The Paid Search Podcast | Episode 432: Answering Questions from Listeners!

Release Date: September 30, 2024
Host: Chris Schaeffer, Certified Google Ads Specialist

In Episode 432 of "The Paid Search Podcast," host Chris Schaeffer dedicates the entire episode to answering listener-submitted questions, offering invaluable insights into Google Ads management, freelancing in the digital marketing space, and optimizing ad performance. This detailed summary captures the essence of the discussions, highlighting key points, expert advice, and notable quotes with corresponding timestamps.

1. Optimizing Campaign Structures: Single Campaign vs. Multiple Campaigns

Question from Arturo

Timestamp: [00:18]

Chris delves into the strategic decision of whether to maintain a single campaign with multiple ad groups or to separate campaigns based on distinct keyword sets. He outlines two primary criteria for this decision: value and bidding strategies.

• Value-Based Separation:
  When different keyword sets offer substantially different values to the business, it's prudent to create separate campaigns. For instance, Arturo provided an example comparing studio headshots versus location/event photography. Studio sessions are typically lower in cost and quicker, whereas location-based shoots command higher fees due to additional expenses like travel and equipment.

  "If you are running a Google Ads campaign and you have a vast difference between one set of keywords and another set of keywords so far different that they provide a very different value to your business, then that is likely a reason to have two separate campaigns." ([00:18])

• Bidding Strategy Considerations:
  For automated bidding strategies like Max Conversions or Target CPA, consolidating campaigns can be beneficial as it allows Google’s algorithms more data to optimize effectively.

  "If you're running any of these max conversion, conversion based bidding automated bid strategies, just try and put as many ad groups into one campaign as possible to lean towards more conversion data." ([00:18])

Chris emphasizes that manual bidding and Max Clicks strategies offer more flexibility for smaller, niche campaigns, allowing for precise control without the penalties that automated strategies might incur from fragmented data pools.

2. Navigating the Freelance Google Ads Landscape

Question from Vegard

Timestamp: Approximately [04:00]

Chris provides an extensive overview of building and managing a freelance Google Ads business. He shares his personal journey, starting in 2009 with just three clients and scaling up significantly over the years without outsourcing or hiring additional help.

• Client Management:

  • Capacity: "You can only take as much as you can handle if you're going to be a freelancer."
    Chris advises freelancers to grow their client base gradually, ensuring they can maintain quality and manage workload effectively.

  • Client Retention:
    Most of Chris’s clients stay for multiple years, sometimes even a decade, highlighting the importance of delivering consistent results and maintaining strong client relationships.

• Industry Selection:
  Initially avoiding industries like real estate due to generic offerings, Chris now focuses on clients that offer unique value propositions. He stresses the importance of working with businesses that have distinctive services or products, making it easier to craft compelling ad copy and achieve better conversion rates.

  "If someone offers something unique, if they're offering a value more than just the typical, then I'm usually interested." ([04:00])

• Freelancer Focus:
  Chris advises freelancers to specialize in their strengths rather than becoming a jack-of-all-trades. By mastering Google Ads and possibly partnering with other specialists (like graphic designers or web developers), freelancers can provide comprehensive services without diluting their expertise.

  "Your best way to stand out is to be a freelancer that is an expert in something, good at something." ([04:00])

• Common Client Concerns:

  • Wasting Money: Clients often worry about inefficiencies and overspending. Chris emphasizes the importance of honesty and transparency, even if it means losing clients who are not seeing value.

  • Knowledge Gaps: Clients seek expertise to fill their understanding of Google Ads. Providing clear, educational insights helps build trust.

  • Competitor Analysis: Clients are interested in how they stack up against competitors, seeking strategies to improve their standing.

  • Lead Quality and Quantity: Ensuring that the leads generated are both high in quality and sufficient in number remains a primary concern.

3. Balancing Cost Per Conversion with Lead Quality

Question from Frasier in New Zealand

Timestamp: Approximately [XX:XX]

Frasier's question revolves around a scenario where lowering the cost per conversion in Google Ads inadvertently increased the client's cost per job. Chris breaks down this issue by explaining the dynamics between bidding strategies and lead quality.

• Case Study:
  Chris recounts experimenting with manual CPC versus Target CPA bidding strategies for a windshield repair client. While the automated strategy reduced the cost per conversion and increased the number of leads, the quality of these leads declined, leading to a higher cost per actual job.

  "In the end, higher cost per click and the lower conversion rate led to more jobs for the client." ([Unnamed Timestamp])

• Key Takeaway:
  Enhanced metrics on the Google Ads dashboard (like lower CPC and higher conversion rates) don't always translate to better real-world outcomes. It's crucial to assess the quality of conversions and ensure alignment between ad performance and business objectives.

  "Better numbers in Google Ads do not mean better performance, better job, better books for your business." ([Unnamed Timestamp])

Chris advises maintaining a balance between cost efficiency and lead quality, emphasizing the importance of tracking not just clicks and conversions but also the subsequent actions those leads take.

4. Effective Ad Copy Strategies: Dissecting Current Trends

Question from Naggy

Timestamp: Approximately [XX:XX]

Responding to Naggy's reference to a Search Engine Land article, Chris critiques the notion that shorter headlines and sentence case ads outperform their counterparts. He argues that the article's conclusions are flawed due to a misalignment between ad copy and landing page content.

• Critique of Industry Findings:
  The article suggests that shorter headlines and sentence case can lead to higher ROAS and lower CPAs. However, Chris disagrees, attributing the apparent success to a lack of alignment between ad copy and user intent on landing pages.

  "I completely disagree because when I and anyone who's listening to the podcast for years may know, ... conversion rate is a false equivalent of success for ad copy." ([Unnamed Timestamp])

• Importance of Cohesive Messaging:
  Chris emphasizes that ad copy should seamlessly lead to a landing page that fulfills the user’s intent. For example, using action-oriented phrases like "Buy a new battery" ensures that the user's expectation matches the landing page content, thereby improving conversion rates despite potentially lower click-through rates.

  "Your ad delivers the click through rate, your landing page delivers the conversion rate." ([Unnamed Timestamp])

• Final Thoughts:
  Ad copy effectiveness cannot be solely measured by metrics like CTR or ROAS without considering the entire user journey. Ensuring consistency between ads and landing pages is paramount for meaningful conversions.

5. Understanding Search Loss Due to Rank vs. Budget

Question from Alan Elaine

Timestamp: Approximately [XX:XX]

Chris addresses a question regarding his previous statements about "search loss due to rank" versus "search loss due to budget," clarifying misconceptions and elaborating on the strategic implications for bidding strategies.

• Clarification:
  Contrary to Alan's initial interpretation, Chris confirms that he indeed referred to search loss due to rank as a key metric for assessing if too much is being spent on clicks.

  "I did not mean search loss due to budget. I did mean search loss due to rank." ([Unnamed Timestamp])

• Strategic Insight:

  • Search Loss Due to Rank:
    This metric indicates how often ads fail to appear due to insufficient bid ranks. A low percentage suggests overbidding, leading to inefficient spending.

  • Bidding Adjustment Example:
    Chris illustrates that reducing the bid from $100 to $25 increases the search loss due to rank but optimizes cost per lead by lowering the CPC, thus allowing for more sustainable ad spend and better overall performance.

    "Keeping conversion rate steady, you can see that not changing the budget and only changing the bids directly affects the volume of leads and the cost per lead." ([Unnamed Timestamp])

• Actionable Advice:
  Aim to maintain a balanced search loss due to rank (typically between 50-80%) to ensure bids are competitive yet cost-effective. This balance helps achieve a sustainable cost per click without overspending.

Conclusion

Episode 432 of "The Paid Search Podcast" offers a treasure trove of expert advice for Google Ads professionals and freelancers. Chris Schaeffer meticulously addresses complex questions, providing clarity on campaign structuring, the nuances of freelance management, the importance of lead quality, effective ad copy strategies, and the strategic use of search loss metrics. His candid insights and practical examples empower listeners to make informed decisions, optimize their advertising efforts, and achieve better business outcomes.

Notable Quotes:

• "You can only take as much as you can handle if you're going to be a freelancer." ([04:00])
• "If you're running any of these max conversion, conversion based bidding automated bid strategies, just try and put as many ad groups into one campaign as possible to lean towards more conversion data." ([00:18])
• "Better numbers in Google Ads do not mean better performance, better job, better books for your business." ([Unnamed Timestamp])
• "Your ad delivers the click through rate, your landing page delivers the conversion rate." ([Unnamed Timestamp])

This episode is a must-listen for anyone serious about mastering Google Ads and navigating the freelance landscape in digital marketing. Chris's expertise shines through as he unpacks listener queries with depth and clarity, making complex concepts accessible and actionable.