Rev Up Google Ads

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In this newsletter you will find:

5️⃣ Google Ads Tests That Deliver Big Wins

🚀Optimizing Google Ads: Insights on PMax and Search Campaigns

🚀Ad of the Day

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5️⃣ Google Ads Tests That Deliver Big Wins

Google Ads is a powerhouse for driving results, but many brands miss opportunities by sticking to default strategies. By focusing on strategic tests, you can uncover performance-boosting insights that often go overlooked. Here are five must-run Google Ads tests to elevate your campaigns.

1. Ad Copy Testing: Simplify and Iterate

Ad copy isn’t just about creativity—it’s about precision. Testing too many variables at once leads to unclear results. Focus on refining one element at a time.

How to Execute:

• Begin with headlines: Test pinned versus unpinned headlines.

• Set a benchmark: Run tests until you hit at least 1,000 impressions.

• Act on results: Kill underperforming variants quickly and iterate on winners.

• Rinse and repeat: Test CTAs, description lines, and messaging hierarchy to refine results further.

2. Landing Page Experiments: Match the Intent

Not all traffic behaves the same. Aligning landing pages to match user intent improves conversions and reduces bounce rates.

How to Execute:

• Search Campaigns: Test educational landing pages that answer questions and provide value upfront.

• Shopping Campaigns: Direct traffic to review-focused product pages to build trust.

• Brand Campaigns: Test homepages with rich product displays to meet high-intent users where they are.

Monitor the results and double down on pages that maximize engagement and conversions.

3. Smarter Bidding Strategies

Bidding isn’t “set it and forget it.” Optimizing bid strategies tailored to your campaign type can yield better returns.

How to Execute:

• Use Google’s campaign experiments to test split bidding strategies.

• For cold campaigns, test maximize conversions versus target conversions.

• For branded campaigns, compare target impression share against maximize clicks.

4. Campaign Structure Based on SKUs

Your campaign type can make or break performance, especially when managing multiple SKUs.

How to Execute:

• For fewer than 20 SKUs, use Standard Shopping campaigns for better manual control.

• With 20–100 SKUs, test both Standard Shopping and Performance Max to find the sweet spot.

• For 100+ SKUs, leverage Performance Max’s automation to handle complexity at scale.

5. Bid Adjustments for Audience Segments

Not all audience segments perform equally, and small tweaks can create big results.

How to Execute:

• Observe performance for 14 days before making adjustments.

• Increase bids incrementally by 10% for top-performing segments.

• Evaluate results over 14-day and 30-day windows, scaling successful segments gradually.

Google Ads' success comes from smart experimentation, not blind execution. By testing ad copy, landing pages, bid strategies, campaign types, and bid adjustments systematically, you’ll uncover what drives growth in your account. Start experimenting today, and let the data guide your decisions!

Optimizing Google Ads: Insights on PMax and Search CampaignsInsights from SEL

Performance Max (PMax) campaigns offer new opportunities in Google Ads, but they also overlap significantly with Search campaigns. Understanding this overlap and how to prioritize your campaign strategies can help boost impressions, clicks, and conversions. This analysis dives into how Google handles search term overlaps and provides actionable steps to optimize your campaigns effectively.

The Breakdown:

🌐 Overlap Between PMax and Search: Research shows that 45% of PMax search terms overlap with Search campaigns, often leading to ads from both campaigns showing for the same terms. While PMax receives more impressions (61% of the time), Search outshines in conversion rates and conversion values (84% higher).

📝 Managing Search Term Data: To optimize performance, analyze PMax search terms in Google Ads under "Insights and Reports." Identify terms where PMax competes with Search and add these as exact match keywords to prioritize Search ads.

🚫 Beware of Recommendations: Google Ads may suggest removing “redundant keywords.” Ignore this if it risks downgrading your Search campaign visibility for top terms. Maintaining exact match keywords ensures Search ads are prioritized for high-value queries.

Search campaigns consistently outperform PMax for conversion rates and values, making them essential for lead generation and high-ROI efforts. By carefully analyzing PMax search terms and integrating them into Search campaigns as exact-match keywords, you can ensure better performance.

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What Works:

1. Bold Tagline: “The Pint of No Return” is edgy, intriguing, and aligns perfectly with Liquid Death’s rebellious and unconventional brand identity.
2. Atmospheric Visuals: The sunset backdrop and rugged terrain evoke a sense of adventure and mystery, amplifying the brand's bold persona.
3. Brand Personality: The golden skull design on the can reinforces Liquid Death’s signature dark humor and edgy aesthetic, creating strong brand recognition.
4. Minimalism in Focus: The ad keeps the product front and center, ensuring the visual impact stays tied to the can and its unique branding.

What Can Be Better:

1. Call-to-Action: Adding a CTA like “Drink Responsibly. Die Laughing. Order Now” would tie humor to action and encourage immediate engagement.
2. Highlight Product Benefit: Briefly mentioning what Liquid Death is (e.g., mountain water in a bold package) would help viewers unfamiliar with the brand understand its offering.

Broader Insights:

This ad’s daring tone and visual storytelling work well to capture attention, especially for a niche, personality-driven brand. Combining bold aesthetics with actionable CTAs and functional benefits ensures broader appeal and higher conversions.

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