Ad Trial

Hi readers! I created an AdWord's ad for the homepage of the RGB exchange a few days ago and it was reviewed and approved by Google. The ad has been running for one day and received many impressions and a few clicks. I thought it would be interesting to share data that was gathered in only a day! When you enter your AdWords account, this is how the overview will appear:

As you can see, there were 282 impressions and 6 clicks that cost me 79 cents each, and $4.75 in total. Each line represents clicks and impressions. All ad groups are represented in this overview graph. So, in my case, there is only one ad group: Green Exchange and only one ad represented. 

These next graphs are also helpful. They display the keywords I chose for the ad and the clicks that were triggered by the keyword. As you can see, most of the keywords I  chose did not result in any clicks. This may mean I have to reevaluate my keywords as they may not be effective. Since the keyword "stock market" is very general, it is likely that those users are not interested in my website. Thus, although it garnered clicks, they may not prove fruitful. However, it has only been one day so nothing is certain yet. The chart titled " searches"  includes keywords real people are currently actively using that are related to my keywords. They are sort of like suggestions although they may not always be entirely applicable.

The bottom of the dashboard shows the devices people clicked my ad on. It seems it is almost all through mobile devices. This also reiterates why having mobile-friendly landing pages are extremely important. The graph next to this called "Day and Hour" shows the time clicks occurred. This data is helpful because by looking at trends you can adjust bids and targeting accordingly. 

Overall, as you can see, it is super beneficial to run trial ads even if they cost a bit of money. It is definitely worth it because you often learn the most from trial and error. And of course, practice makes perfect, and so I plan on continuing to improve and run similar ads. Although this was just a single day's data, it reflects what aggregate will otherwise look like.

Ad Extensions

Ad Extensions are what make your ads stand out.  They provide additional information that may only be relevant to certain types of businesses or campaign goals. Commonly used ad extensions include site links, callouts, call numbers, and location extensions. Site links provide the top sections of your website that appeal to people. For instance, a site link for Noodles and Company could be "Find Nearest Location" or "Full Menu". These are likely site locations people are looking for when they search for the resultant. In this way, site links make the website faster and easier to access. The following is an example of site links that Nike has utilized for its ad:

Another common extension is the callout feature, which i have previously talked about. Callouts are helpful because they provide additional detail that easily grabs attention. It is important to always add callouts to adds because they are free and lead to higher CTR and quality scores. This picture highlight how callouts look in a search result. Callout phrases like "Over 10 Years of Experience" serve to attract potential clickers. This particular ad contains site links beneath the callouts as well:

Lastly, adding a call and location extension, allows customers to effortlessly contact or reach the company or store. These extensions are especially needed to complete conversions. The examples below show the call button extension for DSW and the location link for the ice cream shop. If the call button is clicked, the consumer will have automatically dialed DSW's contact number. Likewise, if the location link is clicked, Google maps will begin directing the consumer to the ice cream location.

Campaign Strategies

Hi Again! This post is dedicated to AdWord Campaigns. The first step to running a successful campaign is to understand the goal of the campaign. One campaign may be to increase the click-through-rate and another may be garner brand exposure. All campaigns are made of ad groups. It is a good practice for each of these ad groups to contains 4-5 ads. Each group representing a specific theme. Thereafter, after a while of trial, ads that do not perform as well can be improved or paused. Once you have tried to create a campaign you can reach out to AdWords for some general advice, using Adwords Support. It is possible to call, chat, and email a representative. This is helpful because you may be able to learn something new or gain a few new suggestions. There is always room for improvement.

After a campaign has run, Google will begin to offer suggestions, many keywords related. It will scan the landing page, and find many applicable keywords that can be utilized. Another option is the "Opportunities" tab. This is where AdWords provides suggestions for the campaign not only involving keywords but also for ad groups. For instance, an opportunity may say, "Create 2 ad groups from found keywords in beachwear". There is an option to view or apply the opportunity. It is wiser to view the suggestion and change it as needed before applying it to the campaign. This is neat because Google is able to think of relevant ad groups that one may not have thought of. Here is a general breakdown of a campaign.

Using the www.rgbexchange.org/ site, I created a search network campaign for the homepage. Below is one of the ads I made under the ad group: Green Exchange (the theme I chose).