SEO
Maximizing efficiency for ecommerce paid campaigns

30-second summary:
- SEOs must improve the efficiency of ecommerce shopping ad campaigns to meet consumer expectations of a hassle-free online experience
- Brands need to invest time, gather experience, and implement various new strategies to maximize their performance as the digital space is growing and evolving at a rapid pace
- Setting up something like a Google Shopping Campaign may not be an uphill task; however, you need to implement smart strategies to make it more effective
- The valuable tactics mentioned in this post will help you boost your ecommerce sales and get you started on the right track
We are witnessing a significant increase in digital ad spending across the globe. The pandemic has resulted in consumer behavior changes that have led to a new era of ecommerce. The majority of people around the world have increased their reliance on online shopping and brands have been investing more money and attention in direct-to-consumer activity.
According to a report by Oberlo, digital advertising spend in 2022 grew by 15.6 percent from 2021. The report further states that digital ad growth shows no signs of stopping and the growth is expected to continue for the next few years.
If you are running a business that sells products, you should absolutely embrace ecommerce to drive its growth. However, while neglecting ecommerce is not an option, there are numerous other brands online that could be fierce competition for your products, so it is important for you to enhance your strategy to remain both relevant and visible.
Important things to consider before starting a campaign
Ensure that your website is SEO-friendly (search engine optimized) and has a user-friendly design. A well-structured ecommerce website can help you achieve the kind of results you are looking for.
It is extremely crucial to create an ad that resonates with your potential customers. You should create a detailed customer persona with the following steps.
- Decide who your target audience is. Are you targeting young men who like outdoor activities? Middle-aged mothers? Adults with aging parents?
- Once you determine your target audience, you should understand what they are looking for. Analyze their requirements and try to find out their interests. What hobbies or goals might your target audience have? What interferes with their ability to do these things?
- Turn these obstacles – these pain points – into your guidestones and try to address the problems that they pose.
How to maximize efficiency for your ecommerce paid campaigns
If you are looking to establish sustainable positive brand awareness online and improve your revenues from online sources, it’s critical to fine-tuning your online strategy.
Here is a list of key tactics that you must employ in order to achieve optimum results. While we will be specifically speaking about Google ads, many of these tactics are broadly applicable across any paid advertising service you use.
Optimize the product data feed
- The data in your Google Product Feed determines your campaign performance, which seriously impacts your ROI. Therefore, optimization is key.
- Make sure that the title is simple so that your audience can understand everything they need to know about your product just by reading it. Such titles can also help you gain maximum visibility on search engines like Google.
- Instead of the Google Product Feed, if you prefer using a spreadsheet, make sure that you include all possible information about the product such as color, size, material, the age range of potential customers, and so on.
- Select the right product categories and subcategories and align them with the appropriate product types. Failing to do this can seriously hurt your sales.
- A quality Product Feed Management tool helps you track your performance, which is crucial, as you can make the necessary adjustments to your ad campaigns based on your performance.
Fine-tune your campaign by using negative keywords
- Nothing is perfect in this world, and that includes the Google Shopping system as well. Even though Google Shopping listings are a boon for marketers, imperfect keyword targeting is a big issue as search results can sometimes display your products with irrelevant search keywords. For instance, if you sell running shoes, but not other running accessories, you don’t want your ads coming up for shoppers who won’t purchase.
- If you’re showing up for these keywords that won’t generate buys, your ad campaigns could experience high spending but terrible conversion ratios, low click-through rates, and low ROIs and ROAS.
- Implementing a negative keywords strategy in your Google Shopping ad campaigns can prevent your ads from showing up when certain search phrases are used. This in turn can boost the campaigns’ ROAS and ROI.
- Using negative keywords in your ad campaigns can prevent unwanted clicks, thereby helping you save money by improving the click rate of your advertisement.
Highlight your sales, discounts, and special offers
- Every customer loves a great offer as they are getting an opportunity to save while purchasing something.
- If you want to move your products quickly, showcasing discounts and special offers is a great way to achieve that. While running special offers and deals, you need to specifically mention that, and if you really want to stand out in the field, you should run ads regarding these offers and deals.
Use Single Product Ad Groups
- Single Product Ad Groups (SPAGs) enable marketers to set bids for each product individually. An SPAG allows you to pause individual products that aren’t giving you the expected results. SPAGs also give you the option to create negative keywords for specific products.
- An SPAG allows you to identify your best-selling products and least-selling products, which will help you to group them into performing and non-performing categories accordingly.
- An SPAG is a very useful tool, as it allows you to make modifications at the product level and create keywords for your product and control the bids at the market level.
Try Google Showcase Ads
- Google Showcase Ads feature product images and prices directly on the results page. These ads expand when clicked and display a custom description of the product and a catalog of related products. These ads allow you to group together related products and present them together to introduce your brand or business.
- Google Showcase Ads can improve your sales performance and efficiency of your paid campaigns as they allow you to highlight your products using high-quality digital images. You will be able to see them at the top of the SERP (search engine results page), above the paid search ads.
Create a good post-purchase experience
- Considering the fierce competition from other brands and competitors online, it is very important to encourage repeat purchases, as they are often much less expensive than converting first-time shoppers.
- A strong check-out experience and post-purchase considerations will help build strong customer loyalty which will make second and third purchases more likely.
- Use customer data wisely once it is acquired. This will improve your customer retention rate. You can group your customers based on how much they have purchased and how many times they have purchased. You can then provide exclusive discounts and offers to your loyal customers accordingly.
Important points to remember while creating an ecommerce website
Here are a few key points that you must consider while creating an ecommerce website.
- Ensure that your website is mobile-friendly. Many users use mobile devices for online searches, in fact, most online searches are executed on mobile devices. Making your site mobile user-friendly ensures that customers will be able to navigate your site on their mobile devices seamlessly.
- Different users prefer different payment methods. Therefore, it is important to offer multiple payment options, as customers may cancel the purchase if they don’t find their preferred payment option on your ecommerce website. For instance, you could offer a normal credit card payment option, as well as PayPal or Google Pay.
- Keep the sales process simple. Even customers who are not computer or mobile-savvy should be able to complete their purchase without trouble. A simple and straightforward experience can give your customers an effortless and seamless experience while purchasing.
Final thoughts
It is important for every brand to put the time in to ensure that they stand out and speak to their audience. Try to identify the ways in which you can keep your audience engaged as it can help in driving greater data capture and increase brand loyalty.
The strategies mentioned in this post can help you improve the efficiency of your ad campaigns, and implementing them correctly will pay off handsomely in the long run.
Andy Beohar is VP of SevenAtoms, a Google and HubSpot certified agency in San Francisco. Andy develops and manages ROI-positive inbound and paid marketing campaigns for B2B & Tech companies. Connect with Andy on LinkedIn or Twitter.
Subscribe to the Search Engine Watch newsletter for insights on SEO, the search landscape, search marketing, digital marketing, leadership, podcasts, and more.
Join the conversation with us on LinkedIn and Twitter.
SEO
LinkedIn Rolls Out 4 Updates For Business Pages

LinkedIn is rolling out an array of new features for business pages.
These updates can help you showcase your business’s brand identity, values, and offerings while utilizing advanced publishing and community-building tools.
Learn how these innovative features can enhance your LinkedIn marketing efforts.
1. Update To Scheduled Posts
One of the new features lets you plan your business page posts up to three months ahead for steady interaction with followers.
Available now on desktop, this feature will come to mobile soon.
2. Audio Events
LinkedIn is introducing live, audio-only discussions, eliminating reliance on external broadcasting applications.

This versatile, casual approach fosters audience connections and can position your organization as an industry authority.
Listeners can engage in the discussion through emojis and request to speak if they wish to contribute verbally.
3. Automatic Job Posting
For businesses with fewer than 1,000 employees, LinkedIn now offers an automatic job posting feature.

Once activated, the platform will automatically share one open role daily as a pre-scheduled post. The posts can be edited after they’re shared.
The feature excludes what LinkedIn categorizes as “basic jobs.”
4. Following Pages As A Page
LinkedIn Pages can now follow other Pages, making it easier to join chats related to your field with a feed dedicated to content from the businesses you’re following.
This feature aims to help businesses work together, share ideas, and create strong online communities of professionals.
In Summary
LinkedIn’s latest features for business pages offer new options to share content, connect with people, attract new talent, and keep up with industry chatter.
By leveraging these tools, you can improve your B2B marketing efforts and strengthen your online presence.
SEO
Top 3 Ways To Build Authority By Going Beyond Just Link Building

You want your online business to thrive. One of the best ways to do this is to establish website authority – and the key to successful authority building is to increase trust with your audience.
With the rise of AI tools, you must publish high-quality content that stands out from your competition, who may be using tools like ChatGPT.
On March 15, I moderated a webinar with Sabrina Hipps, VP of Partner Development, and Jeremy Rivera, Director of Content Analysis at CopyPress.
Hipps and Rivera demonstrated how content promotion, link building, and authentic subject matter expertise could help you rank higher on SERPs and elevate your online authority.
Here’s a summary of the webinar. To access the entire presentation, complete the form.
1. Create Unique Content With First-Hand Experience – Avoid AI, The “Fancy Parrot”
In the world of content creation, where good content creators are showing their expertise, there are certain key things AI can’t do.
- AI can’t have first-person experience. They can’t think for themselves the same way humans can.
- If the AI follows a generative model, and it can’t yet distinguish the truth. If you fact-check some of the information, you’ll find it doesn’t exist.
The counter to AI content is unique content that shows this truth, expertise, and first-hand experience.
[Learn how this helps build your authority] Instantly access the webinar →
2. Highlight Quality Authorship
High-quality content encompasses everything from accuracy and mistake-free writing to clearly displaying expertise.
Ensure Your Content Is Error-Free
In many cases, low-quality content, or posts with false information and repetitive issues, can lead to being devalued on SERPs or accidentally containing duplicate content.
Add More “E” To EAT – Experience
The Issue: To combat low-quality SERPs, Google seeks first-hand experience.
The Solution: Invite a subject matter expert to review the content, check for factual inaccuracies, and add that extra layer of expertise to the content.
Bridge The Write ≠ Expertise Gap
The Issue: It’s important to recognize that the ability to write is not synonymous with expertise; just because someone can write doesn’t mean they are accurate or a subject matter expert.
The Solution: Try pairing a subject matter expert with a strong writer who can interview and interject quotes helps build better content.
Ask Questions
The Issue: Sometimes, you may not have the in-house subject matter experts you need for a piece of content.
The Solution: Conduct outreach to gather expertise to boost your content quality. First, consider what your audience wants to know. Then, generate three to ten questions to ask a professional.
[Learn a tactic that works] Instantly access the webinar →
Tap Social Media
The Issue: Where do you find the professionals you need to interview for your next piece of high-expertise content?
The Solution: With so many experts creating on social media, it’s a great platform to leverage. Here are essential outreach steps you can do:
- Observe.
- Participate.
- Engage.
- Network.
Doing this can also be considered link-building in another sense. Because link building is marketing, and marketing is about building relationships.
Find Allies Who Are Also Targeting Your Audience
Combining outreach efforts with the Nexus approach helps you create relationships and connections beyond just the link.
[Learn what the Nexus approach is] Instantly access the webinar →
3. Use Other Authority Builders, In Addition To Links
One way to increase brand queries is through influencers, knowledge panel (which becomes part of a brand’s search results), and mentions.
To increase mentions:
- Use HARO & Terkel.
- Publish unique industry data.
- Do something distinctive that stands out.
- Connect with publishers with significant traffic, not for links but for visibility & mentions.
- Leverage influencers and industry experts.
[BONUS: Get a step-by-step branded keyword strategy] Instantly access the webinar →
At the end of the day, when you publish unique, relevant, and authoritative content, it gets referenced and cited by others.
[Slides] Discover The Top 3 Ways To Build Authority By Going Beyond Just Link Building
Here’s the presentation:
Join Us For Our Next Webinar!
Google Shopping: 5 Ways AI Can Increase Ecommerce Sales and Profit
Join Malin Blomberg, CEO of Bidbrain and Google Shopping expert, as she shares the best hacks for digital marketers and ecommerce business owners to maximize conversion value.
Image Credits:
Featured Image: Paulo Bobita/Search Engine Journal
SEO
Microsoft Introduces Category-Based Targeting For Search Ads

Microsoft has unveiled a new approach to search advertising that aims to help businesses more effectively reach their target audiences in the retail media space.
This innovative category-based targeting solution aims to address the limitations of traditional keyword targeting while leveraging the power of keywords to optimize campaign performance.
Moving Beyond Keyword Targeting
Although keyword targeting has been a cornerstone of search advertising for years, it has limitations.
By focusing solely on keyword targeting, advertisers may miss out on valuable opportunities to promote their products, which can negatively impact a campaign’s performance and limit revenue potential.
Retailers and advertisers are beginning to realize that shoppers browse digital aisles on retailer websites rather than solely searching for specific products using keywords.
As a result, strategies limited to keyword targeting don’t adequately address their needs.
Unlocking The Power Of Category-Based Targeting
Microsoft’s new solution targets shoppers based on their browsing categories, utilizing keywords to boost campaign bids.
This approach allows advertisers to capitalize on both audience behaviors, resulting in a stronger performance.
By boosting bids with keywords, advertisers can increase their chances of converting purchase intent into sales.
Retailers can optimize the site experience for shoppers through product taxonomy, making it easier for customers to find what they want.
Microsoft PromoteIQ’s AI-driven algorithms can then deliver more relevant ads by layering keywords as a booster in addition to categories.
This new approach simplifies campaign management for advertisers, as they only need to test and retain a few high-performing keywords.
For retailers, this efficiency translates into increased demand.
Proven Results: Higher CTR & RPM
Tests have shown that this unique solution delivers impressive results.
Campaigns that utilize category-based targeting and boost bids by keywords have a 320% higher click-through rate (CTR) than campaigns without keyword bid boosting.
Retailers also benefit from this approach, achieving 8x higher revenue per thousand impressions (RPM).
The Future Of Search Advertising?
Microsoft PromoteIQ’s new category-based targeting solution is a significant shift in search advertising.
By addressing the limitations of traditional keyword targeting and maximizing the value of both audience behaviors, this innovative approach can potentially improve performance for advertisers and retailers alike.
As the advertising landscape continues to evolve, embracing solutions like this is crucial for staying ahead and delivering an exceptional shopping experience for customers.
Featured Image: sockagphoto/Shutterstock
Source: Microsoft
-
AMAZON6 days ago
The Top 10 Benefits of Amazon AWS Lightsail: Why It’s a Great Choice for Businesses
-
SEARCHENGINES4 days ago
Google Search Status Dashboard Adds Google Ranking Updates
-
SEO2 days ago
Optimize Your SEO Strategy For Maximum ROI With These 5 Tips
-
WORDPRESS5 days ago
Internal Linking for SEO: The Ultimate Guide of Best Practices
-
SEARCHENGINES3 days ago
Google Search Console Shows If embedURL Page Uses indexifembedded
-
SEARCHENGINES3 days ago
Google Bard Won’t Link To Sources Too Often
-
SEARCHENGINES2 days ago
Google Mars Space Office Design At Belo Horizonte, Brazil
-
PPC6 days ago
PPC Campaign Testing: The Dos & Don’ts to Turn Risks into Rewards