Google Ads for lead generation

Excellent Ad Strength doesn't mean you've written an excellent ad

Giving Google 15 headlines and 4 descriptions creates plenty of combinations. But are they good ads? Here's how I use pinning to keep some control.

Google Ads isn't about more customers. It's about fit.

More leads isn't the goal. A furniture maker cut his enquiries and ended up with a 4-month waiting list. Here's why.

Every Google Ads lead leaves a trail of evidence

If you can't answer what happened after someone clicked your ad, you're probably making important decisions without enough evidence.

Why a Google Ads account audit isn't enough

Want to find places to improve. You've got to look at the whole system.

Why I'm rethinking how I audit Google Ads accounts

I've been starting from the wrong point: looking for problems. I should have been looking for evidence.

Testing Google Ads for an RV Campground

The goal was to spend a small amount, gather data, and see what actually happens. We got bookings, but the value distribution surprised me and changed how I'm going to structure this account.

Mining the search terms report for negative keywords is a waste of time

Here's what's working for me today.

What’s the right bidding strategy for a brand new Google Ads account?

Manual? Max Clicks? TargetCPA? Here's what's working for me at the moment.

You can't run profitable Google Ads if your pipes are leaking

You can't run profitable Google Ads without working plumbing - the systems that carry data from the website, to the business and back to Google. The problem is that the plumbing is invisible.

The campaign looks good but the ads aren't profitable

The root cause is a data-gap. Ad data lives in Google. Business data lives in the office. I’m stuck in the middle, with no way of combining the data in a way that supports better decisions. I think we can change that.

Spent $35,000 on Google Ads, made no sales

Over the last few months they'd spent about $35,000 on Google Ads. They'd made no sales, but their ad manager kept telling them how well the ads were doing.

Banging your head against the right problems

Google Ads always has problems, but they’re not all the same: Some problems are cheap, some are expensive.Some affect one click, some affect every click. Some problems are in our control, some are in Google’s control.

How I stop Google Ads from sending fake clicks to my WhatsApp buttons

Worried that you're paying for fake WhatsApp clicks from Google Ads? Here’s a simple 3-step process to spot bad traffic, cut wasted spend, and get more real conversations that turn into sales.

Google Ads for long-decision-cycle industries

The Hidden Cost of Complexity in Google Ads

Complexity creeps into Google Ads accounts. But, there is no escaping that it comes at a price.

How to Evaluate a Google Ads Expert When You’re Not One Yourself

You don't need to become a Google Ads expert yourself. Here's a simple framework to evaluate agencies and freelancers without getting lost in jargon.

Can Performance Max campaigns work for lead generation?

Can Performance Max campaigns work for lead generation? In this article, I share how I tested PMax for a client whose search campaigns had reached their limits.

How to Keep Google Ads Feeling Local When You Serve a Wide Area

A friend runs Google Ads for a plumbing firm that services a large area containing several smaller towns. He asked: How do I keep my ads and landing pages feeling local so they convert well when the business serves a wide area?

The Two-Campaign Fix for Google Ads with Low Search Volume

I recently helped someone with an interesting Google Ads challenge. There are only about 600 exact searches per month worldwide. Phrase or broad match bring in more leads, but they don’t convert as well. Here's an approach for making the most of the available search volume.

Something’s Wrong with Google Ads – And It’s Not Just You

The last few weeks have been rough for anyone trying to get leads through Google Ads. Accounts that used to run smoothly are now acting strange and unpredictable.

Does broad match work for lead generation?

A better question is When does broad match work for lead generation campaigns?

How I helped a client reduce their risk while scaling up a Google Ads campaign.

Scaling up a successful Google Ads campaign by targeting new locations can risk your lead flow. Here's how I helped a client reduce this risk.

Quick Google Ads tip: If you're a service business, and you're showing up in the same auctions as Amazon and other e-commerce stores you've got something wrong with your ad targeting

Why Ads and Landing Pages That Work on Facebook Don't Convert on Google Search

My client was hoping that their social media ads would get more leads from Google search.

Why I Took a Google Ads Writing Course After Years of Practice

I've generated more than 2 000 000 leads using Google Ads. So, why would someone like me buy a course on writing Google Ads?

"Help. I'm Getting Calls For Competitors From My Google Ads."

You're paying Google because you want lots of high-quality leads, not because you want a bunch of wrong-number calls.

The $50 Per-Lead Mistake That Cost My Client Thousands.

The problem was that although we hit the cost-per-lead target, we weren't getting enough leads to keep the team busy. Our $50-per-lead cap limited our competitiveness against businesses willing to pay more.

Paying Google more per lead than you'd like?

A solid negative keyword strategy can boost your conversion rate and reduce your cost per lead. Here’s what's working for me at the moment.

New Google Ads campaigns: common mistakes that lead to disappointment.

Many new campaigns end up wasting money and causing disappointment because what used to work doesn't work for new campaigns today. Here's what's working for me now.

CPA Isn’t everything: How understanding the business transforms Google Ads results.

I consulted with the owner of a therapy practice. They use Google Ads to generate leads for teens and families wanting counselling. The person who set up their ads overlooked one important thing...

Sanity check your Google Ads

It's always worth asking if the numbers in your Google Ads account line up with what you know about your industry.

Why this Google Ads campaign started strong and fizzled out. And how we fixed it.

Can I tell you about a real Google Ads head-scratcher. It was for a mental-health counselling practice. Their ads would start well but after a couple of weeks the profitability would nose-dive.

Optimising for lead value, not just lead count.

Google's Advertiser liaison, Ginny Marvin, recently posted 5 short videos on value-based bidding for lead generation. Till now I've thought that value-based bidding was a poor fit for lead generation. But after watching the videos I think it's worth testing.

Which Google Ads conversions should I optimise for?

I find it helpful to think about optimising for conversion stages, not conversion actions.

Some ideas for improving B2B Google Ads.

B2B Google ads either has no traffic, or it's a mix of B2B and B2C. Each takes a different approach.

Recovering Google Ads performance after fixing broken conversion tracking.

I consulted on 2 Google Ads accounts where broken conversion tracking caused a dizzying drop in leads. I knew of 4 options to fix this and later learned of a fifth.

How I stop Spanish job-seeker leads from Google Ads

Most Spanish job-seeker spam comes from click fraud. Here's how I stop it.

Diagnosing a sudden drop in conversions.

The campaign normally produced about 25 conversions (leads) a day. Conversions dropped to 1 or 2 a day and hadn't recovered. Here's why, and how we fixed it.

How I stop DIYers clicking my Google Ads

Running Google Ads for contractors works well but sometimes you waste money on clicks from DIYers. Here's my approach to stopping this.

Write Google Ads that don’t get clicked.

Advertisers are now paying more per lead than ever before. Partly because we're paying Google for clicks from people who can't or won't become clients.

Data from launching a brand new campaign using Target CPA bidding.

Normally you wouldn't launch a new campaign using a conversion-based bid strategy. I did, here's what happened.

A new Google Ads campaign needs deep data, not wide data.

100 clicks on 100 adverts tells you nothing. 100 clicks on 1 advert and a picture starts to emerge.

Most Google Ads advice is wrong for small businesses

A small account needs a different setup and different management. You see, something that improves a $50 000 a month account might tank a $500 a month account.

Why you might want to pay Google to show an ad when someone searches for your business.

It can sometimes be useful to pay Google to show your advert when someone searches for your business by name. Here's why and how...

Can you run Google Ads on autopilot?

In the past running Google Ads on autopilot would turn a campaign into a money-pit but, I’m not sure I believe that anymore.

Google Ads API:- does every client account have to authorise your access?

A reader asked me about authorising Google Ads API access to their client accounts.

How I reduce wrong-business leads from Google Ads

This is for you if you advertise on Google Ads and get leads who think they're contacting a different business. They call or fill in a form looking for someone else.

Can you double your Google Ads leads by setting up a second website?

How's your Chinese?

Google shows English adverts to people who searched in Chinese even though the campaign language is set to English. Here's how you can stop this and why you might want to.

Should you run Google Ads 24/7 or only during working hours?

Is it safe to use broad match keywords for lead generation campaigns?

Google is pushing broad match hard and, some people are reporting good results. But, is it actually best practice now? Or are broad match keywords a waste of money?

Should I split a massive multi-country Google Ads account into separate accounts?

At first glance it seems like splitting a big account into smaller accounts will make it easier to manage. But, there are downsides and, there are ways to make big accounts easier to manage.

Why did Google charge me $300 for a $20 click?

Every now and again Google would charge an outrageous amount for one click. As much as 15 to 20 times what they normally paid. Here's how to prevent that.

A warning about Google Local Service Ads for doctors, lawyers and other professionals

I investigated using Google Local Service Ads for a law firm client. Turns out that there are some privacy issues which were of concern. They may be of concern to you too.

The one number you must know if you're going to use Google Ads to generate leads.

How much can you pay for a lead and still be profitable? It is obvious, and it should be advertising 101, but I've lost count of the number of people paying Google who don't know the number.

How to increase the bid for a specific keyword when using the Maximise Clicks bidding strategy

How do you make the most of a high-converting keyword in a campaign where you're using the Maximise Clicks bidding strategy?

3 things you must do before you advertise on top of funnel keywords.

Top of funnel keywords can be cheaper to advertise on. But there are 3 things you must do before you enable them.

Google Ads API: Authorization for multiple users.

Here's how you handle authorization for multiple users of your AdWords API tool.

Building custom tools with the Google Ads API.

You run an digital marketing agency. You’re thinking about building a custom Google Ads tool using the API. Here are some of the things that trip people up.

Choosing a domain name for your Google Ads tool.

I bumped into an unexpected problem when I chose the Ad-Minister.app domain.

Death by alerts.

Will your custom AdWords tool monitor AdWords performance? It's surprisingly difficult to work out when your monitoring system should warn your users. Read on for guidelines on alerts and notifications.

Do I really need 7 websites?

Two groups of people visit your website: people who know what you sell and strangers who don't know you but want what you sell. One website can't serve both groups effectively.

Does PPC work for accountants?

The short answer is “Yes, but only sometimes”. Google suggests that AdWords will work for any business but this is not true in real life.

Google Ads for industries with long sales cycles

A client installs billboard size video screens. Here's how we used AdWords to get him in front of the decision makers early enough.

Google Ads: Can I use capital letters in the Display URL?

AdWords question: Can I use capital letters in the Display URL? Is it ok to write it like example.com/ExampleLink ? Will Google allow this? Here is the answer with links to the relevant Google Ads policies.

How many keywords should I have in an ad group?

Grouping keywords into ad groups trips people up. This is one of the most confusing parts of building your first AdWords campaign. Getting it right almost always leads to higher CTR , better QS and a lower cost per click.

How to build a pilot campaign.

I know nothing when I take on a new client who’s never used Google Ads for lead generation. The only way to know for sure if Google Ads will work and if the relationship with the client will be comfortable is to test it. Here's how...

"I have no idea if his recommendations will increase my conversions..."

A friend is trying to hire someone to manage her Google Ads. She's worried that they'll cost more than they bring in. Or, worse, they'll kill the flow of leads her business depends on. Here's how to reduce that risk.

Is AdWords scaleable?

There are a finite number of people who want what you sell, can afford what you sell and are in an area you can reach. Some portion of those people will use Google. That number is the upper limit of AdWords scaleability.

Is AdWords worth it?

"Is Google Ads really worth it? I have found that through tracking my CPC, I am not having that much success." was asked on Quora. My answer saved below.

Rules for Writing Google Ads Expanded Text Adverts

Here are the rules we use for writing Google Ads expanded text ads at MarketingMotor. Feel free to copy them.

Should I use my competitors' names as keywords in Google Ads?

Should I use my competitors' names as keywords in Google Ads? The answer is, it depends. Read on to find out how to make the right decision for your business.

Should you use Target CPA bidding for lead generation campaigns?

Google wants you to use Target CPA bidding. Is it right for lead generation campaigns? Read on to find out.

Things you should never advertise on Google.

Making money advertising identical branded goods on Google is really hard.

What is the lowest amount of traffic needed for a campaign?

The smallest estimated search volume I'd be comfortable with depends on if the campaign is for a new or existing client.

Where can I find a programmer to help implement the Google Ads API?

Good news is that you don’t a programmer who is an expert at the AdWords API because the programming constructs that the API uses are well known. For instance, the API uses OAuth for authentication which is very common.

Which are the specifically right targets for a small paper pallet company?

This question was asked on Quora. Saving my answer here.

Will Google Ads work?

Thinking about advertising on Google? There are thousands of people who've used Google Ads and never made a sale. You don't have to be one of them. Read on to learn how.

Writing Callout Extensions

Coming up with callout extensions has always been hard. No more...

Designing custom Google Ads tools.

The Google Ads interface is awful. You can fix this in your Google Ads tool. Here are a handful of principles to guide you as you design your custom Google Ads API based tool.

How to use the Google Ads API to do keyword research.

You’re thinking of building a custom keyword research tool using the AdWords API. Read on to see where to start and what to watch out for.

A love letter to statistics

This is for you if you’re interested in making data-driven decisions about your Google Ads. Amy Hebdon, founder at Paid Search Magic, wrote a fantastic article she described a love letter disguised as a how to about PPC data interpretation.

Allocating budget

How do you know the best way to split your ad budget between search and display, between Facebook and Google, between one keyword and another?

Does Google rip advertisers off?

I'm not saying that everyone who's paid for Google ads has turned a profit. That's definitely not the case. But, when people lose money on Google ads its likely to be because Google Ads was a poor fit for their business, or because of the way they did Google Ads. I can't see Google risking their future to steal your advertising budget

Don’t believe every recommendation from Google.

The optimisation score is Google’s newest way of telling you how to run your Google Ads account. Read on to see how following it blindly can hurt your business.

Don't believe my writing

I'm not trying to bamboozle you, it's just that my - and everyone else's - writing isn't always right for your circumstances. Read on to find out more...

Google showed your ads to the wrong people today.

Google showed your some of your adverts to the wrong people today. You (or someone you hire) must deal with this or your ads are going to start costing more and generating fewer leads. Here's how.

Has Google jumped the gun on mobile?

How much commercial activity happens on mobile phones? Is it enough to justify a mobile-first approach to development? Case study with mobile vs desktop AdWords generated leads across 7 industries.

How do you get more leads from Google Ads when you’ve maxed out impression share?

How do you get more leads from Google Ads when you’ve maxed out impression share? Here's how we solved this problem...

How long does Google Ads take to work?

You’ve chosen good keywords, written decent ad copy, set up a landing page that should convert. You’re getting impressions and the CTR looks ok but you’ve still not had any conversions. Is this normal or should you worry?

How the mix of people who see your ads affects Google Ads performance.

Learn how changes in searcher's intent, network, time of day etc affect Google Ads performance.

How the new search ad position metrics can help diagnose a drop in CTR

You might be scratching your head wondering why your clickthrough rate plummeted even though your average position was 1.2. Google's new search position metrics shed some light.

How to find the real reason conversions dropped.

A sudden unexplained drop in conversions is terrifying. You’re paying for clicks but you’re not getting leads or sales. It’s bad when you’re spending your boss’s or client’s money. It’s even worse when it’s your business on the chopping block. Read on to find out how to get to the bottom of coversion problems.

How to get fast traction on a brand new Google Ads campaign.

I worked out a process for getting fast results from new AdWords campaigns so I didn't have to worry as much. You're welcome to copy (and improve) my process.

How to Increase AdWords Impressions.

There are two ways to get more AdWords impressions. Increase the reach of your adverts and give Google more incentive to show your adverts. Here's how to do both.

I ignored quality score for a year

I used to think quality score was vital, but in the year I’ve ignored QS and focussed on other metrics: - our ads have been clicked more often. - Our landing pages are better at turning visitors into leads. - Our clients are getting superior leads from their Google Ads spend.

I'm scared I'll break my campaign

If you don't feel confident making changes to Google Ads campaigns this might help...

My Google Ads adverts are not showing.

Google Ads not showing your ads? Here's how to find the reason why.

Putting a little science into AdWords

In the past I relied on a combination of the change history in AdWords, some rough notes and my memory to keep track of my testing. It worked but it wasn't great. It became more difficult as my business grew. I started to feel like I was losing control. I couldn't answer questions about an account without having to root around in Google docs, AdWords and email. Read on to see how I fixed this.

The hidden trade-offs of automated bidding

I like automated bidding. But, there are some trade offs with automated bidding that are not well documented.

Using the Search Terms Report to find negative keywords.

The Search Terms Report is a great place to find negative keywords to add to your AdWords campaign. It shows (some of) the actual words and phrases that triggered your ads.

You don't have enough data to be confident that you're making the right decisions.

Here are 3 rules of thumb I use to to help me make more of the right decisions when data is scarce.

Should you show ads to people on their phones?

It is a fact that more people use the internet on their phones than they do on computers these days. But are these glued-to-their-phone types going to buy from you?

Should you advertise on Search Partners?

It depends...

How the distribution of clicks by device can look like a conversion rate problem.

We PPC people dream about the conversions graph going up up up to the right but sometimes the line looks like the side view of a cliff, with an account manager splattered at the bottom like Wile E. Coyote. I used to dread trying to figure out why a good campaign went bad. Then I learned a technique that lets me get to the real reason for a drop in conversions.

Google Ads: Automated vs manual bidding.

The question: "How much of a performance gain can I expect with good manual tuning?" I decided not to answer the exact question and suggest an alternative to manual tuning.