Tips for Navigating Google's Ad Networks

We manage millions in Google Ads spend. Here's what we NEVER do at launch. I look at accounts all day long. And I keep seeing the same costly mistakes over and over and over again. Your campaign isn't failing because "Google Ads doesn't work." It's failing because of how you set it up. Google wants you to click their shiny "recommended" buttons. But those buttons are traps. They'll have you showing ads to the wrong people, in the wrong places, with the wrong bidding strategy. Then you burn through your budget with nothing to show for it. It's like handing your credit card to a waiter and saying "just bring me whatever food you think I'll like!" Look, We've built campaigns that generate millions in revenue. And we NEVER follow Google's defaults when setting up. Instead, we do these 7 things on EVERY new campaign: 1. Skip Google's "objectives" screen - it just hides the good settings 2. Use Manual CPC or Max Clicks at first - not the fancy automated stuff 3. Turn off Display Network & Search Partners - they're budget killers 4. Click "Presence in location" targeting - stops showing ads to people nowhere near you 5. Stick to Exact & Phrase Match keywords - Broad Match comes later 6. Turn off tablet traffic (-100%) - it rarely works well at first 7. Add negative keywords right away - block the junk searches from day one When our clients switch to this setup, they often see their cost per lead drop by 30-50%. One local plumber cut his cost per lead from $87 to $41 just by fixing these settings. COMMENT "setup" and I'll send you the full checklist. PS: Send me a connection request too. It'll be easier to share the guide with you. #googleads #PPC #SEA #SEM #campaignsetup #localmarketing

In early 2023, I KILLED a Google Ads campaign by OBSESSING over negative keywords... There I was, watching our conversion rates tank while frantically adding negative keywords to our smart bidding campaigns. "These search terms are irrelevant!" I told myself, as I systematically destroyed months of algorithm learning. My client was breathing down my neck, and I was desperate to show I was "optimizing" the account. What I discovered changed everything: Google Ads has fundamentally shifted from keyword targeting to audience targeting, and most advertisers haven't caught up. This is super important... Even though we are targeting keywords Google Switched this on us. We are actually targeting audiences... and here's what happens... Stop Fighting Your Smart Bidding Campaigns! Every time you dump a list of negative keywords into your smart bidding campaigns, you're essentially telling a Ferrari to drive like a Toyota Corolla. You are resetting Google's learnings and it has is trying to figure out and test new opportunities with the new restrictions. Advertisers switch to broad match with smart bidding, freak out at the search terms report, add tons of negative keywords, then wonder why their campaigns underperform. Meanwhile, their competitors who understand the new game of how google actually works and they have better CPAs and higher conversion rates. The choice is yours: adapt to the new way, or get left behind optimizing campaigns like it's 2015. Let me break down exactly how to thrive in this new era. #1. Recognize the Two Worlds of Google Ads This is the game-changing mindset shift you need. - Old World: Manual CPC and Maximize Clicks (keyword targeting) - New World: tCPA, tROAS, Max Conversions & Maximize Conversion Value (audience targeting) - Stop applying old-world tactics to new-world campaigns #2. Give Your Smart Bidding Campaigns Room to Breathe That urge to control everything? Fight it. - Focus on conversion trends and performance metrics - Wait the proper amount of time based on the # of conversions before making changes - Add negatives in batches and at the proper time. You can't add in negatives every day without seeing a dip in performance #3. Master the Hybrid Approach Here's how to get the best of both worlds. - Use manual campaigns for strict keyword control - Run smart bidding campaigns with minimal interference - Focus on account-level performance metrics Listen, I get it. That search terms report can trigger anxiety. But here's the truth: The moment I stopped micromanaging smart bidding campaigns was when the campaigns really took off. You can either fight the algorithm or let it work its magic. The choice is yours. Want to see exactly how I structure these campaigns? If you want to leverage the best of both worlds: Hyper Targeting + Google's Incredible Smart Bidding Strategies, drop a comment with the word "Strategies" below👇 #googleads #ppc #digitalmarketing #marketingstrategy #advertisingtips

Over the last 4 years, Directive has run over $65M in Google ads for the top companies in tech. Here are the 3 biggest mistakes I see SaaS companies make with Google ads (and how to fix them): 1. They spend their budget on “informational intent” queries that have no chance of converting This seems obvious, but *every* account we audit makes this mistake. Here’s how to fix it: Step 1: Analyze Non Brand Queries - Filter to look at non-brand keywords - Filter those keywords to look at "keyword text contains" and input all the modifiers - Compare these keywords to "keyword text does not contain" the modifiers Example commercial intent modifiers: Software, Services, Provider, Company, Quote, Vendor, Solution, Best, Tool, Platform, Buy, Top, Comparison. Step 2: Segment your Campaigns by Intent - Ensure commercial and non commercial keywords are not in the same campaign (i.e. do not have "employee recognition" in the same campaign as "employee recognition software"). - Control budget on the campaign level. Ensure you don't have commercial intent keywords fighting for budget with lower intent keywords that have more search volume. Step 3: Max out budget on those high intent Keywords - Grow your keyword pool by finding more commercial intent keywords from scraping relevant software directories 2. They Use Request a Demo CTA The most widely used CTA in B2B SaaS is “Request a Demo”. Unfortunately, this causes hidden psychological friction... When you request something there’s an opportunity you wont be able to have it. See IMAGE BELOW for CTA’s you should test instead. Backed by data from our portfolio. 3. They Don’t Audit Their Ad Experience From Search Term > Ad Copy > Landing Page > Form > CTA > Scheduling It ALL needs to be audited. - Search term: Google ads pretends to target by keywords, but the truth in how you show up is in your search term report. Audit and understand this first. - Ad Copy: Don’t give Google control of your messaging. They will keyword stuff your ads and that won't work. - Landing Page: Is it fast? Does it deliver on the promise of the ad? - Form: Is your form too long? Can you do a two column layout for field? Does it have copy to entice you to convert? How long is the trial? Are you using an enrichment tool? - CTA: What is the copy on your form submit button? Can you be more compelling or creative? - Scheduling: What happens after they convert? Can they schedule a call? Do they have to wait for sales? Are they added to a retargeting campaign to support your lifecycle conversion rates? TAKEAWAY: Anyone who says Google Ads don’t work anymore is lying to you. It’s poorly managed campaigns that don’t work. So, go be your prospect. Experience your ads. Be critical. Ask yourself... “If I had to narrow my search to three brands while searching on Google would I choose ours?” Then run AZ tests, not AB tests. And GET OUT of the platform. Great ads are optimized for the wild, not in platform