Lead quality

What is Google actually learning from?

Browser-based conversion tracking tells Google what the browser saw. Offline conversions can tell Google what actually happened in the business. As Google increasingly learns from conversion signals, I think that distinction matters.

Contact method as a lead quality signal

Different ways of contacting your business often attract different types of prospects. Here's how to measure it and use it to improve lead quality.

Offline conversion tracking with Contact Form 7

Contact Form 7 is one of the most popular form plugins for WordPress. But, if you're running Google Ads, there is a problem. Contact Form 7 can tell you that somebody submitted a form. It can't tell Google Ads if that person became a customer.

The book I couldn't write today

What happens when an engineer applies failure investigation thinking to Google Ads and tries to eliminate the black boxes?

Why good Google Ads campaigns still lose clients

One of the most disheartening parts of managing Google Ads is that you can do a great job and still lose the client. The ads, and by extension the person managing the ads, always gets the blame for poor performance.

The Google Ads WhatsApp conversion tracking guide

Optimising your Google Ads campaigns for a click on a WhatsApp button on your website is a waste of money. You can't sell to a click. That's why I built Convertista to track WhatsApp leads and sales as Google Ads conversions. Since building it I've spoken with hundreds of business owners and PPC professionals about conversion tracking. The same questions keep coming up. I put the answers in this guide.

Online advertising sprays data everywhere

Every tool or system that interacts with that lead creates a copy of some or all of the lead's personal data. But you're accountable for it

The AI audit ambush

It was damning. 30+ pages of dire warnings, critical fixes and missed opportunities. My response was wrong.

Why agencies struggle to improve Google Ads lead quality

These days optimising Google Ads for raw leads - someone filling in a form or calling - eventually fills your inbox with the kind of leads nobody wants. Spam, wrong numbers and so on. Most agencies know this by now. They also know the solution: upload qualified leads as offline conversions. The real problem is getting clients to tell us which leads are qualified.

106 quotes. 17 sales.

I’ve long believed Google Ads is only profitable when the processes around it work. One of the most important is how quotes turn into sales.

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.

Why your Google Ads leads suddenly turn to junk

I helped with two struggling Google Ads accounts. The problems had different symptoms, but the root cause was the same.

The data gap between advertising and sales

Many businesses can’t answer a basic question: Did this ad actually make us money? Why is something so important invisible inside the software that runs the business? The reason is simple. Advertising systems are designed to measure marketing activity. Business systems are designed to manage operations and finances. Neither system was designed to understand the full journey from ad click to revenue.

Why many RCICs don’t know if their Google Ads are profitable

Google Ads can be a reliable source of new clients for Canadian immigration lawyers and consultants. The ads bring enquiries. But there is one question many firms can't answer: Are those leads actually turning into paying clients?

Why negative keywords are becoming less effective in Google Ads

Adding negative keywords from the search terms report has always been part of diligent Google Ads management. But while it's still important, it's becoming less and less effective. Here's what's working for me today.

Offline Conversion Tracking with Fluent Forms

Fluent Forms is a great way to capture leads from a WordPress website. But if you run Google Ads there is a gap in the system. Google can see the click and it can see the form submission. But it can't see what happens after the lead arrives. Here's how I helped a client close that gap.

The invisible Google Ads problem: zero-second calls

There is an invisible problem that could be draining your ad budget or causing you to miss sales. If you use a call tracking platform for call assets or landing page numbers, you might be at risk.

Why the phone rings but the workshop stays empty

I spoke recently with my friend Liam Lezra, who knows more about marketing for auto repair shops than anyone I know. Our conversation turned to a problem he runs into often.

Most Google Ads Reports Focus on the Wrong Things

Every month Google Ads agencies spend hours preparing reports for their clients. Most of them end up archived and unread. I think most of them focus on the wrong things. They describe what happened inside Google Ads, but say very little about what happened after the lead arrived.

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

Some say you should start by focusing on clicks to build up data, others say that you should use a conversion-based bidding strategy from day one. Here are the exact settings and performance data from a recent launch

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 problem with call duration conversions

On the surface using call duration as a proxy for call quality is a reasonable idea. The thinking is that poor-fit leads or spam callers often hang up quickly. Good quality leads usually talk for longer. Put another way, a long call equals a good lead. But this isn't always true.

Computer code rusts

It decays when people change things without understanding how systems are connected. And this makes life very difficult for anyone managing Google Ads. You end up basing important decisions on distorted data.

Helping people make better Google Ads decisions

I advise a handful of agencies and in-house Google Ads teams. Over time, I’ve noticed a recurring problem creep in. Some people start outsourcing their critical thinking to me.

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.

Ignore the AI hype. Watch the engineering.

Discussions about the future of Google Ads usually start with what’s announced: new features, calling everything Max-this or AI-that. But often this is PR hype. I prefer to look at where Google continues to invest engineering effort over many years. It gives a clue to what the system will depend on in the future.

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.

My lead count doesn't match my conversion count

The lead count from Google in your CRM almost never matches the number of conversions in your ad account. Trying to reconcile the difference is a shortcut to madness. Here's why.

You can't afford to be sloppy anymore

When I started with Google Ads in 2007, it was cheap. You could get away with a sloppy setup. That's not true today. Ads are expensive. You can't expect to be profitable if you haven't done everything in your power to get the setup right.

Google Ads conversion tracking for WhatsApp orders

If you accept WhatsApp orders on your e-commerce site, you face two problems: knowing where the orders came from, and tracking them as Google Ads conversions.

Google Ads conversion tracking for WhatsApp bookings

If you accept WhatsApp bookings on your site, you face two problems: knowing where the bookings came from, and tracking them as Google Ads conversions.

When there are no good options in Google Ads

When a well-built Google Ads campaign stops working, sometimes there’s no good way to fix it. Here’s how to handle that with honesty and care.

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.

Why I've Stopped Giving Quick-Fix Google Ads Advice

Quick fixes in Google Ads often backfire for small business owners because surface-level metrics mislead. Here's the four-step plan to turn a Google Ads accounts around.

50% more leads… and still fired

I delivered 50% more leads for a client—then got fired. Here’s why I won’t take responsibility for results without control of the landing pages.

Google Ads for long-decision-cycle industries

The hook-to-page rule

You get the best results when you match your ad's hook to the landing page

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.

You Can’t Fix Lead Quality Until You Diagnose the Problem

Figuring out exactly what's meant by "unqualified lead" is important because if you don't know why the lead is unqualified, it's impossible to fix it.

Client selection: complexity is a red flag

Anyone in a service business knows that some money is easy, and some costs blood. The difference isn’t the work, it’s the client. The key is spotting terrible clients early. Complex systems are a red flag.

The Lead Response Problem I’ve Been Trying to Solve Since 2007

If you run ads or rely on online leads, this is for you. After years of testing, I’ve finally cracked a better way to turn leads into sales.

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

This is for you if you're thinking of hiring someone to manage Google Ads for your business. The problem is simple: you’re hiring for something you don’t have the skills to evaluate.

Why your Google Ads results depend on what happens after the click

I joined Michelle Kop for a really fun chat on her PPC Hot Takes show. My argument was that your biggest opportunities to improve Google Ads results often lie outside the ad platform.

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.

Why Managing Google Ads Is So Hard for People Who Care

If you manage Google Ads for clients, you’ve probably wrestled with the urge to over-check, overthink or endlessly tinker with campaigns. I have too. Here’s what I’m doing to make the work more sustainable — and a little more sane.

Tried to Fix Lead-to-Sale with Software. Here's What Actually Happened.

After building a lead-handling system that turned $8k in ad spend into $200k, I thought I knew what small businesses needed. I was wrong. This is the story of a good idea, a bad assumption, and what I learned about the real challenges of getting people to change.

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 One Follow-up Email Most Businesses Never Send

We assume that we lose business to competitors. But, sometimes project might have been put on hold due to changed circumstances, not price. In those cases, a gentle nudge could win the business.

The 8-Part Landing Page Layout That Turns Google Ads Clicks Into Leads

Build landing pages? Then you've probably done the same as me: endless second-guessing. What goes where? What actually matters?

How I Make Writing the Company Profile Section of Landing Pages Easier

Coming up with ideas for an interesting company profile is hard. Here's how to avoid staring at an empty screen.

61 leads. 3 sales. What went wrong?

One morning, just after sunrise, I was out in the water when I saw a pair of sharks between me and the beach. This morning wasn’t quite so dramatic. I had time to think between waves. I was replaying a conversation I’d had with a grumpy client.

How to Track Which Google Ads Bring Paying SAAS Users

If you're running Google Ads for your SaaS, it's not enough to track free trial signups — you need to know which ads are actually bringing in paying users.

Can 2FA Reduce Contact Form Spam, and Should You Use It?

2FA can reduce contact form spam—but it adds friction, risks real leads, and opens the door to scams like SMS pumping.

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.

How Many WhatsApp Clicks Turn Into Leads?

You can track clicks on the WhatsApp button as conversions in Google Ads but you can't track leads. This results in overcounting how many clicks turn into leads. Inflated conversion numbers lead to overvaluing advertising and other problems. Here is some data...

The Missing Piece on Most Service Business Landing Pages

When people are looking into a product or service they rarely need they need to be confident about three things before they’ll work with you: That you actually understand what they need. That you have the competence to do what they need. That working with you won’t be a nightmare.

How Adding Pricing to Google Ads Headlines Increased B2B Lead Qualification by 27%

B2B advertisers often waste money on B2C leads. The thinking was that adding the price to the ad would deter individuals without scaring off B2B buyers.

PPC Burnout Is Real: How to Protect Yourself

Running Google Ads for clients is stressful. Here are some ideas that might help avoid burnout.

"We Tried That, and It Didn’t Work” – How to Overcome Resistance to Change

One thing still amazes me: people pay for my advice - then ignore it completely. Sometimes they'll dismiss my suggestions without a second thought. Here's how I fix it.

A Fix for Low Conversions: Separating the Sale from the Paperwork

I consulted with six businesses that handle complex paperwork for their clients - such as travel documents, business registrations, and tax filings etc. Here's how we improved the conversion rate.

Why I Was Wrong About the 'About Us' Page (And What I Learned)

In the past, I thought About pages were just filler because marketing should be customer-focused. I was wrong.

Tracking Google Ads Without the Google Tag or Tag Manager

Occasionally, I need to track Google Ads conversions without using the Google Tag or Google Tag Manager. Here’s a simple, non-technical explanation of how I do it.

How contact method influences lead quality

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

How Many Landing Pages Do You Need for a Google Ads Campaign for an Immigration Lawyer or Consultant?

The answer is always: it depends. In this case it depends on what services you advertise. It'll be clearer with an example from a US law firm I work with.

Being "the best" is lazy.

I’m talking about describing yourself as "the best" on your website. It stops you from thinking about what actually makes your business the right choice.

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.

3 thought-provoking questions

I recently came across the work of user experience designer Pavel Samsonov. He shared three thought-provoking questions that really cut through the fluff.

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?

Tracking WhatsApp leads as conversions in Google Ads.

There’s currently no built-in way to track WhatsApp leads as conversions in Google Ads. I've fixed this.

Why experts sometimes have terrible conversion rates.

Experts often have poor conversion rates because the words on their landing pages are all about them. Here's what you can do to fix this.

"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.

Perfection is the enemy of progress.

I think sometimes we use perfectionism as a shield against the fear of the unknown. Here are two things that have helped me beat perfectionist procrastination...

Can you improve B2B lead quality by blocking free email addresses?

Some say blocking free email addresses from B2B enquiry forms improves lead quality. Here's why I disagree.

Creating an elevator pitch that makes people want to talk to you.

I've always answered the question What do you do? with something like I'm a Google Ads guy. Daniel Priestly changed how I think about answering this question.

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.

Optimising a small business B2B Google Ads account for qualified leads.

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.

I lost the last 3 deals I pitched because I made the same mistake (3 times).

I lost the last 3 deals I pitched on because I made the same mistake every time. I forgot to ask when they wanted me to start managing their Google Ads. 'When' is a power-question.

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.

How I improve conversion rate for long booking forms

Complex lead intake or booking forms offer opportunities for improving conversion rates. Here are a few...

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.

Why book-an-appointment conversions are so difficult with Google Ads

Why wasn't this wedding photographer getting calendar bookings from Google Ads?

How I help my clients get great testimonials

Most people don't have a library of great testimonials. They either don't ask for them, or the testimonials they get aren't very effective. Here's how to fix this.

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 usually faces one of 2 problems: very little traffic, or lots of traffic - but most of it B2C. Here are some ideas to improve B2B Google Ads campaigns.

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.

Speaking to more of your leads is the easiest way to make more sales without paying more for ads.

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.

My client's new website lost them $223,370.27 in profit last month.

Client's web developers broke the conversion tracking leading to catastrophic failure. Here's what happened and a few surprising lessons.

How I track WhatsApp conversations as conversions in Google Ads

At the time of writing Google has no way of tracking WhatsApp leads as conversions. I've used a couple of work arounds to solve this.

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...

Modernising a Legacy Google Ads Account Without Breaking It

A successful restructure leaves the account easier to understand, easier to optimise and better positioned for the future. Understanding why the account looks like it does is key to getting from sticky mess to well-oiled machine.

When's the best time to add a lead to your newsletter list?

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.

How I improve lead quality by telling Google which leads are good.

By default Google Ads believes every lead is good. But that's not true. You can give Google feedback on lead quality and use that feedback to get better leads.

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

The shy introverts guide to finding clients

Here's my approach for beating the feast-famine cycle.

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.

How to get more phone call leads.

Most businesses who advertise online to get leads struggle to contact people who filled in an enquiry form. One way to improve this is to get leads to call you.

Why we lost sales.

Losing potential sales always hurts. But, if you know why you lost the sale you can make changes that'll help you win more sales down the line.

"Forget about reducing the CPC"

In money terms my client paid Google about $1 400 per client he contracted with. He could live with spending $500 per new client. Here's how we're going to hit that target.

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.

Will using technical terms and industry jargon on a landing page improve conversion rate?

Landing pages have to be written for both the expert and non-technical user because you get both expert and non-technical visitors. Here's how to do that.

An easier way to sell services.

Bigger value projects take a lot of work to sell. You have to have the discovery calls, meeting notes, customised proposals and quotes. And, you often need several follow-up meetings. There is another way.

Why I don't just delete fake leads from my inbox

If the only thing you do with fake leads from Google Ads is delete the lead delivery email you risk getting swamped by fake leads. Here's why and what to do to improve lead quality.

Why I never use reCAPTCHA on Google Ads landing pages

Nobody wants an inbox full of spam, but preventing fake leads from submitting your form is wrong if you’re paying for online advertising. Here's why...

What to say on the first call to an internet lead.

Calling leads back fast is the best way to ensure you get a sale if there is one going. Here's what to say on that call.

More sales are lost because of inertia than price.

Most of your potential clients want what you sell but haven't handed over the money because they've run out of steam. Here's how to keep them moving towards a sale.

How to win more quotes without lowering your prices

In a perfect world you'd win every quote but the reality is that most quotes don't turn into sales. It is possible to turn a lot more quotes into sales without lowering prices. Here's one way.

You could be shooting yourself in the foot if you send quotes in Excel or Word.

There is a problem with emailing quotes in Word or Excel: There is no guarantee that the quote will look like it should.

Is your sales process chaotic?

I was surprised when three small business owners used the same word - chaos- to describe how they currently handle leads.

The weak link that might be causing you to lose leads

Some of your leads never make it from your website to your inbox. And, there is a good chance you don't know about the missing leads.

Leads ghosting you?

A business owner complained that his leads were ghosting (ignoring) him after initially showing interest. As we worked together we uncovered a mismatch between lead temperature and his response.

Using AI to extract information from sales leads

60 leads a week and no sales

Their first instinct was to change the adverts. It sort of makes sense. Adverts aren’t producing sales so the adverts must be broken. Fix the adverts and you'll get more sales. But, they could change their ads, spend a load more money and get no sales. This is because the adverts might not be the real problem

Grow your own big-budget clients

Building a profitable agency or freelancing with small-budget clients is hard. Here's how to grow your smaller clients into bigger-budget clients.

Getting a lot of junk leads from Google Ads?

You can spot conversion fraud because the leads have genuine email addresses and phone numbers but when you call them they don't remember filling in your form.

About 25% of online leads are lost before they speak to a sales person.

Losing 1 in 4 of possible sales before the process even starts is a huge waste. It's also a huge opportunity...

My client fired me, and now he’s asking for my secret sauce.

A client fired you even though you were doing a good job. Here's how to make this sting less and keep the door open for future work.

You can optimise your client's business like you optimise their Google Ads account.

You can give your client a much bigger ROI by optimising their business than almost anything you can do in their Google Ads account. Here's how.

The tool that's saved me 100s of billable hours since 2010

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.

Ever get to Friday and feel like you’ve accomplished nothing?

That's been me for many months. I’ve been busy but not productive. I've felt burned out, tired and bored. This all changed after I implemented time blocking.

Improve conversion rates with visitor-focussed headlines

High-converting headlines are about what the visitor cares for, not about the characteristics of the business. Here's how to check your headline for visitor focus.

How to handle your client's terrible ideas.

Your client has a terrible idea for "improving" the campaign. If you push back you're going to lose the client. Here's how to keep the client without killing the campaign.

How do you get value from "low quality" Google Ads leads?

One kind of "low quality" Google Ads lead is a genuine enquiry for something adjacent to what you offer. Here's how I helped one client make sales to them.

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.

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.

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 delivers leads not sales

What’s the most important problem in your industry? In my industry the most important problem is that Google Ads delivers leads but doesn’t deliver sales. Here's what I've been doing about that...

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.

Google Reps

You may get an email or call from someone claiming to work at Google. They’ll tell call themselves an account representative, strategist, advisor or account manager. You and I would call them salesmen.

Guaranteeing Google Ads.

It’s uncomfortable when a potential client asks me if I guarantee that they’ll make sales from their Google Ads. In the past my first instinct was to run away. I thought that asking for a guarantee was a sure sign that they’re going to be a toxic client. I was wrong.

How do you convince a potential client to trust you if you don’t have a track record?

How do you convince a potential client to trust you if you don’t have a track record? This happens a lot when people go out on their own after working in-house or for an agency. Read on to find out how I solved this problem.

How do you test a business idea?

You don’t want to invest time and money on a business idea unless you’re sure that it’ll get traction. Read on to learn how to use Google Ads to test an idea before committing to it.

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 much is a Facebook like worth?

I've just run a quick calculation and can confidently say that a Facebook like is worth $0.007. Let me explain

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...

How to get leads from different sources into your CRM automatically

I’ve got a client in the motor trade who gets about 2 000 leads a month from 22 different online sources. Here's how we put them into his sales engine automatically without expensive computer code.

How to make OK money from small clients

You have to work with the clients you can get, not the ones you hope for. Sometimes you might not be able to attract big-budget clients. Here's how to do OK with smaller clients.

How to take over an existing Google Ads account.

You’ve taken over a Google Ads account that’s in trouble. You're going to turn it around - more conversions, lower costs, 10 quality scores etc. There’s a lot riding on getting this right...

How to turn leads into sales.

Two businesses in the same industry. One converts 5% of website leads into sales. The other converts 60%. Read on to find out why.

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.

How we turned no-shows into $185 150 worth of new business every month

No-shows cost my client $283 328 a month. Here’s how we turned them into $185 150 worth of new business every month - without spending more on Google Ads.

I can’t get to the decision maker.

"I‘ve got a great product but I can’t get to the decision maker." That’s a problem we smaller business owners face a lot. Can I tell you about how a former client of mine got the decision makers to come to her?

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.

Make more sales from PPC leads by understanding why people enquire.

Understanding why people buy is key to making more sales. Here's how you can get started right away.

Marketing Lessons from a Chimney Sweep

There was nothing special about his customer-finding system. But, his customer-keeping system was the best I've ever seen for a small business.

Nobody is buying! Can’t you write better ads?

Nobody is buying! Can’t you write better ads? That's the last thing you want to hear in a meeting with a new client...

Optimise your words

There are a handful of non-PPC tools I'd hate to run my Google Ads business without. Hemingway is one.

Resources for Google Ads agencies and freelancers.

Tools, reading lists and discussion groups for digital marketing agencies and freelancers offering Google Ads as a service.

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.

Selling to strangers is different

Ask 100 small business owners how they find customers and 99 of us will say "word-of-mouth". What we won't tell you is that our word-of-mouth marketing is not well tuned engine that spits out a steady stream of great prospects. They arrive by luck or magic.

Should I specialise or be a generalist?

I often get asked whether it’s best to specialise or be a generalist. I understand why but I think it's the wrong question. I think a better question is ...

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.

The AdLeg Google Ads Software Suite.

I interviewed Kyle Sulerud, creator of the AdLeg Software Suite about how he started in Google Ads (AdWords) and why he built his Google Ads creation and management software.

The cost of zero.

Every small business owner needs to understand the cost of zero before they next invest in marketing. It does not matter what medium it is: Google Ads, Facebook, LinkedIn, magazines, radio, or anything else. The reason these campaigns fail so often is never as obvious as you might think.

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...

Zombie Hunting Wednesday 3pm. You in?

We’ve all got zombie leads. These are people we’ve quoted who haven't said yes. They haven’t said no either. Instead they’re ignoring us - our emails go unanswered and they’re always too busy to talk.

"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.

I've inherited a mess.

Crazy structure, gibberish naming convention and 22 conversion actions that might or might not mean anything. Here is a collection of principles, tips and ideas for when you inherit a messy Google Ads account.

How do I know which of my leads came from Google Ads?

Here's the problem... Conversion tracking or analytics can tell you how many leads you got, but not who they are. Read on to see how to fix this.

Watch your back for centaurs.

Centaurs - human+computer teams will outperform and replace AdWords agencies that rely on human power alone. Here are four ways to enhance your AdWords powers with automation.

6 Critical Mistakes You're Making with Your Landing Page

Amy Hoy wrote a brilliant article titled 6 Critical Mistakes You're Making with Your Landing Page. She makes a really interesting observation which resonated with me: Landing page design is actually a usability exercise.

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?

CAPTCHA is like putting barbed wire in front of your shop

Don't make it difficult for your customers to contact you. Businesses with the smoothest processes will attract (and keep) the best customers.

Do long enquiry forms get more qualified leads?

If your enquiry form asks for much more than contact details you're losing qualified sales leads. Read on to learn why...

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.

Honest conversion tracking when you've got live chat, click to call and a form

I took on an account with no useful conversion data. Here's how I started tracking calls, forms and live chat accurately.

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 I got landing page load time down from 0.8 seconds to 0.2 seconds.

Here’s a quick tip for improving landing page speed. As you know, nobody likes a slow website. Load speed is strongly correlated with the conversion rate: Fast website = more leads.

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 long should your landing page be?

How long should your landing page be? The answer isn't a number.

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.

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 craft high-converting headlines, even if you have the copywriting skills of a turnip.

If you’re anything like me, starting is the hardest part of writing. It's like I'm staring at the screen waiting for someone to unblock the idea pipe. That struggle is over.

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 improve landing page conversion rates by increasing visitor motivation

Here's how I doubled the conversion rate on some Google Ads lead generation landing pages by improving visitor's motivation.

How to improve landing page experience.

Improving page speed helps improve landing page experience. Google's guidance is broad, not specific. That makes it hard to know what to do. Google does provide one specific set of instructions, following these will improve landing page experience and boost conversion rates.

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 getting too many B2C leads. I want only B2B.

I’ve bumped into this problem with almost every client who sells to other businesses (B2B) not to consumers (B2C). Here are some options ..

I’m paying for clicks but I'm not getting enough leads.

Read on to learn how your website could be sabotaging your advertising. And, what you can do to get more leads from your the clicks you've already paid for.

I'm scared I'll break my campaign

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

Improve conversion rates by adding extra calls to action.

Need to improve your conversion rate? Here's a tested approach that takes only a few minutes.

Improve website conversion rates with autocomplete.

Here's a small tweak to the contact form on your website that'll make it easier for people to complete it. Adding autocomplete to your form fields is one of those 1% kaizen improvements. They all add up.

Is your AdWords running at 100%?

Are you worried that it might be underperforming? Perhaps you've neglected your AdWords account. Maybe it used to do better but now it’s costing more and delivering less. Maybe you’re behind on some updates or not confident that everything is as it should be.

Landing pages: Click-to-call or contact form?

You get the highest conversion rates from landing pages that concentrate on convincing visitors to do just one thing. Offer visitors too many choices and they bounce. But what if there are two equally good things your visitor could do?

Length is a liability; value per page is an asset.

This is a quote from Write Useful Books by Rob Fitzpatrick. His advice is perfect for lead-generation landing pages.

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.

Should you advertise on Search Partners?

We check the campaigns we manage regularly to see how much it costs to generate an enquiry on Google search versus search partners. Most of the time it costs more or less the same. Sometimes the difference is huge.

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?

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.

The one tool I've used every single day since 2010

You know that feeling when you’re sooooooo frustrated that you have to smash something? Instead you channel that white-hot anger and solve the problem forever?

Use HTTPS for your landing pages or kill your conversion rate.

The number of website enquiries you get is going to fall off a cliff after 24th of October if your website doesn't use HTTPS. After the 24th of October 2017, Google Chrome will warn people that web pages with forms are insecure unless they’re served over HTTPS. Here's how to fix this.

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.

We read websites like we did 100 years ago

Even though the internet is infinitely more ubiquitous now. Even though we've had a generation grow up with Google. Even though 2-year olds have iPads
. The way people read websites hasn't changed...

What's your landing page's first job?

It’s not to convince someone to buy from you, establish trust, build your brand or educate your customer. Those things are important but they're not the first job. The first job is ...

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.

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.