5 Quick Tips to Improve Google AdWords Performance

We all know how quickly hours can pass as you meticulously comb through AdWords keyword planner ideas or the time put into reviewing performance and analyzing data. Most days a detailed, thorough analysis is necessary. But what if time is not on your side? Or maybe, you just want to quickly pop in and get a pulse on something you just launched.

We’ve assembled 5 suggestions that will help you organize your accounts, easily view crucial data and help you navigate through hours of data in minutes. When time just isn’t on your side.

Utilize Labels – everywhere

Within AdWords, create Labels to categorize your campaigns, keywords and ads. Then, use the Segment tab to filter by label.

An example of how this can save you time and keep you organized is to create a “launch date” label when you launch new ads. When you are reviewing your ads, you have the launch dates right in front of you which makes it super easy to input the correct time frame you want to analyze. You can apply more than 1 label at a time, and as you can see below, other labels help us understand when the ad launched and what landing page it is directing to; all without running any reports.

Change the graph view to CTR

Another way to quickly check in on ad performance is to change the view on the graph in the ads tab. Let’s say you implemented some new ads and you want to grab a quick pulse on how they are performing. Simply select CTR from the drop down on the graph. This will give you a quick snapshot to see if your CTR has increased or decreased. This view can also easily identify and isolate any issues (like if CTR dropped significantly on a particular day).

Use the mobile bid adjuster

Your ads’ position on mobile is incredibly important. This is crucial data that we should consistently be checking, and it’s oftentimes not top of mind. Be very aware of your mobile positions and if they are higher than 2 you may want to consider using the mobile bid adjuster. There are fewer ads shown on a mobile device so having a top spot is critical and this view takes only a minute to check, saving you hours of frustration later analyzing why your campaigns didn’t perform as ideally as you’d hoped.

Find out where your video ads are being shown

For years we have found the reporting for YouTube to be clunky and difficult to navigate. Although it has improved, there is one view that you should always check and it can be cumbersome to find. But once you know how to find it, it’s a quick and important part of your performance review. Ready?

• Click into your Ad Group -> Video Targeting -> Placements
• Under the graph is a small tab “Where your ads were shown.”
• Review the placements and exclude any that are not relevant to your product or audience.

This simple check can save you hundreds of dollars in inefficient impressions.

Use excel tools for keyword planning

When exporting excel files from the keyword planner, we often find ourselves with thousands of rows of suggested keywords. Some are relevant but most are not. If we are researching the keyword “Mortgage Rates” AdWords may offer suggestions like auto loans, refinances..etc..

A quick way to eliminate all of these keywords and focus only on keywords containing “Mortgage” is to use the “Ctrl F” function.

Click Ctrl F and the Find and Replace tool will pop up. Enter the keyword you want to target in the “Find what” field.

Then, use the shift key to select all of the rows in the box. Highlight them with a color. Sort the keywords by color and you will end up with any keywords containing the word “mortgage” at the top of your list.

 

You have just eliminated thousands or irrelevant keywords in a matter of minutes. Upload and go!

While it is important to meticulously review AdWords campaign performance and spend adequate time planning your campaigns, there are instances when you need to quickly review and decipher complex data within minutes. Getting a quick pulse on an optimization or using Excel tools to navigate through thousands of spreadsheet rows is all part of managing your time effectively for your clients.