Embarking on a Google Ads campaign can be an exhilarating journey into the world of online advertising. For those who are new to the platform or are considering employing the services of an agency, the first month is a crucial period of set up, learning, and optimization. Here’s a look at what you should expect in the first 30 days of your campaign.
The First 72 Hours: Constructing Your Foundation
When a new client partners with us, I prioritize speed and quality. With this in mind:
- Ad Groups & Keywords: We create ad groups that are themed around your products or services and populate them with meticulously researched keywords likely to attract the right audience.
- Campaign Settings: This is where we define who sees your ads, when they see them, and on what devices.
- Landing Pages: Every ad will lead potential customers to a landing page crafted for maximum conversion — tailored to be relevant, user-friendly, and convincing.
This rapid yet thorough build-out process sets the stage for the advertising magic to happen.
Learning Phase: Data is King
After pressing the proverbial ‘Go’ button on your campaign, we enter what I like to call the ‘Learning Phase’. This two-week period is all about gathering data:
- We’ll experiment with bids to pull in as much data as possible, which will guide our later optimizations.
- It’s natural to feel impatient for instant results, but setting realistic expectations during this phase is crucial. The focus is on long-term success over quick wins.
Initial Optimization: Refining for Results
The three-week mark is where the campaign’s collected data lets us make informed decisions. Here:
- We initiate optimizations based on actual user interactions, fine-tuning our keyword lists, and adjusting our bidding strategies accordingly.
- The goal during this time is to trim any excess to improve the campaign’s overall efficiency.
Advanced Optimization: The Fine-Tuning
In the fourth week, the campaign undergoes advanced optimizations:
- We delve deeper into the analytics, possibly enabling smarter, machine-learning-based bidding strategies, should the data support such a move.
- Our adjustments are more nuanced, focusing on driving down costs and amplifying successful aspects of the campaign.
Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO): Beyond the Click
Finally, we may enter a phase of conversion rate optimization. If performance metrics aren’t hitting their targets by this stage, we focus on the post-click experience:
- Adjustments to the landing page—from tweaking content to testing different calls to action—are deployed.
- We aim for seamless message alignment between ads and landing pages to encourage conversions.
The first 30 days are foundational for setting up a successful and strategic Google Ads campaign. A well-structured approach to campaign management can bring about a sizable return on investment and help achieve long-term business goals.
Patience and a keen eye on data during this period are imperative. Remember, refining a campaign is a continuous process, and insights gained in the early stages are instrumental to ongoing success.