10 Tips for Your Google Ads Strategy
According to the Bible, Moses received the Ten Commandments from God at the top of Mount Sinai. These commandments from God came at a time when the Israelites were wandering restlessly through the desert, fleeing from Pharaoh and Egyptian rule, and far from any stable and secure environment. In other words, it was a time of crisis for the Israelites.
In Denmark in 2020, we also experienced a time of crisis. Not because of totalitarian, antiquated regimes—but because of the coronavirus. And the circumstances were far from familiar and, above all, unsettling for many—especially for the business community.
In 2024, the COVID-19 crisis isn’t as severe as it was in March 2020, when we first published this article. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t still a need for a little spiritual guidance on marketing for business owners—for example, those of you who advertise through Google Ads.
So climb the virtual Mount Sinai and receive a digital stone tablet with the 10 commandments for your Google Ads strategy.
1. Don't forget to combine Ads and Analytics
Google Ads and Google Analytics each provide valuable information—but the synergy between the two is essential if you want a complete picture of your customers' journey.
In Google Ads, you can certainly see which keywords and ads lead to a conversion. But Ads only tells you a little about the user journey. And that’s where Analytics comes in. Analytics can tell you what your users do after they’ve interacted with your ads.
In Analytics, you’ll find data that can help you optimize your Google Ads campaigns—and that data can provide you with valuable insights into how your ads are performing.
You can use that information when optimizing your Google Ads account later on. I’ll go into more detail about that in the ninth tip. Finally, Analytics is indispensable for remarketing, which you can read more about in the eighth tip.
2. Do not ignore tracking
Of course, it’s important that your website or online store gets visitors through Ads. But a visit doesn’t necessarily mean a conversion. That’s why you must make sure to set up tracking for purchases and leads so you can monitor whether your visitors are converting into paying customers.
Without tracking, you can probably see that traffic is coming to your website—but you won’t know who’s actually creating value. Advertising on Google Ads and ignoring the need for tracking is a bit like throwing a wad of cash at a random crowd of people without knowing who’s spending their money in your store.
Therefore, set up tracking for both micro- and macro-conversions. This will give you valuable insights into individual search terms and the performance of your ads.
A micro-conversion is an action that leads to a primary conversion goal (a macro-conversion). Examples of micro-conversions include subscribing to a newsletter, registering for an event, or adding products to the shopping cart.
A macro conversion is the conversion goal itself—the action you ultimately want the user to take on your website. For an online store owner, this will typically be a purchase, while for a service-based business, it will be filling out a contact form, making a phone call, or submitting another type of inquiry.
3. You need to know your target audience—and choose keywords accordingly
Know your target audience and their online behavior, because that knowledge can save you from wasting money on ads.
Of course, you know your core target audience. But it can be worthwhile to dig a little deeper into your target audience—what are they looking for, and how long does it take them to convert into a lead or sale after their first click on the website? Because by understanding your target audience and their behavior, you can avoid spending your advertising budget on the wrong segment.
Once you know your target audience, you can start identifying the keywords that your target audience uses—and, just as importantly, that are relevant to your company’s advertising. Google Keyword Planner is a brilliant tool for this.
When choosing a keyword, however, it’s important to consider the competition for that keyword—but also whether it’s even profitable to be visible for it.
For example, it might seem worthwhile to choose a keyword like “cross-country skis for retirees who enjoy bridge” because the competition is low. But since virtually no one will ever use that exact keyword, it’s hardly profitable. So it’s all about finding a balance between search volume and competition.
Finally, you can benefit from using negative keywords. By using negative keywords, you ensure that your ads aren’t shown for irrelevant searches. This results in a low click-through rate, since the ads are shown to users who may be looking for something else. And it leads to a low quality score for the keyword and the ad—and thus a higher cost per click.
4. You must respect your campaign structure
There are a wealth of advertising options in Google Ads—ranging from traditional Google Search ads to YouTube ads. And it can be tempting to dive right into them all. But it doesn’t always pay to spread yourself too thin.
Instead, you should stick to your campaign structure and consider which channels, settings, and options are relevant to your advertising.
And that may be easier said than done, given the many channels in Google Ads, which include, among others:
Google Search
The text ads that appear above or below the organic search results, as well as on the sides of the page. Ads in Google Search are advantageous because they are often the first thing a user sees when conducting a search on Google.
RLSA – Remarketing List for Search Ads
Ads that target a group of users who have previously interacted with your website—for example, by completing a micro-conversion. Remarketing is beneficial because it allows you to stay in touch with visitors who haven’t yet converted into paying customers—and potentially turn their next visit into a sale or a lead.
PLA – Product Listing Ads (Shopping Ads)
Ads that display both an image and text in search results. These types of ads are typically relevant if you run an online store. However, be sure to review Google’s guidelines for Shopping campaigns if you use this channel.
Display Advertising
Banner/text ads on Google’s partner network. There are several options within this campaign type. For example, you can use “search intent” to target users who have shown interest in a specific topic or your competitors.
Display advertising is beneficial because it reaches customers at every stage of the customer journey, and the banner format allows you to showcase your company’s visual identity.
YouTube Advertising
YouTube advertising can consist of display ads, but can also include:
- In-video ads—ads that appear as a overlay during a video.
- In-stream ads—video ads that play before a video starts. Viewers typically wait to skip the ad. That’s why your message, logo, etc., need to appear within the first 5–10 seconds!
- In-display ads – ads located at the top right, just above the list of related videos.
- Non-skippable ads – video ads that play before a video starts and that the user cannot skip. These can be annoying for the user—but on the other hand, you can be sure they’ll be seen.
So, there are many types of ads in Google Ads. That’s why it’s important to choose the right one based on your budget, your campaign, and your target audience.
5. Don't underestimate the call to action
A call to action is essential if you want people to click on your ads and visit your website.
In short, a call to action is text that tells your target audience what they need to do to meet their needs. A good call to action encourages potential visitors to click on your ads.
That’s why you should write comprehensive ads that explicitly explain what the user can expect when they click—ads that encourage action. This increases the likelihood of clicks.
For example, if a user is looking for blue safety shoes made of Gore-Tex, your ad should explicitly state that you sell blue safety shoes made of Gore-Tex.
The more information you can provide your users before they actually click on the ad, the better. You need to, roughly speaking, take the horse by the reins and lead it to the trough. Or, to put it a little more politely: show the user the easiest path to the next step.
It’s a good idea to be visible and helpful at every stage—from start to finish. But if you don’t have the resources to do so, you’ll need to set priorities. Read much more about how to conduct akeyword analysis based on the customer journey here.
6. Do not disappoint your users' expectations
A call to action is essential. But your call to action must also deliver on its promise. When your users click on an ad, they expect to have a need met. And you must never fail to meet that expectation.
Therefore, there must be a match between what is promised in the ad and the landing page the user arrives at when clicking on your ad.
If a user clicks on an ad promoting blue safety shoes made of Gore-Tex, the user should, of course, be able to see all the blue safety shoes made of Gore-Tex in your product lineup—and not red sandals with bows.
In other words, there must be a connection between the ad and the landing page. The key word is relevance.
Consistency between your ad and landing page also results in a higher quality score for your keyword, which leads to a lower cost per click and greater competitiveness compared to your competitors.
In short, by creating relevant landing pages, you create a win-win situation—both you and your users benefit.
7. You must not deviate from ad extensions
Now that we’re using biblical terminology, it goes without saying that we should avoid succumbing to the seven deadly sins. But in Google Ads, it’s actually perfectly fine to give in to a little greed. By that, I mean greed in the sense that you should just pack your ads full of information.
And the best way to do that is with ad extensions. Ad extensions are pieces of information that expand your ads to make them more useful to users. They typically include phone numbers, links to pages on your website, and reviews—for example, from Google or Trustpilot.
Ad extensions also ensure that your ads take up more space on the results page—they “take up more of the screen.” And that’s a great way to make your ads stand out from your competitors’.
8. Don't give up on lost users—remarketing is the key
Forgiveness is the be-all and end-all of Christianity—but especially so in Google Ads. After all, you shouldn’t condemn your lost users—those who may have visited your website, or those who may have added an item to their shopping cart, but who never completed the purchase or filled out your contact form.
Instead, you should forgive them—and then re-engage them. And that’s where remarketing comes into play. Remarketing allows you to reach users who have previously visited your website.
When a customer visits your website without converting, you can later show them ads on Google partner websites. This means you get another chance to convert them into a sale.
In practice, remarketing works by Google Ads storing a so-called cookie ID on the user’s device. Each cookie has a unique ID, which Google Ads automatically adds to a remarketing list—essentially, a list of visitors for whom you’ve collected data. When a user meets the criteria you’ve specified, they’ll see your ads on selected platforms.
Micro-conversions are a good place to start. For example, if a user has added items to their shopping cart without completing a purchase, you can later target that person with a message such as “Did you forget your items in the cart?” on other websites.
That way, you'll have another chance to convert passive users into paying customers.
9) Do not avoid optimization
I’ve already encouraged greed, of course. But laziness is a deadly sin you must never fall prey to in Google Ads.
It can certainly be tempting to rest on your laurels, sit back, and wait for conversions—especially if you’ve followed the eight tips above to the letter.
Because once you’ve done that, you’ll certainly be in the best position to optimize your account for the best ROAS (Return on Ad Spend). But you should always keep a close eye on your campaigns so you don’t waste money on ads—for example, on a search term that isn’t profitable or an ad that isn’t converting.
Therefore, be sure to continuously optimize your advertising. For example, you can:
- A/B test your ads—try new messages or landing pages, and see if your users respond better to the alternative. Does this lead to more conversions?
- Review your search history for new, relevant search terms you hadn't thought of yourself, or for negative keywords that are wasting your ad budget.
- Optimize by demographics and time—are women between the ages of 25 and 35 living in North Jutland who are online on Tuesdays between 2:00 and 3:00 p.m. the ones who convert the most? Or is it an entirely different segment at completely different times?
By ensuring ongoing optimization, you’ll gain valuable insights that can strengthen your Google Ads strategy. And this is where the synergy between Google Analytics and Google Ads—which I mentioned in the first tip—really comes into its own.
10. Don't forget to file your reports
The tenth and final tip for your Google Ads strategy may not be so much a tip as a piece of good advice. I’m thinking here of the importance of reporting.
With a daily, monthly, quarterly, or annual Google Ads report, you’ll get an overview of your advertising. For example, where should you focus more of your efforts? Where should you optimize? What’s working?
Reporting helps you ensure that your Google Ads campaigns continue to be built on a strong foundation.
Learn Even More
Whether you're a generalist or a specialist in marketing, our experts have put together a number of helpful tips for you on our blog.
