Google Quality Score & The PPC Black Hole

Got on the Internet in 1986 Working online with search since 1996 Paid & Natural Search – all aspects Worked in house within Ecommerce, Publishing & High Tech Moved to i-level in 2008 Worked with Orange, Sony, COI SEO Chick Freelance through Seshet Consulting Who am I?

Got on the Internet in 1986

Working online with search since 1996

Paid & Natural Search – all aspects

Worked in house within Ecommerce, Publishing & High Tech

Moved to i-level in 2008

Worked with Orange, Sony, COI

SEO Chick

Freelance through Seshet Consulting

Agenda Quality Score Deep Linking Position Preference Campaign Structure Match Types & Ad Copy Ongoing Optimisation

Quality Score

Deep Linking

Position Preference

Campaign Structure

Match Types & Ad Copy

Ongoing Optimisation

What is quality score? "a dynamic variable assigned to each of your keywords. It’s calculated using a variety of factors and measures how relevant your keyword is to your ad group and to a user's search query." --- Google

"a dynamic variable assigned to each of your keywords. It’s calculated using a variety of factors and measures how relevant your keyword is to your ad group and to a user's search query."

--- Google

Why should you care? Quality Score influences your ads' position on Google and the Google Network. It also partly determines your keywords' minimum bids.

Quality Score influences your ads' position on Google and the Google Network. It also partly determines your keywords' minimum bids.

Cracking open the black box of QS QS is multiple math formulas - one each for calculating: a) ad position on search b) minimum bid c) eligibility & position on a content site d) Other relevance factors When determining both minimum bid and positioning: 1) Google looks at CTR on Google, NOT the Google Network 2) Google looks at both the keyword's CTR and the account's overall CTR

QS is multiple math formulas - one each for calculating:

a) ad position on search

b) minimum bid

c) eligibility & position on a content site

d) Other relevance factors

When determining both minimum bid and positioning:

1) Google looks at CTR on Google, NOT the Google Network

2) Google looks at both the keyword's CTR and the account's overall CTR

DANGER! The Drop Zone The Drop Zone If you bid between the average CPC and the minimum bid, your position will drop like a stone so if position is important, bid more. You won’t pay more unless bidding increases.

Restructuring an Account Move, don’t delete accounts to keep QS Changing ad copy changes QS Changing destination URL changes QS QS is measured in context – don’t panic if changes aren’t instant

Move, don’t delete accounts to keep QS

Changing ad copy changes QS

Changing destination URL changes QS

QS is measured in context – don’t panic if changes aren’t instant

CTR Is it too low? Is it too high? Does it seem to have changed?

Is it too low?

Is it too high?

Does it seem to have changed?

Quality Score Has it changed? Is it OK, Poor or Great? Is the ad showing no matter what the QS

Has it changed?

Is it OK, Poor or Great?

Is the ad showing no matter what the QS

What is “Deeplinking”? “ Linking to a page of content within a website that bypasses the home page, or lie several layers within the site infrastructure.”

“ Linking to a page of content within a website that bypasses the home page, or lie several layers within the site infrastructure.”

Why should you care? Landing page relevancy to the whole adgroup influences your ads' position on Google and the Google Network. Relevancy of this page determines cost and quality of user experience.

Landing page relevancy to the whole adgroup influences your ads' position on Google and the Google Network. Relevancy of this page determines cost and quality of user experience.

Landing Page Where are you landing people? Is there anything on page relating to KW/ad? Does ad relate to KW/landing page? Does the page convert? GOOGLE IS WATCHING! If user backs out (browser back button) you lose QS points – make that LP relevant!

Where are you landing people?

Is there anything on page relating to KW/ad?

Does ad relate to KW/landing page?

Does the page convert?

GOOGLE IS WATCHING! If user backs out (browser back button) you lose QS points – make that LP relevant!

Factors that Influence Cost The keyword's clickthrough rate (CTR) on Google; CTR on the Google Network is not considered The relevance of the keyword to its ad group The quality of your landing page The historical performance of your account, which is measured by CTR across all your keywords Other relevance factors

The keyword's clickthrough rate (CTR) on Google; CTR on the Google Network is not considered

The relevance of the keyword to its ad group

The quality of your landing page

The historical performance of your account, which is measured by CTR across all your keywords

Other relevance factors

Game It Bid high – higher position & CTR – lower cost later CTR across *ALL* keywords is measured – break down those big ad groups Bring together semantic variances in single ad group – move the rest (aviation, dentist both in same group?) Clear bad results/KW

Bid high – higher position & CTR – lower cost later

CTR across *ALL* keywords is measured – break down those big ad groups

Bring together semantic variances in single ad group – move the rest (aviation, dentist both in same group?)

Clear bad results/KW

What is Bid Placement more control over the positioning of ads Can set for single spot, range of high or low No guarantees Can lower CPC Maintain optimal exposure – minimal bid

more control over the positioning of ads

Can set for single spot, range of high or low

No guarantees

Can lower CPC

Maintain optimal exposure – minimal bid

How Bid Placement Works Activate it at campaign level

Activate it at campaign level

This will activate it for all ad groups on default setting of “any” for position preference

Set the position preference you wish

When to use Position Preference When position doesn’t matter but budget is tight When conversions increase when positioned in a certain slot To target visibility to match organic result

When position doesn’t matter but budget is tight

When conversions increase when positioned in a certain slot

To target visibility to match organic result

Campaign Structure Logical Focused Following structure of destination if feasible Enables top line analysis Changes or underperforming campaigns easy to spot Easy to apply optimisation later

Logical

Focused

Following structure of destination if feasible

Enables top line analysis

Changes or underperforming campaigns easy to spot

Easy to apply optimisation later

Campaigns AdGroups focused singally, grouped in Campaign AdGroups can have thousands of keywords but all related to tightly focused group Fast check on performance

AdGroups focused singally, grouped in Campaign

AdGroups can have thousands of keywords but all related to tightly focused group

Fast check on performance

Ad Copy Use website/publication for relevant copy Analyse other relevant ad copy Check sections related to AdGroup

Use website/publication for relevant copy

Analyse other relevant ad copy

Check sections related to AdGroup

Ad Copy Clear call to action Concise, targeted title URL linked to focus of AdGroup Keyword insertion where practical Semantic variations of keywords employed More than one creative per adgroup to ensure copy well optimised Pause underperforming ads, create new ones from well performing ones

Clear call to action

Concise, targeted title

URL linked to focus of AdGroup

Keyword insertion where practical

Semantic variations of keywords employed

More than one creative per adgroup to ensure copy well optimised

Pause underperforming ads, create new ones from well performing ones

Ad Copy – Beware of... Vague descriptions Weak call to action Pure description Irrelevant copy to adgroup

Vague descriptions

Weak call to action

Pure description

Irrelevant copy to adgroup

PPC Match Types Broad Phrase Exact Negatives

Broad

Phrase

Exact

Negatives

Broad Match Default option Matches anything – including similar words – in any order E.g. – ‘tall dark and handsome’ might also match ‘big (tall) black (dark) cab (handsome)’ Good for research or less fussy daters – can capture unexpectedly related search terms

Default option

Matches anything – including similar words – in any order

E.g. – ‘tall dark and handsome’ might also match ‘big (tall) black (dark) cab (handsome)’

Good for research or less fussy daters – can capture unexpectedly related search terms

Phrase Match Matches terms in order they appear, with any text before or after Good for shorter keyphrases of two or so words E.g. – ‘hot tub’ will match ‘hot tub lover’ but not ‘hot sauna tub’ If keyword research done and confident with it or for the dater who has core requirements in their date, but is open to variety

Matches terms in order they appear, with any text before or after

Good for shorter keyphrases of two or so words

E.g. – ‘hot tub’ will match ‘hot tub lover’ but not ‘hot sauna tub’

If keyword research done and confident with it or for the dater who has core requirements in their date, but is open to variety

Exact Match Specific phrase in that order with no additional words The least impressions but most targeted clicks E.g. ‘likes long walks, dogs, Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle and good coffee’ will not match unless all keywords in that order present Good for specifically targeted ads avoiding less targeted traffic or the date who knows exactly what they want and will settle for nothing more or less

Specific phrase in that order with no additional words

The least impressions but most targeted clicks

E.g. ‘likes long walks, dogs, Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle and good coffee’ will not match unless all keywords in that order present

Good for specifically targeted ads avoiding less targeted traffic or the date who knows exactly what they want and will settle for nothing more or less

Negative Keywords Does not match when that keyword present E.g. – “gorilla” – So if “hairy” is included as negative, ad will show for “Cadbury gorilla” but not “hairy gorilla” Good to ensure no ad shown for undesirable/low conversion searches, keywords in other campaign, or for the date who knows what they absolutely don’t want in a date

Does not match when that keyword present

E.g. – “gorilla” – So if “hairy” is included as negative, ad will show for “Cadbury gorilla” but not “hairy gorilla”

Good to ensure no ad shown for undesirable/low conversion searches, keywords in other campaign, or for the date who knows what they absolutely don’t want in a date

Optimise your performance

Don’t pay for keywords that aren’t relevant… … use the search query report to find and negative match them

Create additional adgroups containing new targeted terms… … or add them to existing campaigns to increase relevance & lower cost

Focus, change, add, and remove ad creative… … don’t just let it ride

Wash, Rinse, Repeat Shine 

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