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New Year: Google Ads Account Review Time

New Year: Google Ads Account Review Time

We hope that 2019 was prosperous for your business and a success for your personally. From a business perspective, Google Ads may have been integral to your hopes for growth and development. So how did things go?

The start of a new year brings about the opportunity to reflect, to evaluate and to consider. It may be the case that Google Ads helped to meet your goals. Or maybe it didn’t help you to achieve as much as you had expected. Either way, there is always room for improvement and the start of 2020 provides the chance to examine your account in an objective manner and to make the improvements that will power your business in the year ahead.

Although accounts are varied, we find that there are a number of steps that can be taken at this time of year that will be beneficial. Here’s our run-down of top tips!:

Use all of that data

During 2019 your Google advertising activity generated search impressions, ad clicks, sales, leads and so much more! One of the most valuable elements of having an account that has been running for some time is that you will have been able to collect data. Even when it comes to some aspects that you consider to have been failures, the reality is that you have gained data. If you use that data wisely, then it will be to your advantage.

In particular, the information should help you to answer key questions and to offer direction for the year ahead.

Take a look at the leads and sales that you generated. What were the most successful elements of your account? Did particular campaigns do really well? Or was it down to specific keywords? What did the best performing areas of the account have in common?

You may find that there are certain common threads running through your success stories. Maybe particular landing pages were especially effective, or you may find that certain keyword collections really delivered for you.

How about the areas of the account where performance was poor? This is where it’s so important to take an honest, open-minded approach. Areas where performance was poor will represent opportunities. Can you, for example, use information gleaned from better performing areas to enable improvements to be made elsewhere within the account. Or have you spotted that some keywords simply don’t deliver results for your business? Now is the chance to avoid making the same mistakes again.

Look closely at keyword performance

Do you remember that stellar keyword that seems to deliver 40% of your total sales? The one that you’ve always taken for granted? How is it performing right now? How did it perform in the past 6 months of 2019?

If you can’t already answer those questions, then now is the time to find out.

You need to be monitoring those performance levels, considering competitor activity and thinking about opportunities to generate even more sales. Could you, for example, be advertising on highly specific associated keywords? Do you need to make some landing page or pricing adjustments at this stage?

It’s so important that you don’t assume that an area of your account that has historically performed well will simply continue to do so. Proper monitoring and informed optimisation changes can help to both maintain and improve performance.

Review business objectives

Maximising Google Ads performance isn’t just about looking at the history and current situation within your account: it’s also about considering wider business aims. Here are some thoughts to get you started:

  • Has your business changed in any way since you last reviewed your Google Ads activity?
  • What profit margins are you working to in different areas and on different products? Have these changed? What do such changes mean for the profitability of your Google Ads account?
  • Is any of your creative within the account outdated?
  • Has your positioning, as a business, changed as a result of competitor activity? Does the Google Ads account reflect this?

Your Google Ads account needs to be aligned with the objectives of your business. Now is the time to ensure that everything is in place.

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Keith Barrett
With more than 15 years of digital marketing experience, Keith Barrett is a fully Certified Google AdWords Partner. Offering insights into the world of PPC marketing in the UK, Keith is a Senior Consultant here at Search South. If you'd like to hear more of Keith's thoughts, then you can subscribe to our newsletter.