PPC

Google Changes “Remove Redundant Keywords” Recommendation: What You Need to Know

Published

11 months ago

January 16, 2023

Google Changes "Remove Redundant Keywords" Recommendation: What You Need to Know

While we’ve always advised you to take Google Ads’ recommendations with a grain of salt, we reinforced this with a little more caution after auto-apply recommendations amped up in 2021, and we’re amping up the caution just a liiiiitle more now, after a new update that Google announced last week:

As of January 19, the way the “remove redundant keywords” recommendation works is changing to work across match types. This update has caused confusion and understandable frustration among advertisers, and has implications. So read on to learn:

What is changing about this recommendation
Whether it impacts your account
Why it has upset the PPC community
What you need to do

The context, clarification, and course of action you need to stay in control of your campaigns!

The TL;DR

This announcement can basically be distilled down into three key points:

As of January 19, the “remove redundant keywords” recommendation will change such that “redundant keywords” will not just be keywords with higher-performing keywords of the same match type, but also keywords with broader match types, in the same ad group.

If you are currently enrolled in auto-apply for this specific recommendation and don’t want Google to automatically remove redundant keywords according to this new definition on January 19 (or are unsure), then you should opt out of auto-apply for this recommendation now.

The change lends itself to many advertisers’ predictions of match-type-less future, and the way Google went about it has caused further unease in the reliability of its recommendations.

Confused? Read on to get the deets! Satisfied? Read on anyway so you can make sure you’re fully informed!

The context: How do recommendations work in Google Ads?

Google Ads recommendations is a feature that uses your performance data, campaign settings, and trends across Google to make (wait for it…) recommendations to improve your campaigns. You can access them by clicking “Recommendations” at the top left of your dashboard.

google ads recommendations page

There are dozens of recommendations, the list always growing, and they fall into several different types:

Ads and assets
Automated campaigns
Bidding and budgets
Keywords and targeting
Repairs
Measurement
Other

Google describes each one in its recommendations help page. As you can imagine, the reliability of these recommendations varies by account and recommendation—while Google’s data and machine learning can be effective, at the end of the day, a human will know the ins and outs of any given account and ultimately what’s best for it—which is why the best practice is to take them with a grain of salt.

What are auto-apply recommendations?

There are basically three ways to manage Google’s recommendations:

Manually, in bulk: You can click “Apply all” to apply all recommendations for a particular category.

example of a google ads recommendation card

Manually, individually: If you click “View all recommendations” for a particular category, you can view each individual recommendation and choose whether to apply it.

google ads recommendations - manual review window

Automatically: This means that Google will automatically implement the suggestion. Of course, this only applies to recommendations that can be executed automatically. You can customize which recommendations you want to opt into auto-apply. Depending on the size and complexity of the account, this may make sense for some advertisers.

google ads auto-apply recommendations options

Which recommendation is changing?

This article and update is referring to advertisers who are enrolled in auto-apply for the “Remove redundant keywords” (RRK) recommendation. It looks like this in the Recommendations page:

google ads remove redundant keywords recommendation card

The clarification: What is changing with the remove redundant keywords recommendation?

On January 4, Google emailed advertisers enrolled in auto-apply for RRK, saying that the behavior of this recommendation will change on January 19.

The email says:

Currently, the ‘Remove redundant keywords’ recommendation suggests redundant keywords within the same ad groups, destination, bidding strategy, and match type. Starting January 19, the recommendation can include keywords across different match types

What this means is, “redundant keywords” used to just refer to keywords that are equivalent to higher-performing keywords with the same match type, but now it also refers to keywords that have broader match types. In other words, Google will remove a “redundant” phrase or exact match keyword if it has a broad match version in the same ad group.

google ads email about the remove redundant keywords recommendation change

Image source. View full-size

The example Google gives is this:

If your ad group has the phrase match keyword “women’s hats” and broad match keyword ladies hats, we will recommend that you remove the phrase match keyword since the broad match keyword ladies hats covers all searches from “women’s hats.

And the reason Google gives is this:

Removing these redundant keywords and consolidating your keywords across match types will help you manage your account more easily, doesn’t negatively impact your performance, and still allows your ads to appear on the same searches.

How does this impact your account?

For those of you enrolled or previously enrolled in auto-apply for the RRK recommendation (and even for those of you who aren’t), you probably have more questions about this. Here are some more clarifications based on Google Ads Liaison Ginny Marvin’s FAQ Twitter thread, which you can view here.

Any ad groups with ads that use keyword insertion have been excluded from the suggestions.
This does not make you eligible to appear for more searches, since you already have the broad match keywords in your account.
If you opt out before January 19, it will not change ad groups where you previously applied this recommendation.

Q. If you applied a “remove redundant keywords” rec manually, will this update impact you?
A. This doesn’t affect past recommendations, whether applied automatically or manually. Starting Jan 19, you may see recs to remove redundant keywords covered by your broad match keywords

— AdsLiaison (@adsliaison) January 5, 2023

Click on the Tweet above to view all six FAQs.

That last bullet is key. What it means is, if you removed redundant keywords from ad groups in the past (according to the old definition, whether automatically or manually) and Google finds additional redundant keywords after January 19 according to the new definition, Google will not automatically remove those keywords from those ad groups—unless you are opted into auto-apply. You will get a fresh recommendation with the option to apply or ignore.

The consensus: Why are advertisers upset?

While this update technically only impacts advertisers enrolled in auto-apply for RRK, there are broader implications here that you should be aware of. In his Search Engine Land article, Cypress North Director of Marketing Greg Finn speaks on behalf of many advertisers in the PPC community who are frustrated by this move, for three main reasons:

First, because instead of adding it as a new recommendation, Google is changing an existing recommendation and essentially defaulting users to be opted into it unless they opt out. As Greg puts it, “How can advertisers trust a single recommendation from Google if what you agree to today can be something completely different tomorrow?”
Second, because Google says this change “doesn’t negatively impact your performance,” but advertisers still very much rely on phrase and exact match to keep their ads relevant and our costs low. So this continued push for broad match and trend toward a potentially match type-less future is increasingly seen as a money grab on Google’s part.

google marketing live - broad match + smart bidding

Third, because there are many small businesses and beginner advertisers out there who can be taken advantage of by these recommendations. Without the contextual knowledge—namely, how to handle recommendations, how match types have been evolving, Google’s whole shift toward automation, and the fact that Optimization Score isn’t everything—one can easily opt into something that will actually cause them to lose money (to Google’s benefit).

The course of action: What should you do?

As I mentioned in the intro, the key takeaway is the same: be careful with Google’s recommendations and even more careful with auto-applying them. What does that look like?

Opt out of auto-apply for this recommendation. Circling back to our TLDR section, if you are currently enrolled in auto-apply for this specific recommendation and don’t want Google to automatically remove redundant keywords according to this new definition on January 19 (or are unsure), then you should opt out of auto-apply for this recommendation now.

Take recommendations with a grain of salt. Not all recommendations are bad, and some of them can help you learn about new features. It’s just that not all of them take into account the specifics of your account, and some of them do appear to be more in Google’s favor rather than the advertiser’s best interest. So avoid any extreme measures here—ignoring them all or applying them all—and take the time to manually review them and apply them as you see fit.

Continue to be careful with auto-apply recommendations. While recommendations may appear to be a beginner-friendly feature, auto-apply is better for more experienced advertisers who have an understanding of the inner workings of their account and know what they can automate. And even still, most experts, while they may be receptive to some recommendations, aren’t too keen on auto-applying them. Beginners are better off sticking with manual work as this will ultimately save you time and money in the long run. If you can’t do the manual work, there are plenty of agencies that can help you out! Helpful resources here:

Review your current auto-applies

That being said, this is a good time to check in on any auto-apply recommendations you are subscribed to. Make sure you fully understand what they mean, and if you opt out of any of them, check your change history to make sure no changes were applied that you don’t want.

google ads change history

Clean up your keywords. Regardless of how applicable this specific recommendation is to your account, cleaning up your keywords in general is a best practice for maximizing your performance. Review your ad groups and make sure they are following account structure best practices. That is, sticking to one core theme and no more than 20 keywords per ad group. For more help with keywords:

At the end of the day, you and not a machine will know what’s best for your account. So be receptive, but not reliant on recommendations—especially when it comes to removing redundant keywords!

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Related Topics:Google Keywords Recommendation Redundant remove seo

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How to Make a Click-Worthy YouTube Thumbnail (+Free Tools!)

Published

7 hours ago

December 7, 2023

Max

How to Make a Click-Worthy YouTube Thumbnail (+Free Tools!)

With millions of videos vying for attention, your YouTube thumbnails serve as the first point of engagement for potential viewers. These seemingly small images carry significant weight in attracting clicks and views.

YouTube thumbnails provide a snapshot of your video content, setting expectations for what viewers can expect. A well-crafted thumbnail not only piques interest but also conveys the essence of the video.

In this article, I’ll share everything you need to know about YouTube thumbnails, including tools to create them, tips to keep in mind, and other lessons I’ve learned from running my own YouTube channel.

What is a YouTube thumbnail?

A YouTube thumbnail serves as a visual snapshot of what a video contains. It appears as a small image next to the title of the video on YouTube’s search results page, related videos section, or the recommended videos section.

This image plays a crucial role in attracting potential viewers and encouraging them to click on the video. The design and content of this thumbnail often influence the decision of a viewer to watch the video or not. Therefore, it holds significant importance in the world of YouTube content creation.

YouTube thumbnail size

The best YouTube thumbnail size is 1280×720 pixels. This is an aspect ratio of 16:9. The minimum width you should shoot for is 640 pixels.

You should also shoot for a relatively small file size—under 2MB. YouTube thumbnails can be saved as JPGs, GIFs, or PNGs.

YouTube thumbnail tips

Your YouTube journey begins with a single image—the thumbnail. This seemingly small, but critically important element is the initial gateway for your viewers.

“If people don’t click, they don’t watch. So, you want to give them something to click,” said YouTube star MrBeast.

Here are some tips to create effective YouTube thumbnails.

Make them engaging

Think of your thumbnails as digital hooks to capture your audience’s attention. Make them visually striking, vibrant, and engaging.

💕 Want more tips and ideas? We’ve got 130+ for you! Get the guide >> 130+ of the Best Online Marketing Tips for Generating More Traffic, Leads, & Sales

Be consistent

Building a recognizable brand on YouTube starts with consistency in your thumbnail design. A uniform style helps viewers easily identify your content. In addition to consistency in your thumbnail design, keeping a close eye on others in your field who share your audience is a smart strategy.

Checking out what your competitors are up to can give you helpful clues about how many people click on their stuff. This helps you see how your channel’s look, content, titles, and colors stack up, so you can ensure you’re putting your best foot forward.

As you can see below, MrBeast’s thumbnails are visually striking and attention-grabbing, featuring bold colors, expressive facial expressions, and compelling imagery. He maintains a consistent style in his thumbnails, making them instantly recognizable to his viewers and helping build a strong brand presence on YouTube.

Represent your video accurately

Your thumbnail should provide an honest representation of your video. Misleading thumbnails can lead to viewer frustration and backlash.

Create an emotional impact

It’s well known that emotions are contagious. This means that watching someone else have an emotional reaction to something can cause you to have the same reaction.

Humans react to other human faces, and it’s an easy trick to get more people to click on your YouTube videos. Humans will naturally assess the emotional state of the face. When their mouth is open, it’s usually to show that they are surprised. When someone sees this surprised reaction, they are enticed to see what is so surprising.

🚨 Speaking of emotion…get our free guide >> 135 of the Best Words & Phrases for Marketing with Emotion

Learn and adapt

Continuously analyze your analytics to adapt your content and strategy based on audience feedback and changing trends.

The thumbnail below was my first to go well (in relation to my other videos). The simple title in the thumbnail, the upward arrow, society’s current fascination with ChatGPT, the length of the video, me in it—smiling and wearing something that matched the color scheme of the thumbnail. These are things I took note of as potential drivers of success for future videos and thumbnails.

Source

Free YouTube thumbnail makers

Here are a few YouTube thumbnail creation tools to try, including the one I use for all my thumbnails.

1. Fotor

I use an app called Fotor to create my thumbnails. Fotor is a fantastic all-in-one platform that makes thumbnail creation a breeze. It’s an easy-to-use photo editing and graphic design tool, available in web, desktop, and mobile versions. It provides a full suite of tools that cover most image editing needs, including face retouching and image-generative AI.

Fotor also includes advanced AI-powered tools such as background remover, image enlarger, and object remover, which make complex edits simple.

I created a super simple video walkthrough where I use it to create a YouTube thumbnail. Check it out here.

2. Canva

Canva is a design tool (with a free option) that can help you create impactful YouTube thumbnails. Simply navigate to the site, choose YouTube thumbnail as your design option, and find an already-created template to customize or create your own design.

Within Canva, you can adjust colors, add your own images, and brand your YouTube thumbnail with your business logo.

3. Visme

Visme is another online design tool that makes it easy to create YouTube thumbnails. Like Canva, Visme has already created templates that you can choose and customize according to your branding.

Simply choose your template, customize it, download it, and you’re all set!

Start making effective YouTube thumbnails with ease

Creating a great YouTube thumbnail is only one piece of the puzzle when it comes to effective video marketing on the site. But the right YouTube thumbnail strategy can help you build consistency, attract people to click on your videos, and increase engagement with your content.

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PPC

12 Holiday Emails for Customers (Templates & Examples!)

Published

2 days ago

December 5, 2023

Max

12 Holiday Emails for Customers (Templates & Examples!)

How to put your customers into a holiday slumber 😴 :

To our valued customers,

As the end of the year draws near, we’d like to take this opportunity to extend a heartfelt thank you to all of you for your support. Thank you for choosing us and we wish you a wonderful holiday season and happy new year!

sleepy bored face

Want to send an authentic holiday email this year that your customers will actually want to read? This is your cheat sheet!

How to use these holiday email templates

This post contains both the copy and creative you can use for your holiday customer appreciation emails. These emails are longer and more personalized—great for your most loyal customers or for businesses with a small client base. If you want shorter, more general copy, head on over to my holiday greetings and messages.

The copy is also pasted into some templates I made in Canva, which you can access with a free Canva account!

Here’s the link to the templates in Canva.

free holiday email templates in canva

Holiday customer email tips

In such a short piece of content as this, small details have big effects. Here’s how to get it right.

Express gratitude! Customer appreciation is the goal here.

Keep it short and use a conversational tone. This is an e-toast, not a live journal.
Be inclusive of all holidays, and be warm and positive, but not overly hyped—the holidays can be difficult for many people.
Make it visual with creative graphics or a team photo.
Share your growth and achievements to give customers a reason to stay confident in your business. BUT make it about them—the growth you achieved with their support. What you achieved together.
Connect it back to your mission (NOT your value prop).
Focus on the future. Speak to an ongoing relationship, but not through a CTA or sales promotion. Save that for your year-in-review email.

Words & phrases to make your holiday email message authentic

Take a gander through these words and phrases you can use that the other gajillion businesses out there aren’t using:

Instead of ‘valued customer’

Don’t call them valued, make them FEEL valued through your messaging.

Dear customers
To our awesome customers
To our customers near and far, old and new
To all of you
To each and every one of you
To the Baker & Co. family
To the SparkLife community
To you and your families
Dear customers, partners, and your families
Friends
First name (if you have a small list and can MANUALLY do it).

Instead of ‘exciting year’

It’s been a…

Lively
Rewarding
Exhilarating
Electrifying
Wild
Awesome
Zestful
Refreshing
Bustling
Bright
Spirited
Rousing
Rigorous

….year!

Instead of ‘as we approach’

Any “as we.” As we approach, enter, wind down, you know them all. How about:

Every year, I/we
If you’re like us, you are…
As the saying goes…
One of my favorite quotes is
Ask a question
Whether this email finds you ___ing, ____ing, or ___ing, we hope it finds you well!
As I sit here listening to [unique/meaningful/inclusive song name]
Exactly 11 months ago, we were…..
When we started out this year we _____. Little did we know…
Here at ___ we believe in ____, so…
One of our core values here at ____ is ____.
As I write this email, I’m watching the snow falling outside my window for the first time this year.
As it turns out…

Instead of ‘take this opportunity to’

Take THIS opportunity to remove yourselves from the mileu by using phrases like:

Words can’t describe our…
We’re reaching out to say…
We want you to know that…
We extend our deepest…
It is with pride and joy that we…

Instead of ‘thank you for your support’

Nothing wrong with this statement, but make it better with specifics.

Thank you for…

Trusting us with your ____
Using ____ for your ____ needs.
Confidence and loyalty to _____
How much you’ve [taught us, inspired us, encouraged us, etc..]
Choosing us as your ____ provider
Giving us a reason to come into work each day
Showing up to our events
Your reviews, social shares, votes
Positive vibes, enthusiasm

5 holiday email templates any business can use

To make your life easier, I’ve compiled some templates that incorporate the tips and words and phrases above. Check’em out.

If you want to You can also customize them in Canva