Podcast Summary: The Paid Search Podcast | Episode 446 - Search Terms in Performance Max

Date Released: January 20, 2025
Host: Chris Schaeffer, Certified Google Ads Specialist
Title: Search Terms in Performance Max

Introduction

In Episode 446 of The Paid Search Podcast, hosted by Chris Schaeffer, listeners delve into the intricacies of managing Google Ads, particularly focusing on the challenges and strategies associated with Performance Max campaigns. The episode is structured around addressing a listener's struggling Google Ads account, sharing a success story from another listener, and providing an in-depth update on Google's Performance Max.

Handling a Crashing Google Ads Account

Listener's Dilemma: Chris opens the episode by addressing a pressing issue submitted by a listener, Chris from Little Rock, who reports a significant decline in his Google Ads performance. After a year of generating 10 to 12 leads monthly, Chris noticed a drastic increase in cost per click (CPC) and a corresponding drop in conversions over the past two to three months. Specifically, he mentions:

"[...] our cost per click doubled and tripled on certain keywords, and our performance absolutely tanked."
(00:30)

Expert Analysis: Chris Schaeffer systematically breaks down the potential causes of a declining account by categorizing them into two primary areas: Targeting and Bidding. He emphasizes a compartmentalized approach to diagnose the issue:

1. Targeting Adjustments:

   • Comparative Analysis: Examine the last 90 days versus the previous 90 days to identify significant changes in keyword performance, impression shares, and traffic quality.
   • Red Flags: Look for unexpected increases or decreases in traffic for specific keywords, emergence of low-quality keywords, or shifts in device and geographic targeting.

   "Find red flags that are like, oh, that's surprising. As soon as you have that feeling, oh, that doesn't look right."
   (03:45)

2. Bidding Strategy:

   • Position Changes: Assess if there's been a drop in your ad positions or an increase in competitor activity through Auction Insights.
   • Click-Through Rates (CTR): Lower CTRs may indicate reduced visibility or relevance.
   • Competitor Movements: New or aggressive competitors can drastically affect bid landscapes.

   "Your positions have changed, maybe your bids have been too restrictive and you're losing positions."
   (07:15)

Outcome Outside Google Ads: If neither targeting nor bidding adjustments explain the downturn, Chris suggests investigating external factors such as website issues, broken conversion tracking, or misrouted leads.

"Look for an issue. Very often... their little web update, they broke the conversion tracking on their site."
(13:30)

Coaching Offer: Chris concludes this segment by highlighting his personalized Google Ads coaching services, available through his website.

Listener Success Story: Carlin's Experience in East Texas

Appreciation and Impact: Chris shares an inspiring success story from Carlin, a long-time listener based in East Texas. Carlin credits Chris and his former co-host, Jason Harp, for instilling the importance of meticulous keyword and search term analysis.

"Things are now embedded in his head. And he saw something in Google Ads and he was able to fix it because of the habits that he's formed from listening to me preach about..."
(15:20)

The Issue: Carlin faced an unexpected surge in spend on the keyword "home service plumbers," which was generating irrelevant traffic from competitors.

Solution Implemented: By utilizing the search terms report and adding the keyword column, Carlin identified that the phrase-match keyword was attracting clicks from non-intentional searches like "Joe's Local Plumbing," leading to wasted budget.

"He found this issue in a matter of minutes. It's so easy to miss little issues like this."
(21:10)

Outcome: Armed with this insight, Carlin was able to pause the problematic keyword, thereby preventing further budget wastage and ensuring that his ad spend was directed towards more qualified leads.

"Without looking at the search terms, you'll never see it."
(23:45)

Host's Reflection: Chris expresses frustration with Google's frequent interface changes, which can hinder effective account management. However, he remains optimistic, highlighting the significance of listener feedback and success stories in navigating these challenges.

"It's nice to know that even though I say a lot of the same things all the time that you guys are able to save endless amounts of money for you or your clients."
(27:00)

In-Depth Update on Performance Max

Initial Sentiments: Chris transitions to discussing Google's Performance Max campaigns, sharing his reservations about their transparency and control, especially for lead generation purposes.

"My biggest gripe with Performance Max is that it's essentially a vending machine of Google Ads with me putting in money and out comes quote unquote conversions."
(29:00)

Recent Updates: Despite his skepticism, Chris acknowledges recent updates that have introduced more transparency into Performance Max:

1. Search Terms Visibility:

   • Accessing Detailed Reports: Users can now view search terms by navigating to the Performance Max campaign's Insights view and accessing the Detailed Report.
   • Limitations: The data is restricted to searches since early 2023 and lacks comprehensive metrics like position and CTR.

   "You can see it now and you can even sort by conversions."
   (35:30)

2. Challenges Remain:

   • Lack of Control: Despite improved visibility, advertisers cannot easily prioritize or deprioritize specific search terms.
   • Brand Exclusions: The current system is geared towards larger brands, making it difficult for smaller businesses to exclude their own brand terms.
   • Beta Features: Negative keyword functionality is in beta and not widely available, limiting its practical application.

   "There's no direct way to tell Google, I want more google.com traffic or at least show me the google.com traffic."
   (42:15)

Pros and Cons Analysis:

• Pros:

  • Enhanced visibility into search terms.
  • Ability to sort by conversions aids in identifying high-performing terms.

• Cons:

  • Limited data scope and metrics.
  • Persistent lack of actionable control over search terms.
  • Inadequate tools for managing brand-related searches, leading to potential metric inflation.

Quality Concerns: For lead generation campaigns, Chris emphasizes the importance of lead quality over quantity. Performance Max's inability to filter out unqualified leads remains a significant drawback.

"You can't just have people that are calling about any old kind of job. It needs to be a qualified lead."
(48:50)

Final Verdict: While Google's ongoing efforts to enhance Performance Max are appreciated, Chris advises caution. He does not recommend Performance Max for lead generation, citing the potential for wasted budget and unqualified leads.

"I am Encouraged by the fact that Google is listening. [...] But it is nice to be able to see a bit more through that opaque window."
(51:30)

Conclusion

In this episode, Chris Schaeffer provides valuable insights into diagnosing and resolving declining Google Ads performance, shares a meaningful listener success story, and offers a critical update on the evolving Performance Max campaigns. His practical advice and candid assessment of Google's tools empower listeners to make informed decisions and optimize their online advertising strategies effectively.

Notable Quotes:

• "Find red flags that are like, oh, that's surprising. As soon as you have that feeling, oh, that doesn't look right."
  — Chris Schaeffer (03:45)

• "You can't just spend money on something and don't question the quality of what you get back."
  — Chris Schaeffer (31:10)

• "If you're just looking at the keyword, you'll never see it [the issue]."
  — Chris Schaeffer (22:30)

Additional Resources:

• For personalized Google Ads coaching and more insights, visit ChrisSchaeffer.com.