5 (Not So Dumb) Adwords Questions Answered
“This is probably a dumb question, but…”
I can’t even count the number of times I said that when I first started here at GroFire.
It seems the more experienced we are with something; the more we assume it is common knowledge. It’s not until I start saying things like “your PPC click through rate has improved” or “I’m creating a landing page, to help improve your quality score” to a client that I realize, these things aren’t as common knowledge as I sometimes think they are.
When you first start looking into Google Adwords, it can be intimidating to think there’s so much that you don’t understand; including a crazy long list of terms that you may have never heard before!
Whether you’re running your own PPC campaign, or just wanting to better understand the campaign that we are running for you, I’ll try to make it all a little easier to understand.
- What is Google Adwords (PPC)
Google Adwords is one of the most popular pay per click (PPC) advertising systems in the world. It enables you to bid on specific keywords, & have your ads appear at the top of Google’s search results. Since it is run with cost-per-click (CPC) bidding, you’re only charged when someone clicks your ad. This makes Adwords a great option for marketing with any budget.
- Why do I need a landing page for my campaign?
A landing page is a single page site that is designed to prompt your visitors to take a specific action. You want to make it as easy as possible for your clients to take that action. Whether it is to fill out a form, download an app, or buy a product, the landing page should direct their attention to that action. By simplifying the page, users are more likely to complete your call to action.
- What is the purpose of A/B testing ads & landing pages?
A/B testing is a great way to continually improve your campaigns. We A/B test our campaigns, by creating 2 very similar ads/pages, with one slight difference. That difference may be the call to action text or color, the form placement, or featured image. Each month, the top-performing page becomes our “A” test, & we create a “B” page based off of the previous top-performing pages.
- What are negative keywords, & why do I need them?
Negative keywords are our way of letting Google know that you don’t want your ads to appear for certain searches. This will help you avoid wasting money on unwanted clicks. For example, if you are an attorney running ads for “legal adoption” you may want to add “animal” or “cat” to your negative keyword list to avoid getting clicks from people looking for a local shelter to adopt a new family pet.
- What is a “quality score” & why does that matter for my ad placement?
Google determines an ad’s quality score by looking at the relevance of the ads, keywords, & landing page. By mentioning your keyword in your ad, and on the landing page, Google sees your ad as more relevant. The more relevant your ad is, the higher it will be displayed, and you will receive a lower cost per click.
