Taking over a Google Ads account requires a deep understanding of the current setup, goals, and performance metrics. Here are key questions to ask and steps for analyzing whether the campaigns are working effectively:
- Account Background and Objectives
- What are the primary goals of the Google Ads campaigns (e.g., lead generation, sales, brand awareness)?
- What KPIs are being tracked to measure success?
- Are there specific products, services, or promotions that are priorities?
- Who is the target audience for these campaigns?
- What is the monthly budget, and is it flexible?
- Are there any geographic locations or times of day that are prioritized?
- Campaign Structure and Targeting
- What types of campaigns are being run (Search, Display, Shopping, Video, etc.)?
- How are the campaigns segmented (e.g., by product, service, audience)?
- What targeting methods are used (keywords, demographics, interests, remarketing, etc.)?
- Are there specific keywords or placements that have been particularly successful or problematic?
- Ad Performance and Content
- What types of ad creatives are being used (text, image, video)?
- How are the ads performing in terms of CTR, conversion rate, and other relevant metrics?
- Are there A/B tests running, and what have the results shown?
- Are there specific messages or offers in the ads that resonate most with the audience?
- Are responsive search/display ads being utilized for optimization?
- Bidding and Budgeting
- What bidding strategy is currently in place (e.g., manual CPC, target CPA, target ROAS)?
- Are there any budget caps on specific campaigns or ad groups?
- Has there been a recent increase or decrease in spend, and if so, why?
- Conversion Tracking and Analytics
- Are conversion tracking and analytics set up properly (Google Ads conversion tracking, Google Analytics, etc.)?
- What actions are considered conversions, and how are they being measured?
- Are there any discrepancies between Google Ads and Google Analytics data?
- Are there any specific conversion goals in Google Analytics that align with the ad campaigns?
- Landing Pages and User Experience
- What landing pages are being used, and are they optimized for conversions?
- Are there any issues with page load speed or mobile-friendliness?
- How often are landing pages updated or tested for performance?
- Competitor and Industry Insights
- Who are the main competitors, and are there any competitive insights to consider?
- Are there any industry trends that might influence ad performance?
Steps to Analyze Campaign Performance
- Review Key Performance Metrics
- CTR (Click-Through Rate): Indicates how well the ads are capturing interest.
- CPC (Cost Per Click): Helps gauge the cost-efficiency of the ads.
- Conversion Rate: Shows how effective the ads are at driving desired actions.
- CPA (Cost Per Acquisition): Reveals how much it costs to generate a conversion.
- ROAS (Return on Ad Spend): Measures the revenue generated for every dollar spent on ads.
- Assess Conversion Tracking Accuracy
- Ensure that all conversion actions are being tracked accurately, and verify that the data aligns with Google Analytics.
- Analyze Ad Performance
- Check which ads or ad groups have the highest CTR, conversions, and lowest CPA.
- Look for underperforming ads to pause, optimize, or test with new variations.
- Evaluate Targeting and Bidding Strategies
- Assess how well the current targeting options are aligning with the campaign goals.
- Review the bidding strategy to ensure it’s appropriate for the goals. Consider testing automated bidding if not already in use.
- Examine Search Term and Placement Reports
- For search campaigns, review the Search Term report to identify irrelevant queries that might need to be excluded.
- For display campaigns, examine the Placement report to exclude low-quality sites or apps.
- Check Audience Performance
- If audience targeting is in use, evaluate the performance of different audience segments and consider expanding or narrowing the focus.
- Audit the Landing Pages
- Analyze the landing page experience, including load speed, mobile usability, and conversion elements.
- Benchmark Against Industry Standards
- Compare the account's performance metrics to industry averages to see how it stands.
- Create a Performance Improvement Plan
- Based on the analysis, outline specific actions to improve performance, such as testing new ad creatives, adjusting bids, optimizing keywords, or refining audience targeting.
This thorough analysis and asking the right questions will help you gain a complete understanding of the account and identify areas to optimize for better performance.