Let's say you're running a Google Ads campaign, and it's spending money, but you're getting very few conversions.
We've all been there.
But the real problem with my Google Ads coaching client's campaign only became clear when we checked the search terms report.
Let's call this client Eric. He had a campaign that was supposed to be targeting non-brand keywords. But when we dug into the search terms report, we found that a huge chunk of his impressions were going towards people searching for his competitors. Ouch!
This was happening for two reasons:
- Sneaky competitor names: Some of his competitors had very generic names, so by targeting generic non-brand keywords, his ads were triggering for searches that weren't relevant to his business.
- Broad match mayhem: He was using broad match keywords. If you know, you know. Broad match isn't inherently bad, but it can be a bit of a wild card and bring in a lot of irrelevant searches if you're not careful.
So how did we solve it? Pretty simple actually. We changed his keyword match types from Broad Match to Exact Match, and added competitor brand names as Phrase Match negative keywords.
That last part is important, because even with Exact Match keywords, you can still serve ads on competitor searches. Thank Google's very loose definition of "close variant" for that one.
With Exact Match keywords + robust negatives, Eric can protect his budget and ensure that his ads are only showing up for relevant searches. He now knows how to check his search terms report and add negative keywords, and will continue to monitor and optimize on a monthly basis.
Here's what you can do to optimize your keywords and stop wasting your money:
- Regularly review your Search Terms report: Have you noticed this as a key takeaway for three issues in a row? That's because too many business owners don't do this! Check your Search Terms report weekly and add negatives as needed.
- Avoid Broad Match keywords with small budgets: While Broad Match has its uses, it's usually not a good starting point for small businesses. Consider Exact Match instead, and then expand once you get some traction.
- Add competitor brand names as negative keywords: I know it can be tempting to try to "steal" their traffic, but you're more likely to waste money than affordably gain customers this way. Start with them as negatives, and consider removing the negatives down the line if you want to start conquesting.
Ready to boost your Google Ads ROI, like Eric? Book a call with me and we'll optimize your campaigns for maximum impact.
One more thing...
I just updated my Google Ads for Beginners course for 2025! So if you've been thinking about taking the plunge with Google Ads - now's the time.
This is the most up to date Google Ads training you'll find anywhere. Plus, I added a brand new section to the course to walk you through planning, setting up and launching your first Google Search campaign.
Got a question about Google Ads for Beginners? Let me know, I'd love to hear from you.
