Connect with us

PPC

Google Ads Automation: When (& When Not) to Use It

Published

on

Google Ads Automation: When (& When Not) to Use It

Over the years, Google has made a clear effort to automate as much of its advertising platform as possible. There are a number of reasons for this, from increased competition from alternative platforms to the less obvious advantage of increasing advertiser spending without their awareness.

That isn’t the whole story, however, because many of the automated features Google has launched over this time period have improved the overall experience for advertisers.

The way I look at Google and its push for automated ad features is that there is a plethora of value that can be derived; however, you have to know where to pick and choose.

So in this post, I am going to walk through which features I believe are worth using, which ones you should take with a grain of salt, and which ones you should stay away from entirely.

Automated bidding

Many moons ago, Google Ads bidding was entirely manual with everyone jumping at the opportunity to espouse the “best” strategies to win auctions, get high Quality Scores, and “hack” the system for your own benefit.

Advertisement

When to use it

Google Ads’ automated bidding strategies have proven themselves to be fairly efficient for me over the years, having used a variety of them depending on the goal. I typically categorize the goal into either lead generation, direct sales, visibility, or website traffic:

  • Lead generation: When it comes to generating leads for any campaign, your best bet is to use a conversion-focused bid strategy. There are a few exceptions to this, however, and most of those have to do with very specific keywords in highly competitive verticals (more on that in a bit).
  • Direct sales: If you’re a business whose conversion action is either directly tied to a dollar amount or at least has a dollar value tied to it, I like to start with Max Conversion Value, let the campaign play out for a bit, and then depending on the intent of the keywords and the structure of the ad groups, switch over to Target ROAS.  From there you will be able to fine-tune your campaigns to a point where Google Ads is a consistently profitable marketing platform for your business.
  • Visibility/brand recognition: If your primary goal is to be seen on the search results page or consistently rank at the top for specific terms, then your best bet would likely be Target Impression Share. In some cases, Max Clicks or Manual CPC would be viable alternatives.
  • Website traffic/SEO assistance: If you’re concerned with driving traffic to your website or looking to show within the search results page for terms you are not currently ranking for organically, your best bet would be Maximize Clicks or Target Impression Share depending on the terms and the competition involved.

 

best automated bidding strategies for different goals

Take into consideration your general strategy before using Google’s automated bidding strategies and keep in mind that there is a learning period for these to collect data, particularly when you change bidding strategies.

When not to use it

You can still bid manually in Google Ads, but I would advise doing so only in certain situations.

For example, I had a client that was targeting the keyword “SOC 2.” This term is extremely competitive and the business not only wanted to drive conversions for that keyword, but they also wanted their brand to be consistently visible in the search results for it.

In this case, where there is a blending of goals, we opted to use Manual CPC bidding and eventually shifted to Target Impression Share for terms like this within the account. The conversion volume was still there despite not optimizing for conversions.

1673889757 601 Google Ads Automation When When Not to Use It

Automated ad creation

Smart creative is the aspect of Google Ads that attempts to automate the creation of the ads themselves. These features are a bit tricky in the sense that I recommend using them to some degree but not completely.

Advertisement

When to use it

Responsive search ads: With RSAs you have the ability to construct text search ads with a variety of headlines and descriptions that Google mixes and matches within the auction to determine the “best” combination for your desired goal.

types of google ads - how responsive search ads work

RSAs are fantastic but I advise you put the work in to write the best, most relevant headlines possible on your own and let the automation (in conjunction with your bidding strategy) do the rest. I do not advise allowing Google to generate these for you as that is an option within the “Recommendations” tab.

 

Responsive display ads: Display ads can be tough for a lot of advertisers, primarily due to the fact that many either lack the design skills or resources necessary to create them. Responsive display ads are generated by Google using assets that you provide and automatically adjusted to fit the available placement on the Google Display Network. They tend to resemble a Facebook ad more so than a traditional static display ad. Like RSAs I suggest using base assets that are of high quality and relevance to your audiences.

​​1673889757 526 Google Ads Automation When When Not to Use It

When not to use it

Aside from not letting Google recommend headlines and descriptions for you, here are some other instances of when not to use automation.

Smart campaigns: Smart campaigns are essentially what became of AdWords Express—the idea being to automate and simplify everything so novice users can jump in and launch campaigns without having to worry about all of the complex components.

Advertisement

I will go into more detail when discussing Performance Max but my main takeaway here is to stay clear of Smart campaigns or anything that essentially fully automates targeting. You are much better off learning to create a manual campaign yourself or hiring a professional than trusting the overly broad targeting.

1673889757 876 Google Ads Automation When When Not to Use It

Successful marketing oftentimes comes down to the details and you would much rather have control over those than give them to an automated system that is simultaneously taking your money.

Smart display: I call out smart display ads here specifically because unlike search, there isn’t a guaranteed semblance of intent. Google claims, “On average, advertisers who use Smart Display campaigns have seen 20% more conversions at the same cost per action (CPA) when compared to their other display campaigns.”

This is a deceptive and misleading statement because anyone who has run successful digital marketing campaigns knows that CPA means nothing if you’re driving junk unqualified leads, something that the Display Network has done consistently for years. Have a tight leash on your targeting on the GDN.

Performance Max: There is a mixed bag of opinions on PMax. While some praise it for its effectiveness, both myself and others I know have found them to be less than ideal. This campaign type essentially combines the features of responsive ads and Smart campaigns in one place. You provide your marketing objectives, budget, assets, and audience information, and Google generates ads across all its properties.

google ads performance max campaign setup

In my experience, Performance Max requires solid offline tracking, high volume, and a rather large amount of budget in order to be effective. These requirements exclude most novice to intermediate advertisers. You can find more PMax watchouts and workaround here.

Advertisement

The bottom line

My take is that automation with the guidance of human control is the best combination for Google Ads, or any platform, at this point in time. We are not at a place where “set it and forget it” is entirely possible, at least not with the efficiency that can be attained through human intervention. Plus, remember that with paid platforms, you are indeed “paying” to be there. So the machine that is promoting automation is also billing you.

That’s why I recommend taking the traditional approach in setting up campaigns but then leveraging features like automated bidding and responsive ad creative. At the end of the day, it is up to the individual running the ads to discern which features are advantageous to them and which are not—just be opportunistic with a healthy level of skepticism.

Source link

Keep an eye on what we are doing
Be the first to get latest updates and exclusive content straight to your email inbox.
We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Invalid email address

PPC

5 Ways To Use Google Gemini For PPC Inspiration

Published

on

By

5 Ways To Use Google Gemini For PPC Inspiration

AI is changing digital marketing. For most companies that means embracing tools like Google Gemini to simplify day to day tasks and improve efficiencies.

If you aren’t using AI in the PPC space, then you could be missing out on the opportunity to drive efficiencies, get a whole bunch of keyword, campaign and copy inspiration, and claim some valuable time back from your day.

If you’re looking to get started here are five ways that you can integrate Google Gemini into your Google Ads campaigns in order to maximise efficiency and drive growth:

1. Ad Copy Inspiration

Ad copy is probably the most common reason PPC execs use Google Gemini. This is for its ability to generate significant variations on ad copy quickly, making it a valuable tool for A/B ad testing and taking that ad copy to the next level.

Re-writing, updating and coming up with inspiration for new ad copy used to be quite a laborious task – but not with Gemini. With the right guidance and input it can provide you with ad copy variations in next to no time. 

Advertisement

There are a number of different ways you can use Gemini to support your ad copy creation – from the AI-integrated options within the Google Ads interface, through to asking it directly from the main Gemini platform. Both of these are effective and can save substantial time and also provide you with ad copy ideas.

To get the most out of it, make sure that you clearly input any restrictions (e.g. the 30 character headline limit) and target the focus keywords that you want to generate ideas around. In this example we are researching for our own Google Ads campaigns:

1714645569 738 5 Ways To Use Google Gemini For PPC Inspiration

You can even specify the “type” and “approach” of ad copy you are looking for to ensure that you’re meeting your audience’s needs effectively. In the next example, we were doing research for our own Google Ads campaigns, where we are focusing on an emotion-driven “curiosity-inducing” approach, designed to improve CTR:  

1714645569 936 5 Ways To Use Google Gemini For PPC Inspiration

We know humans thrive on emotional triggers and Google Gemini can be great at approaching ad copy from this angle, which can encourage users to take action. While I wouldn’t directly probably use any of the above, what it does is give me inspiration for my own ad copy – invaluable if you’re looking to try something new for a client you’ve worked on for a while. 

As a Large Language Model (LLM), Gemini can also help to strengthen existing ad copy and perform clarity checks – ensuring that content is clear and concise, or identifying areas where we can make our ads more compelling, or strengthen them for better impact. Even if you have existing ad copy it’s always worth asking Gemini for advice on how this could be strengthened or clarified. 

2. Keyword research

Keyword research is one of the main areas you can use Google Gemini to save time, but the main benefit is its ability to create new paths of thinking, rather than just deploying the standard keyword build.

Advertisement

If I am looking to expand my targeting on the “seo agency” campaign I’m not just looking for a few words either side, I’m looking for new cluster topic ideas. Gemini is great for this as it can break the research down into keyword clusters.

From the outset, we can use Gemini to identify cluster-based themes for our keyword research, in the first instance focusing on high-intent keywords:

1714645569 290 5 Ways To Use Google Gemini For PPC Inspiration

We can break these out further by looking at different clusters, including keywords which are industry-specific, location-based or service-based:

1714645569 490 5 Ways To Use Google Gemini For PPC Inspiration

We can build these out further still by honing in on a specific vertical, which is great if you focus on a specific industry and can allow for further expansion of targeting within this area. In this instance we asked Gemini to focus on industry specificity:

1714645569 832 5 Ways To Use Google Gemini For PPC Inspiration

Gemini can be invaluable for building keyword lists out, but more than that it can be used as a tool for inspiration to get into very granular targeting of areas you might not otherwise have identified. This helps to build depth and increases focus on high-intent, low competition keywords. 

3. Audience Personas 

One thing Gemini does really well is bring data together in a quick and effective manner. If you are looking to undertake research this is one area it can really save you time.

Advertisement

Often at the start of a campaign you will be looking to build out audience personas. While in some instances you’ll be fortunate enough to work with brands who have this data to hand, if you aren’t in that boat then being able to dig out different persona data can be a time-consuming task.

With a few of the right prompts, Google Gemini can do that for us. In this instance, we asked Gemini to create some user personas for the watch brand, Watches2U. What came back was in-depth insights that got us thinking about the potential audience:

1714645569 689 5 Ways To Use Google Gemini For PPC Inspiration
1714645569 54 5 Ways To Use Google Gemini For PPC Inspiration

These are only two, of the six different personas Gemini offered, and which helped to define our audiences. When combined with our own internal data they gave us a thorough picture of what the watch marketplace looked like, helping to focus our ads. 

It’s not just audience personas that Gemini can help with when it comes to audience research data. You can also use the data to understand some of the challenges your audience is facing, so that you solve their problems and answer their questions accordingly.

In this example, we asked Gemini to list the struggles of an audience who might be looking for an SEO agency:

1714645569 451 5 Ways To Use Google Gemini For PPC Inspiration

By understanding this data we can start to tailor our approach to ad copy, targeting and the landing page experience, ensuring we’re answering queries and addressing pain points from the outset. 

Advertisement

You can also have Gemini evaluate your landing pages to identify potential opportunities for improvement, identifying areas that might resonate well with an audience, and also those which could take some improvement. In this instance, we asked Gemini to analyse our SEO landing page to see if it was appropriate for the audience we were targeting:

1714645570 115 5 Ways To Use Google Gemini For PPC Inspiration

4. Negative Keywords

In addition to helping us to find keywords to target, Gemini can also help us to pre-emptively build negative keyword lists which can save us money from the outset.

Using a similar structure to the keyword research we can ask Gemini to group these into themes: 

1714645570 968 5 Ways To Use Google Gemini For PPC Inspiration

By understanding the intents we can build out targeted negative keyword lists to ensure we aren’t showing our ads to irrelevant close variants or phrase matches, which could burn through our budget.

As with the keyword lists we can expand on these individual intents to get more comprehensive keyword lists. In this instance by building out the “educational” list we can identify even more negative keywords and build out comprehensive lists in next to no time. 

1714645570 670 5 Ways To Use Google Gemini For PPC Inspiration

Many agencies have to start running campaigns with limited negative keyword lists due to time and budget constraints, leaving brands spending budget to simply find out what those keywords are before removing them from the campaign. By using Gemini in this way it enables you to build out a much bigger negative keyword list from the start, saving budget and time. 

Advertisement

5. Troubleshooting Google Ads Scripts

If you’re a Google Ads Script user then chances are you understand the value of using scripts both to drive efficiency and save time. 

There are a number of ways that you can use Gemini to help with scripts. While it can’t actually write the script itself it can help to troubleshoot potential issues and explain the different functionalities within Google Ads to support with script creation. 

In the following example, we asked it to evaluate a script we use frequently called the “Exact Match Variant” script, designed to implement negative keywords across any search query that doesn’t exactly match the term. 

By querying the script, we can ensure that it does exactly what we would expect it to. If we find an issue we can adjust the script accordingly. 

1714645570 565 5 Ways To Use Google Gemini For PPC Inspiration

We can then ask Gemini to identify what the best practice use of the script would be and see that in accordance with our current usage it’s doing exactly what it should be:

1714645570 688 5 Ways To Use Google Gemini For PPC Inspiration

This can be invaluable if you want to try out a new script on a client’s account but want to ensure it’s working correctly before launching, if you simply want to better understand the functionality or make improvements to your existing scripts.

Advertisement

The above is not an exhaustive list, but provides a couple of ideas around how you can employ Google Gemini to improve efficiencies and depth across your Google Ads campaign. As AI continues to develop and expand, so will the opportunities to use it as an effective support tool across our marketing activities.

Amanda Walls is the Director of Cedarwood Digital – a performance marketing agency based in Manchester.



Source link

Keep an eye on what we are doing
Be the first to get latest updates and exclusive content straight to your email inbox.
We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Invalid email address
Continue Reading

PPC

26 Ready-to-Go AI Prompts for Social Media

Published

on

By

26 Ready-to-Go AI Prompts for Social Media

The digital age is evolving at lightspeed, and staying apace requires a special kind of savvy— especially for those in the throes of marketing. Artificial intelligence (AI) has stepped out of a sci-fi movie and into our daily communications, specifically in the world of social media. Marketers must now utilize AI to streamline their strategies and deliver their messages effectively for brand awareness.

Below, we’ll look closer at AI prompts that drive engagement on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn and how they’re revolutionizing the approach to social media content.

Contents

Understanding AI prompts for social media

To the new user, AI prompts may sound like techno-babble or a different language. But they are the keys to unlocking influential and personalized social media experiences. AI prompts are commands or signals that generate content or responses using AI technology. In the world of social media, they’re used to create posts, reply to comments, or even direct messaging.

Different platforms leverage AI prompts in a variety of ways, tailoring learning algorithms to suit their specific environment and user behaviors. What is the result? Heightened relevance and resonance within the social media platform’s intended audience. This means more likes, shares, and engagements–ultimately, an increase in brand visibility and potential customer conversion.

When it comes to writing social media content, using AI prompts can up-level your approach. By understanding how these prompts work and incorporating them into your strategy, you can create more impactful and personalized posts.

Advertisement

ai prompts for social media example from jasper ai

At first, AI prompts may seem like a foreign concept. However, they are simply commands or signals that use artificial intelligence technology to generate content or responses. Essentially, they allow you to communicate with the platform’s algorithms to create tailored content for your audience.

Each social media platform utilizes AI prompts in different ways, depending on their specific environment and user behaviors. This allows the AI technology to learn and adapt to each platform’s audience.

🚨 Get copy-and-paste social media posts ready for the whole year in our free social media calendar template!

Benefits of using AI prompts for social media

Why integrate AI into your social media campaigns?  Firstly, AI prompts offer incredible time-saving benefits. They generate responses in real-time, allowing community managers to focus on strategy rather than mundane and tedious tasks.

Secondly, there is improved engagement; AI prompts can provide instantaneous, relevant content to users, keeping up with the fast-paced demands of digital conversation.

Last but certainly not least, they allow for personalized interactions. AI can analyze vast amounts of data to tailor messages according to individual preferences, ensuring that content strikes a chord every time it’s posted.

Advertisement

How to create effective AI prompts for social media

Crafting AI prompts is an art form in itself. Be clear about what you want to achieve with your social media post. Is the goal to drive traffic to a website, increase product sales, engage with a particular audience, or boost brand awareness? Your objective will heavily influence the formation of your prompt.

AI operates best with clear and specific instructions. For instance, rather than saying “create a post,” provide more details like “create an informative post about how our products are made with eco-friendly practices.” The specificity assists the AI in understanding the direction of the content.

Make sure to set the tone and style–professional, informal, friendly, authoritative, humorous, etc. This helps ensure the content resonates with your intended audience and upholds your brand’s identity.

“In crafting AI-driven content for social media, providing clear and precise directives creates compelling narratives. Whether your business is centered around healthcare, retail, or a charming and quiet local cafe, being explicit about your content needs, especially the social media platform in question, ensures resonance with your audience,” said Frederick Hill, Social Media Manager and Team Lead at LocaliQ.

“Always conclude with a clear call to action, inviting engagement and connection. Remember, specificity is not just a detail, but the strategy for your brand’s impactful communication.”

ai prompt for giveawayai prompt for giveaway

To effectively launch your AI prompts, consider these best practices:

Advertisement
  • Know your audience: Understand the demographics, interests, and behaviors of your followers to tailor content effectively.
  • Stay authentic: AI should enhance your brand’s voice, not replace it. Maintain your tone and values in every prompt.
  • Monitor performance: Use analytics to assess the success of AI-driven posts and refine your approach accordingly.

Businesses like Starbucks and Sephora have leveraged AI for engaging social media prompts, from holiday-themed posts to interactive challenges. Even B2B companies use AI-driven insights to produce blog posts that are thought leaders in their industry.

starbucks instagram caption example for holidaystarbucks instagram caption example for holiday

📚 Free guide download >> 135 of the Best Words & Phrases for Marketing with Emotion

26 AI prompts for social media

AI can transform your social media strategy. From Facebook to LinkedIn, X, and Instagram, enhance your business’s online presence with these expertly crafted AI prompts.

AI prompts for Facebook

For Facebook, prompts must be engaging yet conversational. AI should humanize the brand and invoke meaningful interactions. For instance, AI prompts for a product launch on Facebook might ask users for thoughts on a problem your product solves, generating individual responses that maintain the thread of conversation.

Use some of these AI prompts for Facebook:

  • Craft a humorous Facebook post about a (topic) that sparks engagement and conversation.
  • Create a Facebook post that asks our core audience to share their favorite memory or experience using (insert your brand name or product). Write it in a zealous tone of voice.
  • Create a fun post that encompasses a giveaway or contest related to (brand/topics), increasing engagement from (target audience).
  • Draft a post unveiling (number) captivating insight about (topic).
  • Write an engaging post that asks (target audience) to share their thoughts on (content piece or a new product).

ai prompt for facebook exampleai prompt for facebook example

AI prompts for Instagram

Visual reigns supreme on Instagram. Your AI prompts here need to encourage actions that align with compelling imagery–think hashtags, emojis, and comments that mirror the visual narrative. Generating personalized AI-driven Instagram captions or comment responses can deeply enhance the user experience.

Use some of the AI prompts for Instagram:

Advertisement
  • Write a few Instagram photo captions for a picture (photo description).
  • Create an Instagram poll or quiz related to (brand/product/service).
  • Engage the brand’s ideal customer (insert demographic/persona) with a message that leads to (desired action).
  • Craft an Instagram message that showcases a behind-the-scenes look at a new campaign coming out soon.
  • Create excitement and anticipation for a new product launch or services to engage with my customers and attract new customers.

ai prompt for instagram exampleai prompt for instagram example

AI prompts for LinkedIn

LinkedIn favors professionalism and thought leadership. Your AI prompts here should stimulate intellectual engagement, like career insights or industry news discussions, always keeping a tone consistent with the professional atmosphere of the platform.

Use some of these AI prompts for LinkedIn:

  • Generate a LinkedIn post about the brand’s involvement in giving back to the community and volunteering.
  • Write a LinkedIn post about your brand and its employees participating in webinars, conferences, and panel discussions.
  • Create a LinkedIn post about the brand’s accomplishments and highlights.
  • Craft a LinkedIn post highlighting a specific (industry trend/news) and how it is relevant to your brand.
  • Create a LinkedIn post highlighting top performing leaders and their success stories.

example of ai prompt for linkedinexample of ai prompt for linkedin

AI prompts for X (formerly Twitter)

X’s brief and clever nature means your AI prompts should be concise and impactful. Crafting questions or prompts that are easily retweetable and require just a quick reaction can maximize your reach and engagement.

Use some of these AI prompts for X:

  • Write a thread showcasing the evolution of (industry or brand) over the past (amount of time).
  • Introduce the team behind (brand or product) and share their journey and story.
  • Discuss the brand’s mission and vision while aligning their cultural values that drive the company.
  • Share a thread on key moments and highlights that defined the brand’s evolution.
  • Craft a post introducing new collaborations and partnerships with (brand). Describe the significance of the collaboration.

example of ai prompt for x twitterexample of ai prompt for x twitter

Holiday-themed AI prompts for social media

Fun and holiday-themed AI prompts for social media also spark joy and create memorable moments that make your brand relatable and human.

Use some of these AI prompts for holiday and fun posts:

Advertisement
  • Brainstorm a list of (holiday) themed posts that I can use for Instagram and Facebook.
  • Draft a Facebook poll asking your target audience what they like most about (holiday).
  • Craft a holiday-themed giveaway or contest on (Instagram, Twitter, Facebook) for (brand/product/service).
  • Write a funny and witty social media post about (topic).
  • Draft a social media post asking your target audience to share their favorite moment with (brand/product/service).
  • Write a fun and positive social media post that that features an inspiring story related to (brand/product/service).

example of ai prompt for social media holidayexample of ai prompt for social media holiday

Create engaging posts using these AI prompts for social media

The integration of AI in your social media strategy isn’t just wise; it’s becoming essential. By crafting mindful prompts tailored to your audience, you can create a dynamic and engaging online presence. The goal is to not only be heard in the abundance of digital voices but to get your message across to the right audience.

By investing time and resources into utilizing AI for your social media initiatives, you’re not just keeping up with the trend–you’re riding the wave of the future and setting your brand up for deeper connections, an expanded audience, and ultimately, greater success.

The next chapter for your brand’s story begins now, shaped by the ingenious use of AI to craft messages that resonate, inspire, and endure. Now, go forth and curate prompts powered by AI that will inspire your community, one post at a time!

Source link

Keep an eye on what we are doing
Be the first to get latest updates and exclusive content straight to your email inbox.
We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Invalid email address
Continue Reading

PPC

Power up your Demand Gen campaigns with new AI features

Published

on

By

Power up your Demand Gen campaigns with new AI features

1714568170 496 Power up your Demand Gen campaigns with new AI features

Save time and Become the Hero with updates from PPC Hero in your inbox!



Source link

Keep an eye on what we are doing
Be the first to get latest updates and exclusive content straight to your email inbox.
We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Invalid email address
Continue Reading

Trending

Follow by Email
RSS