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Google’s AI Overviews Ditch Reddit, Embrace YouTube

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Google's AI Overviews Ditch Reddit, Embrace YouTube

A new study by SEO software company SE Ranking has analyzed the sources and links used in Google’s AI-generated search overviews.

The research, which examined over 100,000 keywords across 20 niches, offers insights into how these AI-powered snippets are constructed and what types of sources they prioritize.

Key Findings

Length & Sources

The study found that 7.47% of searches triggered AI overviews, a slight decrease from previous research.

The average length of these overviews has decreased by approximately 40%, now averaging 2,633 characters.

According to the data, the most frequently linked websites in AI overviews were:

  1. YouTube.com (1,346 links)
  2. LinkedIn.com (1,091 links)
  3. Healthline.com (1,091 links)

Government & Education

The research indicates that government and educational institutions are prominently featured in AI-generated answers.

Approximately 19.71% of AI overviews included links to .gov websites, while 26.61% referenced .edu domains.

Media Representation

Major media outlets appeared frequently in the AI overviews.

Forbes led with 804 links from 723 AI-generated answers, followed by Business Insider with 148 links from 139 overviews.

HTTPS Dominance

The study reported that 99.75% of links in AI overviews use the HTTPS protocol, with only 0.25% using HTTP.

Niche-Specific Trends

The research revealed variations in AI overviews across niches:

  • The Relationships niche dominated, with 40.64% of keywords in this category triggering AI overviews.
  • Food and Beverage maintained its second-place position, with 23.58% of keywords triggering overviews.
  • Notably, the Fashion and Beauty, Pets, and Ecommerce and Retail niches saw significant declines in AI overview appearances compared to previous studies.

Link Patterns

The study found that AI overviews often incorporate links from top-ranking organic search results:

  • 93.67% of AI overviews linked to at least one domain from the top 10 organic search results.
  • 56.50% of all detected links in AI overviews matched search results from the top 1-100, with most (73.01%) linking to the top 1-10 search results.

International Content

The research noted trends regarding international content:

  • 9.85% of keywords triggering AI overviews included links to .in (Indian) domains.
  • This was prevalent in certain niches, with Sports and Exercise leading at 36.83% of keywords in that category linking to .in sites.

Reddit & Quora Absent

Despite these platforms ‘ popularity as information sources, the study found no instances of Reddit or Quora being linked in the analyzed AI overviews. This marks a change from previous studies where these sites were more frequently referenced.

Methodology

The research was conducted using Google Chrome on an Ubuntu PC, with sessions based in New York and all personalization features disabled.

The data was collected on July 11, 2024, providing a snapshot of AI overview behavior.

SE Ranking has indicated that they plan to continue this research, acknowledging the need for ongoing analysis to understand evolving trends.

What Does This Mean?

These findings have several implications for SEO professionals and publishers:

  1. Google’s AI favors trusted sources. Keep building your site’s credibility.
  2. AI overviews are getting shorter. Focus on clear, concise content.
  3. HTTPS is a must. Secure your site if you haven’t already.
  4. Diversify your sources. Mix in .edu and .gov backlinks where relevant.
  5. AI behavior varies across industries. Adapt your strategy accordingly.
  6. Think globally. You might be competing with international sites more than before.

Remember, this is just a snapshot. Google’s AI overviews are changing fast. Monitor these trends and be ready to pivot your SEO strategy as needed.

The full report on SE Ranking’s website provides a detailed breakdown of the findings, including niche-specific data.


Featured Image: DIA TV / Shutterstock.com

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9 Successful PR Campaign Examples, According to the Data

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9 Successful PR Campaign Examples, According to the Data

From Barbie-themed ketchup to exploding owl butts, these PR campaign examples prove that with the right data, timing, and a bit of creativity, you can win coverage and drive real, measurable results. 

In this post, you’ll see the data behind nine successful PR campaigns, and hopefully get some inspiration for your next press idea.

9 popular PR campaign examples

This list is a real mixed bag of PR examples – from newsjacking, to content repurposing, exclusive research, and kooky brand stunts – but one thing they all have in common is measurable success.

In each section, I’ll do a post-mortem of campaign performance, share some analysis tactics, and round-off with a couple of quick tips.

Sound good? Let’s jump in.

1. Heinz + Mattel “Barbiecue” PR campaign

Campaign 🍅👱🏼‍♀️🎀 Heinz Barbiecue
Brand(s) 🏷️ Heinz + Mattel
Links earned 🔗 62
Campaign type 📰 Newjacking/brand collab/product release
Global search volume 🔎 600 for “barbie ketchup”
Search growth (YoY) 📈 200% for “barbie ketchup”

Back in August 2023, when Barbiecore was all the rage, Heinz teased a mockup of two Barbie themed sauces: Kenchup and Barbiecue sauce.

Eight months later, for Barbie’s 65th anniversary in April 2024, Heinz and Mattel dropped the official Barbiecue special edition sauce.

A screenshot of Barbiecue launch from Heinz on TikTok highlighting video engagementA screenshot of Barbiecue launch from Heinz on TikTok highlighting video engagement

Heinz first conceived of the PR stunt to build intrigue around the product months before it hit the shelves, then used public response as a litmus test for its success.

According to their submission in the Shorty Awards, they carefully coordinated their initial “teaser” drop to coincide with an uptick in audience discussions, following the film’s release.

Heinz Shorty Awards quote on the timing of their Barbiecue PR campaignHeinz Shorty Awards quote on the timing of their Barbiecue PR campaign

To date, the Barbiecue PR campaign has earned Heinz 118 relevant mentions in top-tier media outlets like Bloomberg, Yahoo, CBS News, and The Standard, according to Content Explorer.

A screenshot of Ahrefs Content Explorer highlightin 118 mentions of Heinz BarbiecueA screenshot of Ahrefs Content Explorer highlightin 118 mentions of Heinz Barbiecue

With zero dollars in paid promotion, it also generated 38 million organic social impressions and doubled average engagement rates.

Quick learnings

  • Hijack trending cultural “moments”
  • Time your PR campaign launch with peak online conversation
  • Use teaser PR to gauge consumer demand and fuel future R&D decisions 

Campaign 🛀 Saltbomb
Brand 🏷️ Lush
Links earned 🔗 142
Campaign type 📰 Newjacking/product release
Global search volume 🔎 1.3K for “lush saltburn bath bomb”
Search growth (YoY) 📈 37K% for “lush saltburn bath bomb”

This is another great PR example of a brand capitalizing on a film, and waiting for post-event discussion to pick up before newsjacking.

Following a veerryy controversial bath scene in the film Saltburn, UK cosmetics retailer, Lush, jumped on the opportunity to insert their brand into a cultural moment.

In February 2024, three months after the film’s release, they released the “Saltbomb”, a special edition, Saltburn-themed bath bomb.

Parodying some of the film’s most risqué moments, Lush didn’t hold back with their product marketing.

A screenshot of Lush's Saltbomb product pageA screenshot of Lush's Saltbomb product page

And we loved it.

The campaign led to 135 links, many coming from high DR (Domain Rating) publications, driving real, tangible organic traffic – including Global News, New York Times, Pop Sugar, and BBC.

Ahrefs Backlinks report showing 135 press links for Lush's Saltbomb newsjacking PR campaignAhrefs Backlinks report showing 135 press links for Lush's Saltbomb newsjacking PR campaign

Press coverage actually went above and beyond this, because Lush’s products are part of a few publisher affiliate programs – but affiliate links are a little trickier to track.

Here’s an example of what I mean.

The site Allure wrote up a feature piece on the Lush bath bomb, but their affiliate link navigates to a third-party platform before redirecting to Lush’s product page.

A screenshot of an affiliate link from Allure to LushA screenshot of an affiliate link from Allure to Lush

For that reason, the link doesn’t show up in Ahrefs’ Backlinks Report.

Ahrefs Backlinks report showing zero links from Allure to LushAhrefs Backlinks report showing zero links from Allure to Lush

Instead, I found it by monitoring campaign-specific keywords in Content Explorer.

Ahrefs Content Explorer showing press coverage from Allure for Lush Saltburn Bath BombAhrefs Content Explorer showing press coverage from Allure for Lush Saltburn Bath Bomb

Beyond press and affiliate publicity, the Lush PR campaign was a winner on social media.

The photography and product descriptions made it perfect for meme-ification, which added thousands of views and impressions.

A landing page on TikTok for "Saltbomb Lush" with high view-count videos highlightedA landing page on TikTok for "Saltbomb Lush" with high view-count videos highlighted

It also won big in search, with global keyword volume reaching 1.3K…

Ahrefs Keywords Explorer showing 1.3K Global Search Volume for "Lush Saltburn Bath Bomb"Ahrefs Keywords Explorer showing 1.3K Global Search Volume for "Lush Saltburn Bath Bomb"

And the product landing page earned up to 800 monthly organic visits in its first month.

Organic traffic in Site Explorer for Lush's Saltbomb product pageOrganic traffic in Site Explorer for Lush's Saltbomb product page

Traffic has remained steady since, averaging between 500 – 600 monthly visits, despite the product having been archived – pretty good going for a bit of trendjacking.

Quick learnings

  • Scout for affiliate links – you won’t always know when a publisher plans to use an affiliate link, so searching for mentions of campaign keywords can help you find any affiliate coverage that has flown under the radar.
  • Think about how your brand and its tangential topics can tie into cultural moments. 

Campaign 👴🏻 Eclectic Grandpa
Brand 🏷️ Pinterest
Links earned 🔗 98
Campaign type 📑 Report
Global search volume 🔎 4.8K for “eclectic grandpa”
Search growth (YoY) 📈 215K% for “eclectic grandpa”

Every year, Pinterest taps into their internal platform search data to post their trend forecasts in what is known as “Pinterest Predicts”.

Posting on Pinterest For Business (the company’s commercial arm), they categorize related high-growth searches, and assign them novel trend names like “Eclectic grandpa”, “Bow stacking” or “Cafe core”.

A screenshot of Pinterest Predicts Eclectic Grandpa trend pageA screenshot of Pinterest Predicts Eclectic Grandpa trend page

I took a look at the Site Structure report, and found that Pinterest’s most linked trend was in fact the “Eclectic Grandpa” which – in Pinterest’s words – is all about:

“Embracing ‘grandpa core’ and bringing eccentric and expressive elements for the ages to wardrobes. Think retro streetwear, chic cardigans and customised clothing. Because the coastal grandma aesthetic is so last year.”

To date, the trend has earned citations from 98 separate domains.

Ahrefs Site Explorer screenshot of Pinterest Business showing 98 links for trend "Eclectic Grandpa"Ahrefs Site Explorer screenshot of Pinterest Business showing 98 links for trend "Eclectic Grandpa"

A look at the Backlinks report revealed coverage from Vogue, Elle, Who What Wear, New York Post, and Business Insider.

Ahrefs Backlinks report showing 121 press links for Pinterest's Eclectic Grandpa trendAhrefs Backlinks report showing 121 press links for Pinterest's Eclectic Grandpa trend

And it didn’t end there. The “Eclectic Grandpa” gets about a bit, cropping up 340 times in the articles I discovered via Content Explorer.

Ahrefs Content Explorer showing Eclectic Grandpa mentions in top press publicationsAhrefs Content Explorer showing Eclectic Grandpa mentions in top press publications

A considerable number of those DR 50+ mentions (150, to be precise) went unlinked based on Ahrefs’ Unlinked Mentions filter/export – links which could still be claimed by the Pinterest team.

Ahrefs Unlinked Mentions Export for Pinterest "Eclectic Grandpa" mentionsAhrefs Unlinked Mentions Export for Pinterest "Eclectic Grandpa" mentions

Given the far reaching coverage, searches for “Eclectic Grandpa” keywords have shot up in the last year, growing to 4.8K global search volume (GSV). 1727474178 642 9 Successful PR Campaign Examples According to the Data1727474178 642 9 Successful PR Campaign Examples According to the Data

By creating link magnet content, Pinterest has managed to drum up huge publicity – whether they pitched for it or not – making it a great example of a successful PR campaign.

Quick learnings

  • Mine company data to publish new, unseen trends and insights.
  • Come up with a unique name for self-discovered trends and/or theories so it’s easier to monitor uptake and keep track of press coverage.
  • Track mentions – not just links – and claim any unlinked mentions to enhance SEO and brand authority.

Real estate marketplace, Zillow, surveyed 1,815 homeowners and found that those with lower mortgage rates are twice as likely to stay put vs selling their home.

By creating firsthand research tackling an issue close to their audience’s heart, Zillow earned 235 backlinks from the likes of Bloomberg, Yahoo, FoxBusiness, and Money.com.

Ahrefs Backlinks report showing 235 press links for Zillow's Rate-locked Homeowners reportAhrefs Backlinks report showing 235 press links for Zillow's Rate-locked Homeowners report

Sites referenced the survey for multiple reasons; not just quoting one stat, but a whole variety, as evidenced in the anchor text of their backlinks.

Ahrefs Backlinks report showing anchor text variety for Zillow's Rate-locked Homeowners reportAhrefs Backlinks report showing anchor text variety for Zillow's Rate-locked Homeowners report

Quick learnings

  • Conduct your own surveys, asking questions which address a key problem in your industry, then quantitatively analyze the responses.
  • Tease out multiple hard hitting stats to drive more coverage and link variety.

Campaign 🔮👨‍💻 Future of Work
Brand 🏷️ LinkedIn
Links earned 🔗 383
Campaign type 📑 Report
Global search volume 🔎 300 for “LinkedIn report”

LinkedIn tends to keep their data under lock and key, but in their Future of Work report they released proprietary insights on the growth of AI conversations on the platform, plus the impact of AI on careers.

A great example of exclusive PR, LinkedIn’s report made a splash, landing 383 links in Forbes, Microsoft, Harvard Business Review, and CNET.

Ahrefs Backlinks report showing 383 press links for LinkedIn's Future of Work reportAhrefs Backlinks report showing 383 press links for LinkedIn's Future of Work report

Quick learnings

  • Think about what unseen or underground data you can harvest to generate exclusive research for your next PR campaign.
  • If you have internal data, analyze patterns and trends to carve out a totally unique angle..

Tip

Look at your internal site search data in GA4 (thanks to Mark Williams-Cook and Julius Fedorovicius for the tip!) or any other firsthand information at your disposal, to mine insights. 1727474181 615 9 Successful PR Campaign Examples According to the Data1727474181 615 9 Successful PR Campaign Examples According to the Data If you can’t make use of primary data, tap into third-party sources. PR expert, Matt Seabridge, routinely shares some great data sources and PR campaign examples on LinkedIn – I really recommend giving him a follow. 1727474181 397 9 Successful PR Campaign Examples According to the Data1727474181 397 9 Successful PR Campaign Examples According to the Data

Personal finance company, WalletHub, compared the 150 largest metropolitan statistical areas, or MSAs, across 11 key metrics.

Combining primary data with third-party sources like the U.S. Census Bureau, GreatSchools.org, and Yelp, WalletHub created an interactive study ranking the most and least educated cities in America.

A screenshot of WalletHub's Most and Least Educated Cities StudyA screenshot of WalletHub's Most and Least Educated Cities Study

This is an example of a PR campaign that doubles as great content marketing.

It snagged 604 unique backlinks from heavy hitters like Wikipedia, Forbes, Business Insider, Bloomberg, and Yahoo – as well as tons of state publications.

Ahrefs Backlinks report showing 604 press links for WalletHub's StudyAhrefs Backlinks report showing 604 press links for WalletHub's Study

Location based PR campaigns are an especially powerful form of PR, since they have both local and national appeal.

Here’s Tom Chivers, PR Expert and Founder of Sabot, explaining why localization really works for public relations campaigns – with a great additional point made by Co-Founder of Journo Finder, Veronica Fletcher.

Tom Chivers' LinkedIn post on the power of localized PR campaignsTom Chivers' LinkedIn post on the power of localized PR campaigns

Quick learnings

  • Use superlatives in headlines (e.g. “Most”, “Least”, “Best”).
  • Embrace ranking formats – comparisons make readers want to click to see how they size up.
  • Slice and dice your data by location to get your campaign syndicated in both national and local publications.

Campaign 🍩 “Go USA” and “Passport to Paris” doughnuts
Brand(s) 🏷️ Krispy Kreme
Links earned 🔗 95
Campaign type 📰 Newjacking/brand collab/product release
Global search volume 🔎 45K for “Olympics Krispy Kreme Doughnuts”
Search growth (YoY) 📈 4.4M% for “Olympics Krispy Kreme Doughnuts”

Krispy Kreme rode the wave of Olympic interest this year by developing two special edition doughnuts: “Go USA” and “Passport to Paris”.

As we’ve seen already, popular PR campaigns don’t always neatly track back to the sources you’d expect them to.

Krispy Kreme earned only 11 links to their USA doughnut press release, and 20 to their Paris doughnut launch announcement. Not exactly groundbreaking.

But when you filter for mentions of campaign keywords (e.g. “Go USA” and “Paris”) at the domain-level, you find a whole lot more coverage; 95 links, to be precise, from major publications like Yahoo, USA Today, People, and the Food Network.

Ahrefs Backlinks report showing 86 press links for Krispy Kreme's Olympic Doughnuts campaignAhrefs Backlinks report showing 86 press links for Krispy Kreme's Olympic Doughnuts campaign

The special edition doughnuts also drive a cool 45K monthly searches, according to the Matching Terms report in Keywords Explorer.

Ahrefs Matching Terms report showing 45K search volume for olympic krispy kreme doughnutsAhrefs Matching Terms report showing 45K search volume for olympic krispy kreme doughnuts

Quick learnings

  • Capitalize on high demand around recurring events.
  • For campaigns that can’t be neatly tracked (e.g. no specific landing page, or product page) pay closer attention to homepage or domain-level links through clever filtering.

Campaign 🍟👞 McDonald’s + Crocs Collaboration
Brand(s) 🏷️ Crocs + McDonald’s
Links earned 🔗 516
Campaign type 📰 Brand collab/product release
Global search volume 🔎 18K for “mcdonalds crocs”
Search growth (YoY) 📈 838% for “mcdonalds crocs”

This next PR example is a campaign of multiple parts. It began with a pair of McDonald’s themed Crocs, and has extended to a full blown footwear collection…

A screenshot of the crocs and mcdonald's product collection pageA screenshot of the crocs and mcdonald's product collection page

And a novelty product: McDonald’s happy meal mini-crocs keyring.

Press photo of McDonald's and Crocs happy meal toyPress photo of McDonald's and Crocs happy meal toy

The coordinated PR campaign has generated huge awareness for both brands, but tracking all the fragmented assets is no mean feat.

To get a better idea of overall brand awareness, I opted instead to search for co-citations at the domain level.

Searching in the Backlinks report, I applied filters for each brand name in the other’s backlink profile.

A side by side comparsion of press mentions for crocs and mcdonald'sA side by side comparsion of press mentions for crocs and mcdonald's

McDonald’s earned 260 links for “Crocs” related content, but Crocs was the real winner, landing 416 links for “McDonald’s” related press from media goliaths like Business Insider, Fast Company, and Entrepreneur.

From studying the campaign’s individual assets, I noticed something interesting: social posts have the ability to attract links.

Take for instance, this UGC post by Instagram food account, Snackolater. It landed 24 backlinks after sharing news of the happy meal mini-croc launch.

Ahrefs Backlinks report showing 24 press links for an instagram post on the mcdonalds and crocs collabAhrefs Backlinks report showing 24 press links for an instagram post on the mcdonalds and crocs collab

It had never occurred to me to track social media posts for links, but you can never tell how a journalist is going to reference your campaign, so it’s worthwhile setting up a backlink alert for all your assets just in case!

The growth of brand searches is a real testament to the success of a PR campaign, and this collaboration definitely delivers on that front.

Audiences are searching for relevant McDonald’s + Croc based keywords a total of 37K times a month on average, based on data in Keywords Explorer.

1727474190 432 9 Successful PR Campaign Examples According to the Data1727474190 432 9 Successful PR Campaign Examples According to the Data

Quick learnings

  • Sometimes, the “side” brand in a collaboration can snag more links. Keep that in mind for your next PR partnership.
  • With two brands there are double the assets to track, including product pages, press releases, landing pages, and various social posts – make sure you have purview over the performance of all moving parts to track public relations campaigns holistically.
  • Don’t forget to report on social posts, not just for impressions/engagement but for links.

Campaign ❎🍑 Do your lesson, no buts
Brand(s) 🏷️ Duo Lingo
Links earned 🔗 130
Campaign type 📽️ Advert
Global search volume 🔎 250 for “Duolingo commercial”
Search growth (YoY) 📈 376% for “Duolingo commercial”

Duolingo leaned into their weird yet wonderful brand of marketing with a hilarious superbowl ad featuring Duo, the brand’s menacing owl character.

In 5 (wild) seconds, we witness the explosion of Duo’s butt, and the growth of a mini Duo in its place, accompanied by a reminder to do our Duo Lingo lesson.

The ad creative was repurposed from a widget design that went semi-viral – Duo Lingo knew it worked, so they built on it.

And in a stroke of coordinated PR genius, they simultaneously sent out a push-notification to app users as soon as the ad went live.

A photo of a Duo Lingo reminderA photo of a Duo Lingo reminder

 

“We decided to pair the ad with a coordinated push notification, which would hit learners’ phones right after the commercial aired, reinforcing the idea that Duo is always watching 👀.”

The YouTube commercial has earned 5M views and 130 links from Gizmodo, Lifehacker, and Indy100.

Ahrefs Backlinks report showing 118 press links for Duo Lingo's Superbowl AdvertAhrefs Backlinks report showing 118 press links for Duo Lingo's Superbowl Advert

Plus 24M plays on TikTok.

Screenshot of duolingos no buts PR campaign views on TikTokScreenshot of duolingos no buts PR campaign views on TikTok

The Duolingo team have written up a seriously funny play-by-play of the PR campaign here – they talk about everything from the lengths they went to to get the right “shine” on Duo’s buttocks, to carefully selecting the perfect fart sound effect. I recommend reading it, for a giggle if nothing else.

Quick learnings

  • Upcycle owned content that has worked well in the past for your next PR campaign.
  • Try a mixed-message approach to really drive the point of your campaign home.

How I found these PR campaign examples (and you can too)

I spent a lot of time:

There were so many awesome examples of PR, but I narrowed it down to the ones that drove either press mentions, links, search volume, traffic, or all of the above.

Final thoughts

The best PR campaigns aren’t just about links. They’re about creating conversations, driving awareness, and making a lasting impact on your audience.

Here’s a quick recap of some of the top takeaways:

  • Time it right: Launch your campaigns when conversations peak
  • Tap into unique data: Use exclusive insights to stand out
  • Track holistically: Monitor links, mentions, searches, and social
  • Rank and compare: Engage multiple audience “tribes” through rankings
  • Take a local angle: Analyze multiple locations to win more press
  • Collaborate creatively: Brand partnerships can amplify your reach
  • Repurpose winners: Turn successful content into new campaigns

Success is predicated on a campaign meeting its goal(s), and while we don’t know exactly what these brands set out to achieve, their campaigns have enjoyed results that most of us would be pretty happy with.

Hopefully they’ve given you some inspiration for your next project.

 



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How To Set Up Your First Paid Search Campaign

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How To Set Up Your First Paid Search Campaign

Paid search advertising is a powerful way to drive traffic and conversions for your brand.

However, setting up your first campaign can feel overwhelming if you’re new to the game. Even if you’re a PPC pro, it can be hard to keep up with all the changes in the interfaces, making it easy to miss key settings that can make or break performance.

In this guide, you’ll find the essential steps to set up a successful paid search campaign, ensuring you’re equipped with the knowledge to make informed decisions that lead to positive results.

Step 1: Define Your Conversions & Goals

Establishing clear goals and understanding what constitutes a conversion is the foundation of a successful paid search campaign.

This clarity ensures that every aspect of your campaign is aligned with your business objectives.

Identify Your Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

In order to identify those KPIs, it’s crucial to understand the overarching business objectives. Begin by mapping out your broader business goals.

Ask yourself, “Am I aiming to increase sales, generate leads, boost website traffic, or enhance brand awareness?”

From there, you can define specific KPIs for each objective. Some examples include:

  • Sales: Number of transactions, revenue generated.
  • Leads: Number of form submissions, phone calls, appointments created.
  • Traffic: Click-through rate (CTR), number of sessions.
  • Brand Awareness: Impressions, reach.

Set Up Conversion Tracking

Knowing your goals is one thing, but being able to accurately measure them is a completely different ballgame.

Both Google and Microsoft Ads have dedicated conversion tags that can be added to your website for proper tracking.

Additionally, Google Analytics is a popular tool to track conversions.

Choose what conversion tags you need to add to your website and ensure they’re added to the proper pages.

In this example, we’ll use Google Ads.

To set up conversion tracking using a Google Ads tag, click the “+” button on the left-hand side of Google Ads, then choose Conversion action.

Screenshot from Google Ads, September 2024

You’ll choose from the following conversions to add:

  • Website.
  • App.
  • Phone calls.
  • Import (from Google Analytics, third party, etc.).

After choosing, Google Ads can scan your website to recommend conversions to add, or you have the option to create a conversion manually:

How to create a manual conversion action in Google Ads.Screenshot from Google Ads, September 2024

During this step, it’s essential to assign value(s) to conversions being created, as well as the proper attribution model that best represents your customer journey.

Most PPC campaigns are now using the data-driven model attribution, as opposed to a more traditional “last click” attribution model. Data-driven attribution is especially helpful for more top-of-funnel campaigns like YouTube or Demand Gen campaign types.

After the conversion has been created, Google provides the necessary code and instructions to add to the website.

Google Ads conversion code snippet exampleScreenshot from Google Ads, September 2024

Enable Auto-Tagging

Setting up auto-tagging from the get-go eliminates the need to append UTM parameters to each individual ad, saving you time during setup.

It also allows for seamless data import into Google Analytics, enabling detailed performance analysis within that platform.

To enable auto-tagging at the account level, navigate to Admin > Account settings.

Find the box for auto-tagging and check the box to tag ad URLs, then click Save.

Turn on auto-tagging in Google Ads in the account settings.Screenshot from Google Ads, September 2024

Step 2: Link Any Relevant Accounts

Linking various accounts and tools enhances your campaign’s effectiveness by providing deeper insights and seamless data flow.

Now, this step may come sooner if you plan to import conversions from Google Analytics into Google Ads, as the accounts will have to be linked prior to importing conversions.

To link accounts, navigate to Tools > Data manager.

Where to find Linked Accounts in Google Ads.Screenshot from Google Ads, September 2024

You can link accounts such as:

  • Google Analytics.
  • YouTube channel(s).
  • Third-party analytics.
  • Search Console.
  • CRM tools (Salesforce, Zapier, etc.).
  • Ecommerce platforms (Shopify, WooCommerce, etc.).
  • Tag Manager.
  • And more.

Step 3: Conduct Keyword Research & Structure Your Campaign

Now that you’ve got the foundations of goals and conversions covered, it’s time to complete some keyword research.

A robust keyword strategy ensures your ads reach the right audience, driving qualified traffic to your site.

Start With A Seed List

Not sure where to start? Don’t sweat it!

Start by listing out fundamental terms related to your products or services. Consider what your customers would type into a search engine to find you.

Doing keyword research into search engines in real-time can help discover additional popular ways that potential customers are already searching, which can uncover more possibilities.

Additionally, use common language and phrases that customers use to ensure relevance.

Use Keyword Research Tools

The Google Ads platform has a free tool built right into it, so be sure to utilize it when planning your keyword strategy.

The Google Keyword Planner gives you access to items like:

  • Search volume data.
  • Competition levels.
  • Keyword suggestions.
  • Average CPC.

All these insights help not only determine what keywords to bid on but also help form the ideal budget needed to go after those coveted keywords.

When researching keywords, try to identify long-tail keywords (typically, these are phrases with more than three words). Long-tail keywords may have lower search volume but have higher intent and purchase considerations.

Lastly, there are many paid third-party tools that can offer additional keyword insights like:

These tools are particularly helpful in identifying what competitors are bidding on, as well as finding gaps or opportunities that they are missing or underserving.

Group Keywords Into Thematic Ad Groups

Once you have your core keywords identified, it’s time to group them together into tightly-knit ad groups.

The reason for organizing them tightly is to increase the ad relevance as much as possible. Each ad group should focus on a single theme or product category.

As a good rule of thumb, I typically use anywhere from five to 20 keywords per ad group.

Another item to keep in mind is which match types to use for keyword bidding. See the example below from Google on the three keyword match types available:

The difference in keyword match types in Google AdsImage credit: support.google.com, September 2024

Create A Hierarchical Campaign Structure

Once your ad groups have been segmented, it’s time to build the campaign structure(s).

You’ll want to divide your account into campaigns based on broader categories, such as:

  • Product lines.
  • Geographic regions.
  • Marketing goals.
  • Search volume.

For example, you can create one campaign for “Running Shoes.” Within that campaign, you create three ad groups:

  • Men’s running shoes.
  • Women’s running shoes.
  • Trail running shoes.

Now, there may be times when you have a keyword with an abnormally higher search volume than other keywords within a particular category.

Depending on your budget, it may be worth segmenting those high-volume search term(s) into its own campaign solely for better budget optimization.

If a high-volume keyword is grouped into ad groups with low-volume keywords, it’s likely that most of the ads served will be for the high-volume keyword.

This then inhibits the other low-volume keywords from showing, and can wreak havoc on campaign performance.

Utilize Negative Keywords

Just as the keywords you bid on are crucial to success, so are the negative keywords you put into place.

Negative keywords can and should be added and maintained as ongoing optimization of any paid search campaign strategy.

The main benefit of negative keywords is the ability to exclude irrelevant traffic. They prevent your ads from showing on irrelevant searches, saving budget and improving CTR over time.

Negative keywords can be added at the ad group, campaign, or account level.

Step 4: Configure Campaign Settings

Now that you’ve got the campaign structure ready to go, it’s time to start building and configuring the campaign settings.

Campaign settings are crucial to get right in order to optimize performance towards your goals.

There’s something to be said with the phrase, “The success is in the settings.” And that certainly applies here!

Choose The Right Bidding Strategy

You’ll have the option to choose a manual cost-per-click (CPC) or an automated bid strategy. Below is a quick rundown of the different types of bid strategies.

  • Manual CPC: Allows you to set bids for individual keywords, giving you maximum control. Suitable for those who prefer more hands-on management.
  • Target Return on Ad Spend (ROAS): Optimizes bids to maximize revenue based on a target ROAS you set at the campaign level.
  • Target Cost Per Acquisition (CPA): Optimizes bids to achieve conversions at the target CPA you set at the campaign level.
  • Maximize Conversions: Sets bids to help get the most conversions for your budget.

Set Your Daily Budget Accordingly

Review your monthly paid search budget and calculate how much you can spend per day throughout the month.

Keep in mind that some months should be different to account for seasonality, market fluctuations, etc.

Additionally, be sure to allocate campaign budgets based on goals and priorities to maximize your return on investment.

You’ll also want to keep in mind the bid strategy selected.

For example, say you set a campaign bid strategy with a Target CPA of $30. You then go on to set your campaign daily budget of $50.

That $50 daily budget would likely not be enough to support the Target CPA of $30, because that would mean you’d get a maximum of two conversions per day, if that.

For bid strategies that require a higher CPA or higher ROAS, be sure to supplement those bid strategies with higher daily budgets to learn and optimize from the beginning.

Double-Check Location Settings

When choosing locations to target, be sure to look at the advanced settings to understand how you’re reaching those users.

For example, if you choose to target the United States, it’s not enough to enter “United States” and save it.

There are two options for location targeting that many fail to find:

  • Presence or interest: People in, regularly in, or who’ve shown interest in your included locations.
  • Presence: People in or regularly in your included locations.
Location settings in Google AdsScreenshot from Google Ads, September 2024

Google Ads defaults to the “presence or interest” setting, which I’ve seen time and time again where ads end up showing outside of the United States, in this example.

Again, the success is in the settings.

There are more settings to keep in mind when setting up your first paid search campaign, including:

  • Ad scheduling.
  • Audience targeting.
  • Device targeting.
  • And more.

Step 5: Write Compelling Ad Copy

Your ad copy is the gateway to attracting qualified customers.

Crafting the perfect mix of persuasion and relevancy into your ad copy can significantly impact your campaign’s success.

Create Attention-Grabbing Headlines

The headline is the most prominent part of the ad copy design on the search engine results page. Since each headline has a maximum character limit of 35 characters, it is important to make them count.

With Responsive Search Ads, you can create up to 15 different headlines, and Google will test different variations of them depending on the user, their search query, and multiple other factors to get that mix right.

Below are some tips for captivating a user’s attention:

  • Use Primary Keywords: Include your main keywords in the headline to improve relevance and Quality Score.
  • Highlight Unique Selling Points (USPs): Showcase what sets your product or service apart, such as free shipping, 24/7 support, or a unique feature.
  • Incorporate Numbers and Statistics: Use numbers to catch attention, like “50% Off” or “Join 10,000+ Satisfied Customers.”
  • Include a Strong Call-to-Action (CTA): Encourage immediate action with phrases like “Buy Now,” “Get a Free Quote,” or “Sign Up Today.”

Write Persuasive Descriptions

Description lines should complement the headline statements to create one cohesive ad.

Typically, two description lines are shown within any given ad. Each description line has a 90-character limit.

When creating a Responsive Search Ad, you can create four different descriptions, and then the algorithm will show variations of copy tailored to each individual user.

  • Expand on Headlines: Provide additional details that complement your headline and reinforce your message.
  • Address Pain Points: Highlight how your product or service solves specific problems your audience faces.
  • Use Emotional Triggers: Appeal to emotions by emphasizing benefits like peace of mind, convenience, or excitement.
  • Incorporate Keywords Naturally: Ensure the description flows naturally while including relevant keywords to maintain relevance.

Make Use Of Ad Assets (Formerly Extensions)

Because of the limited character count in ads, be sure to take advantage of the myriad of ad assets available as complements to headlines and descriptions.

Ad assets help provide the user with additional information about the brand, such as phone numbers to call, highlighting additional benefits, special offers, and more.

Some of the main ad assets used include:

  • Sitelinks.
  • Callouts.
  • Structured Snippets.
  • Calls.
  • And more.

You can find a full list of available ad assets in Google Ads here.

Step 6: Ensure An Effective Landing Page Design

You’ve spent all this time crafting your paid search campaign strategy, down to the keyword and ad copy level.

Don’t stop there!

There’s one final step to think about before launching your first paid search campaign: The landing page.

Your landing page is where users land after clicking your ad. An optimized landing page is critical for converting traffic into valuable conversions and revenue.

Ensure Relevancy And Consistency

The content and message of your landing page should directly correspond to your ad copy. If your ad promotes a specific product or offer, the landing page should focus on that same product or offer.

Use similar language, fonts, and imagery on your landing page as in your ads to create a cohesive user experience.

Optimize For User Experience (UX)

If a user lands on a page and the promise of the ad is not delivered on that page, they will likely leave.

Having misalignment between ad copy and the landing page is one of the quickest ways to waste those precious advertising dollars.

When looking to create a user-friendly landing page, consider the following:

  • Mobile-Friendly Design: Ensure your landing page is responsive and looks great on all devices, particularly mobile, as a significant portion of traffic comes from mobile users.
  • Fast Loading Speed: Optimize images, leverage browser caching, and minimize code to ensure your landing page loads quickly. Slow pages can lead to high bounce rates.
  • Clear and Compelling Headline: Just like your ad, your landing page should have a strong headline that immediately communicates the value proposition.
  • Concise and Persuasive Content: Provide clear, concise information that guides users toward the desired action without overwhelming them with unnecessary details.
  • Prominent Call-to-Action (CTA): Place your CTA above the fold and make it stand out with contrasting colors and actionable language. Ensure it’s easy to find and click.

Step 7: Launch Your Campaign

Once you’ve thoroughly completed these six steps, it’s time to launch your campaign!

But remember: Paid search campaigns are not a “set and forget” strategy. They must be continuously monitored and optimized to maximize performance and identify any shifts in strategy.

Create a regular optimization schedule to stay on top of any changes. This could look like:

  • Weekly Reviews: Conduct weekly performance reviews to identify trends, spot issues, and make incremental improvements.
  • Monthly Strategy Sessions: Hold monthly strategy sessions to assess overall campaign performance, adjust goals, and implement larger optimizations.
  • Quarterly Assessments: Perform comprehensive quarterly assessments to evaluate long-term trends, budget allocations, and strategic shifts.

When it comes to optimizing your paid search campaign, make sure you’re optimizing based on data. This can include looking at:

  • Pause Underperforming Keywords: Identify and pause keywords that are not driving conversions or are too costly.
  • Increase Bids on High-Performing Keywords: Allocate more budget to keywords that are generating conversions at a favorable cost.
  • Refine Ad Copy: Continuously test and refine ad copy based on performance data to enhance relevance and engagement.
  • Enhance Landing Pages: Use insights from user behavior on landing pages to make data-driven improvements that boost conversion rates.

Final Thoughts

Setting up your first paid search campaign involves multiple detailed steps, each contributing to the overall effectiveness and success of your advertising efforts.

By carefully defining your goals, linking relevant accounts, conducting thorough keyword research, configuring precise campaign settings, crafting compelling ad copy, and optimizing your landing pages, you lay a strong foundation for your campaign.

Remember, the key to a successful paid search campaign is not just the initial setup but also ongoing monitoring, testing, and optimization.

Embrace a mindset of continuous improvement, leverage data-driven insights, and stay adaptable to maximize your campaign’s potential.

More resources: 


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Squarespace Update Strengthens Its Robust Website Builder

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Squarespace Update Strengthens Its Robust Website Builder

Squarespace announced updates to their Blueprint AI, automating website creation, and enhancing their tool suite—further strengthening their website building platform for small and medium-sized businesses.

Squarespace

Squarespace is known for their easy to use drag and drop interface that allows user to select a template, modify it with a few clicks and to drag and drop web page elements in order to create a professional looking website. Over 2% of all websites are reported to use Squarespace, showing that it’s a popular choice website building platform for small to medium size businesses.

Blueprint AI

Blueprint AI, launched in late 2023, is Squarespace’s proprietary AI website builder that helps users create a website by answering questions related to what kind of site they’re trying to create. The AI then creates a template based on the answers to the questions. Users can then use Squarespace’s full suite of editing features to further modify their website then modify to suit their needs and create a true custom website.

Other Improvements

Squarespace also announced other improvements that help users switch web page layouts and apply changes, a one-click style changer that instantly creates new style combinations, and a new hub for managing the website brand identify.

The announcement explained:

Layout Switcher:
An adaptive layout menu that enables faster website design experimentation—offering a set of flexible compositions with one’s content automatically embedded, then applied instantly to a page.

Site Themes:
One-click styling combinations that make it easier to preview and apply a new website aesthetic—via handpicked font pairings, color palettes, button styles and more, with recommendations aligned to a customer’s brand personality.

Brand Identity Management:
A central hub for crafting and storing one’s unique brand identity that guides Squarespace’s AI writer to instantly generate first draft, on-brand copy populated across key surface areas, including website text, content descriptions, and client documents, among others.”

Takeaways

Squarespace has about 20 years experience helping businesses easily build websites and start doing business online. This announcement shows that Squarespace continues to improve the already excellent platform that gives businesses the chance to effectively compete online.

Read Squarespace’s announcement:

Squarespace Refresh 2024: Introducing a New Era for Entrepreneurs

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