The Paid Search Podcast | Episode 445: Improving The Quality of Leads

Published on January 13, 2025
Host: Chris Schaefer, Certified Google Ads Specialist
Podcast: The Paid Search Podcast | A Weekly Podcast About Google Ads and Online Marketing

Introduction

In Episode 445 of The Paid Search Podcast, Chris Schaefer delves into the crucial topic of enhancing lead quality within Google Ads campaigns. This episode features insightful listener questions and a special strategy segment by Joey Bidner, focusing on Dynamic Search Ads (DSA). Chris provides actionable strategies to help businesses optimize their Google Ads budgets, targeting both B2B and B2C audiences effectively.

Listener Question: Enhancing Lead Quality

Timestamp: [00:19]

Question from Jeff, New Hampshire:
Jeff expresses a common challenge faced by agencies—filtering out leads lacking the necessary budget for clients' services. He seeks strategies beyond regular scrubbing, negative keywords, and income exclusions to ensure higher-quality leads.

Chris Schaefer’s Response:

Chris acknowledges the difficulty in qualifying leads and underscores its importance, especially for non-emergency services like landscaping or window installations. He offers five strategic tips to attract more budget-qualified leads:

1. Limit High-Volume, Generic Searches:
   “I often limit the most common high volume searches... to avoid 90% of my spend going to the same very bland kind of searches.”
   (Timestamp: [05:00])

2. Diversify Traffic with Specific Searches:
   Focusing on more detailed searches such as “landscaping services for new homes” to attract users who are likely educated about pricing.
   “This implies that you know what you want and you're looking for someone to do that.”
   (Timestamp: [07:30])

3. Exclude Budget-Related Terms:
   Avoid keywords like “cheap,” “affordable,” or “discount” to deter budget-sensitive leads.
   “Cut those out if you're struggling with the quality, the affordability of your service.”
   (Timestamp: [10:15])

4. Avoid Dominating First Position:
   Reducing the emphasis on top ad positions can minimize impulse clicks from less qualified leads, particularly on mobile devices.
   “When you are in first position... lot of casual research.”
   (Timestamp: [13:50])

5. Pre-Qualify via Ad Copy:
   Incorporate budget information directly in the ad copy to filter out unqualified leads.
   “Put something a little aggressive there... make it obvious.”
   (Timestamp: [16:20])

Chris concludes by encouraging the adoption of these strategies to enhance lead quality, ensuring that marketing efforts are both efficient and effective.

Listener Input: Competitor Campaigns by Matt, Sydney

Timestamp: [19:25]

Matt’s Insights on Competitor Campaigns:

Matt shares his experience with dedicated competitor campaigns, highlighting strategies for maximizing their effectiveness:

• Separate Campaign Structure:
  Keeping competitor campaigns distinct from main search campaigns to control budget and manage spend.
  “Do it in an isolated campaign, don't mix it with your main campaign.”

• Strategic Timing:
  Implementing competitor campaigns later in the Google Ads lifecycle, not as part of the initial strategy.
  “It's an add-on, it's an optional boost to what you're currently doing.”

• Negative Keywords for Irrelevant Searches:
  Adding negatives for terms like “login” or “phone number” to prevent wasteful spending on unqualified clicks.
  “Blocking obvious competitors, customers... avoid wasting money.”
  (Timestamp: [22:10])

• Focused Targeting with Intent Indicators:
  Targeting competitor brands only in contexts that indicate purchase intent, such as “review,” “prices,” or “alternative”.
  “This is when you're targeting people who are in the buying process.”
  (Timestamp: [25:45])

Chris’s Commentary:

Chris agrees with Matt’s approach, emphasizing the importance of dedicated budget control and targeted ad placements. He reinforces the need to exclude current customers and focus on competitive research that aligns with purchasing behavior.

Strategy Segment: Joey Bidner on Dynamic Search Ads (DSA)

Timestamp: [36:34]

Introduction to DSA Campaigns:

Joey Bidner introduces a topic often misunderstood—Dynamic Search Ads (DSA). He addresses the common misuse of DSAs as catch-all campaigns that generate low-quality traffic and instead proposes strategic applications for E-commerce and Lead Generation.

Key Insights on DSA:

1. Understanding DSAs: “Unlike search campaigns, there are no keywords... Google uses your webpage content to match search queries.”
   (Timestamp: [20:10])

2. E-commerce Application:

   • High Funnel Strategy:
     Using DSAs to target users in the browsing phase, directing them to collection pages instead of specific product pages.
     “Sending them to a specific product doesn't do them any good; they want to browse.”
     (Timestamp: [23:30])

   • Implementation Tips:
     Ensure the website is crawlable, use Keyword Planner to verify relevant search terms, and exclude brand terms to prevent unnecessary traffic.
     “Make sure your website is crawlable and use exact URLs or specific categories for targeting.”
     (Timestamp: [28:00])

3. Lead Generation Application:

   • Targeting Information Searches:
     Implement DSAs to capture high-funnel leads searching for solutions rather than specific products.
     “Use DSAs to target how-to searches, allowing Google to match queries with relevant blog content.”
     (Timestamp: [32:15])

   • Strategic Testing:
     DSAs can serve as an experimental tool to identify effective search terms before investing in standard search campaigns.
     “It's a way to dip your toe in the water and see what works before committing more resources.”
     (Timestamp: [34:50])

Joey’s Conclusion:

Joey emphasizes that when used correctly, DSAs are a powerful tool for expanding campaign reach without sacrificing quality. He encourages listeners to share their experiences and queries to foster a collaborative learning environment.

Closing Remarks

Timestamp: [36:34]

Chris wraps up the episode by thanking Joey for the valuable insights and encourages listeners to implement the discussed strategies to optimize their Google Ads campaigns. He reiterates the availability of resources and invites listeners to reach out via paidsearchpodcastmail.com for further questions and feedback.

Final Notes:

• Explore Optio.com PST:
  Chris promotes Optio.com PST, a tool for managing Google Ads more efficiently, offering a 28-day free trial to help agencies and individual advertisers maximize their campaigns.

• Stay Connected:
  Listeners are invited to visit chrishaefer.com and joeybidner.com for more information and to reach out with their Google Ads queries.

Key Takeaways

• Qualifying Leads:
  Implement specific targeting and ad copy strategies to attract budget-qualified leads and reduce unproductive ad spend.

• Competitor Campaigns:
  Utilize dedicated campaigns with controlled budgets and precise targeting to effectively compete without overspending.

• Dynamic Search Ads:
  Leverage DSAs for high-funnel strategies in E-commerce and Lead Generation to enhance campaign reach and effectiveness without diluting quality.

This comprehensive episode equips both novice and seasoned advertisers with practical strategies to refine their lead quality, manage competitor dynamics, and harness the full potential of Dynamic Search Ads. By integrating these insights, listeners can expect to achieve more cost-effective and impactful Google Ads campaigns.