell you about over time. Sometimes you will want to leave the keyword in place and sometimes you may want to remove it.

If you need help with your AdWords program, I invite you to find out more about our AdWords set up and management services.

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Five Tips on Creating Negative Keyword Lists for AdWords

Giving you a hand on negative keyword lists.
Giving you a hand on negative keyword lists.

Keywords, they are the pivot point for the success of all AdWords programs. Have keywords that are too broad in your account and you’ll be looking at poor quality scores and higher costs. Have keywords that are too narrow and you’ll be looking at very low impressions and very low conversion numbers.

So, how do you achieve the balance you need to make an AdWords program truly successful? By combining broad match, phrase match and negative keywords you can drive traffic while staying targeted.

Here are my five tips on creating top performing negative keyword lists for AdWords.

1. Think like a customer. By putting on your thinking hat as you create your initial keyword list you will actually identify keywords that will not bring you the traffic you need. Got something that is top quality? Good negative keywords will be cheap, free, and discount.

2. Review your search query report. Look for keywords that are popping up in the report that have actually triggered your ad. For example you are selling enterprise document generating software, are you seeing terms like letter generator, tattoo letters; if so your ads may be showing to people who are looking for a letter (symbol) generator not a correspondence generating platform. Good keywords to use to filter out this traffic would be generator (focus on generating instead in your keyword list) and online.

3. Consider using match types for your keyword list. Remember however if you use phrase match negative keywords, you will need to enter in plurals. To enter in phrase match keywords, use the same syntax by quoting the phrase.

4. Look for the smallest number of keywords that still make your negative phrase workable. Instead of a negative keyword phrase like “luxury Hawaiian vacations”, maybe luxury all alone is a better match or the broad match variation of “luxury vacation” and “luxury vacations”.

5. Use the shared library. By adding your negative keywords to the shared library, all your campaigns and ad groups in your AdWords account will share the negative list. This action makes it easy to update your global keyword list. Just make sure if you add a new campaign to the account that you link that campaign to the shared list.

If you need help with your AdWords program, I invite you to find out more about the services my firm provides for AdWords set up and account management.

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How Not to Use AdWords

Sometimes It Is All about the Money
Sometimes It Is All about the Money

So often a prospective clients approaches us for Google AdWords Services as they have heard AdWords is great for lead generation. But, sometimes a prospective client may need a quick review on how not to use AdWords. Here’s my short list to help demystify what AdWords is and is not.

How Not to Use AdWords

1. Do not use AdWords if your ad budget will preclude you from participating in the “real” money keyword auction. If you want to spend $1,500 per 30 days and AdWords says your keywords need a maximum cost per click of $23.00 to appear on the first page of results, do not expect to get lead conversions as your program will only show on peripheral keywords and so the traffic you get from AdWords may never convert to your expectation. If your budget is this low and your click cost that high, consider investing instead in AdWords Express or other forms of low cost advertising like Facebook or Twitter ads.

2. Do not use AdWords if you are already having money issues. It can take sometimes as long as 60 to 90 days or even longer for a program to really start generating leads and sometimes the reality is that the leads generated are lower than a prospective client may have expected. Understand that the conversion rate of a typical ecommerce store is under 2%. Do not move into AdWords expecting conversion numbers of 20% or higher when they may really be closer to 2%. And remember, as the cost of your product or service moves up your conversion numbers will move down.

3. AdWords is not really the place for a business that is already floundering financially. Google will spend whatever you allot to it without real regard for your desired conversion dreams. Get your account manager to help you understand the average cost per click and potential conversion numbers before you start advertising. Although your results are all dictated by the auction marketplace, if your product and services are over priced and are not selling for other market driven reasons, promoting them on AdWords will not bring sales. Fix the real problem with your sales and market competitiveness first!

What AdWords Really Can Do

1. AdWords really can drive leads and grow your business! That’s the good news. I’ve done it and seen it happen. The key is to be competitively priced, offer something for sale or as a service that is of value – AdWords can expose your products and services to a wide audience that you may never have been able to reach without it.

2. Your AdWords program can pay for itself and generate profit for your business. It does not happen the day your program starts running typically – although I have seen it do just that for some businesses, but for most sales and leads typically happen in week two or three after start.

AdWords is hands down the best lead generator that I have found for my clients and I feel that it provides reach and exposure that is unparalleled. But your budget must be high enough to really be able to support performance based on your industry. A software firm that spends $1,500 a month will get very different conversion results than a similar software firm that spends $8,000 a month.