In the ever-evolving landscape of digital marketing, Google Ads remains a cornerstone for businesses looking to reach their target audience. However, the platform is not without its complexities. One of the most critical aspects of running a successful Google Ads campaign is understanding keyword match types and bidding strategies. This comprehensive guide, brought to you by Hubspoke Marketing, aims to demystify these concepts and offer actionable insights for improving your Google Ads performance.

The Evolution of Keyword Match Types

Broad Match: A Comprehensive Approach

Broad match keywords are the most inclusive type of keywords in Google Ads. They allow your ads to show up for searches that are related to the keyword, even if the search query doesn’t contain the keyword itself. For example, if your keyword is “lawn mowing service,” a broad match could trigger your ad for searches like “grass cutting companies” or “yard maintenance services.”

Phrase Match: The Meaning Matters

Phrase match keywords have evolved significantly over time. Initially, they required the search query to include the exact phrase. However, Google Ads has shifted towards semantic matching, meaning your ads will now show up for searches that include the meaning of the keyword, not just the specific words. For instance, a search for “lawn mowing service” could trigger your ad for a query like “hire a company to mow my lawn.”

Exact Match: Precision Targeting

Exact match keywords offer the highest level of control. They will only trigger your ad for searches that are an exact match or are extremely close variants of your keyword. This match type is ideal for businesses that know exactly what their customers are searching for and want to target those queries precisely.

Bidding Strategies: Finding the Right CPC

The Intuitive Approach

Determining the right cost-per-click (CPC) for new keywords can be challenging. While tools like Google’s Keyword Planner offer some guidance, they are not always reliable. An intuitive approach involves starting with a base bid and adjusting it based on the keyword’s perceived value. For instance, if you’re targeting a broad audience, you might start with a lower CPC and adjust upwards based on performance.

The Data-Driven Method

Another approach is to analyze historical data, such as lost impression share due to rank, to make informed decisions. You can also look at search term data to understand what keywords are driving traffic and conversions. This data-driven approach allows for more precise bid adjustments and can lead to better campaign performance.

Campaign Strategies: The Hubspoke Methodologies

The Popular Strategy

The Popular Strategy involves targeting a wide audience using broad match keywords. This approach is like sailing a boat; you have some control but are also influenced by external factors like competition and search volume. It’s a good starting point but requires constant adjustments to maintain course.

The Hubspoke Strategy

The Hubspoke Strategy is akin to driving a race car. It involves starting small with exact match keywords and manual bidding to gain quick wins. As you gather data and insights, you gradually expand your campaign, adding new keywords and match types based on performance. This strategy offers greater control and the ability to make quick, data-driven decisions.

Conclusion

Mastering Google Ads requires a deep understanding of keyword match types and bidding strategies. The Hubspoke methodologies offer a balanced approach, allowing you to start with a broad scope and then narrow down based on performance data. Whether you’re new to Google Ads or looking to optimize your existing campaigns, these strategies can provide a roadmap to success.

For more insights and advanced strategies, stay tuned to Hubspoke Marketing. We’re here to help you navigate the complexities of digital advertising and achieve your business goals.

Reference

1. Google Ads Official Website: For those who are new to Google Ads and want to get started.
   Visit Google Ads
2. Google’s Keyword Planner Tool: A useful tool for keyword research and bid estimation.
   Check out Google’s Keyword Planner
3. Moz’s Beginner’s Guide to SEO: Offers insights into the world of SEO, which is closely related to Google Ads.
   Read Moz’s Guide
4. HubSpot’s Guide on PPC: An in-depth guide on Pay-Per-Click advertising, of which Google Ads is a major platform.
   Explore HubSpot’s PPC Guide
5. WordStream’s Google Ads Performance Grader: A tool that evaluates the strength of your Google Ads account.
   Try WordStream’s Performance Grader
6. Search Engine Journal on Latest Google Ads Updates: Stay updated with the latest changes and features in Google Ads.
   Read Latest Updates on SEJ
7. Neil Patel’s Blog on Conversion Optimization: Learn how to improve your ad’s conversion rates.
   Neil Patel’s Conversion Tips

Assumption 1: Your ad position on Google is based on how much you’re paying.

Not necessarily true. Your position on Google is based on more than just how much you pay. Your bid only consumes only half of the formula. Sometimes your quality scores are so bad that you’ll never show above your competitor no matter how much you bid.

Assumption 2: Ad position is based on “Bid x Quality Score”

Don’t come banging on my door if your quality score is awesome and your bidding at the top. This is just a factor in positioning. Ad rank threshold also measures into the equation. This threshold can influence how much you pay over time and for position. Where can you find it? You can’t. No one knows. Google knows what your competitor is will to pay. So, Google knows you’re willing to pay a little more for your leads, or a “minimum price.” Cheap clicks are starting to disappear. Every threshold is different for each auction. If you know someone paying for a particular keyword, that doesn’t mean you’re going to pay the same. For example, if a lawyer is willing to pay $1000/click, the threshold isn’t going to be $1000, but will also not be $20. It may start around $50. This means the $2 bid may not be shown in a relevant position. Google knows you’re willing to pay more.

Assumption 3: My bids should be low because there are very few or now other ads.

Well, ad threshold takes care of this. You ad could be relatively expensive even if there are no ads that show below it. Or even if you’re the only advertiser. You could even show at the bottom of the search page. This means there’s a minimum buy in or a “reserve price.” What is it? No one knows. You won’t know until you’re doing it. Every threshold is a factor for YOUR ad rank. Everyone’s ad rank is different. Each auction is different. For every search, there’s a different threshold. The penny saver system is done.

Assumption 4: Only Low quality ads have higher thresholds thus requiring higher bids.

This can also be true for high quality ads. Competitiveness of ads. So, if there are two advertisers both will have a similar opportunity to with the auction. As the gap in ad rank between two advertisers grow the higher ranking ad will be likely to win. This is the organic aspect of the threshold. It helps lifts the ads with the best relevance, best quality, and experience . with similar ad rank. Google doesn’t want the big guys to always win. Google wants the best experience for the user. Google is saying these ads are more impactful and more useful.

However, the winner of the ad may also pay a higher cost per click for the benefit of the increase certainty of winning. So, you get to be number one because of better ad ranking and you also have to pay more for the benefit of being number 1. Hmmm…sounds like taxes. The benefit is the bigger companies with a ton of money can’t cheat the system. This certainly levels the playing field. It also forces the need to pay attention to organic aspects of user experience and ads.

Assumption 5: My keywords have high quality scores and my ads are high quality. My ads will always rank high.

Ready for the gut punch? The threshold changes on every single auction based on industry, user signals, devices, topics and nature of the search. These are just a few of the things. The threshold is interpreted by every auction. Meaning, every search the user’s performed. History of what the user has searched comes into play. Google will serve ads based on what users have searched for in the past and serve ads based on their search. Your ad rank will change given these different signals. The context of the person’s search. It’s not the keyword you select only and how you relate to it as the advertiser but based on the individual/person performing the search at that time. With the ad auction, context matters. When calculating ad rank, Google looks at the search terms a person has entered, the person’s location at the time of search, the type of device, the time of the search, and nature of the search terms and other ads and search terms that show up on the page. And Google loves to keep things interesting (keep from laughing)…and other user signals and attributes. What are signals and attributes? We may never know.

Bottom line, if you’re advertising and things are going well and you’re making money, don’t stress out. Keep putting out the quality ads, select the relevant keywords, and keep things simple. Pay attention to your competitors. If you’re my client, rest easy. I’ve got this.