Google Ads Guide [2024] to Optimize your Search Campaigns and Max Performance

You want to propel your business in French-speaking Switzerland thanks to the power of Google Ads? Do not search anymore ! As'Google Ads expert web and marketing agency, Geekworkers reveals some tips to outperform your campaigns. This comprehensive guide provides you with proven strategies for achieve up to 2'000% return on investment and achieve your business objectives.

From precise conversion parameters to auction optimization, through refined geographic targeting and mastery of keywords, we support you step by step to transform your campaigns into real machines for generating leads and sales.

Automatic application of Google Ads recommendations

• Apply the relevant recommendations: Use Google Ads automatic recommendations to optimize your campaigns, but use your best judgment and only apply relevant recommendations.
• Avoid risky recommendations: Do not check recommendations that could harm your performance (e.g.: increase bids excessively, add irrelevant keywords, extend keyword campaigns into display networks, etc.).

Conversion settings

Configuring conversion actions (key events)

• Configuring conversions via GTM and GA4 : Configure GA4 (Google Analytics 4) and GTM (Google Tag Manager) by defining key events that will be optimized on Google Ads as a conversion action.
• Setting up micro conversions: In addition to key events, define micro-conversion actions (button clicks, specific page views, etc.) to improve algorithm learning and optimize conversions. This is the best way to get results even with a small Google Ads budget.
• Define and weight conversion values: Assign a conversion value 10 to 20 times higher to contact forms or product sales compared to other actions (clicks on email, WhatsApp, etc.) and import them into Google Ads.
• Consider each unique conversion: In the majority of cases, count only one conversion per click or action, even if the user clicks several times to avoid confusing the algorithm.

Configuring conversion-based bidding strategies

• Maximizing conversions: Start by defining the “conversion maximization” type bidding strategy to gradually optimize the algorithm with micro-conversions.
• Maximize the value of conversions next: Move on to maximizing the value of conversions once you have enough conversions (form, purchase, etc.).
• Finally define a target ROAS: Set a target ROAS (return on ad spend) when you have enough data and want to maximize the profitability of your campaigns.

Audience settings

Geographic targeting: Promote local geographic targeting

• Define a relevant radius: Limit geographic targeting to a radius of 15-20 km around your business for local businesses.
• Exclude irrelevant areas: Systematically eliminate regions, cities or countries that do not correspond to your target (e.g. Valais, Fribourg, France for a Lausanne-based company).
• Use the map: View targeted and excluded areas on the map to check the consistency of your targeting.
• Adapt targeting according to campaigns: Adjust the radius and exclusions based on campaign type and specific objectives.

Audience segments: Prioritize high-performance audience segments

• Creation of audience segments (observation): Create audience segments (only for observation) around keywords or search intentions in your sector.
• Overweighting high-performing audiences with bid adjustment: In the audience settings, increase bids up to 400 % for audiences that generate high ROI. Then adjust to 200% or 100% depending on performance.

Demographics: Adjusting age group bids

• Analysis of demographic data: Use Google Analytics to identify the most relevant age groups and interests.
• Exclusion or adjustment of auctions for non-performing age classes: Remove audiences that are not generating satisfactory results.

Optimization of search networks campaigns

Choice of Keywords: Focus only on intent queries

• Action-oriented keywords: Put yourself in the user's shoes and choose specific keywords that are relevant to your business. Use keywords that reflect the action the user is looking for (e.g. “painting company” rather than “painting”).

Keyword Exclusion: Create keyword exclusion lists

• Identify negative keywords: Analyze your campaign search terms to spot irrelevant queries.
• Create negative keyword lists: Organize your negative keywords into lists for easier management.
• Add lists to campaigns: Apply negative keyword lists to your search campaigns.

Networks: Exclude display network

• Uncheck the display network from the campaign settings: Do not mix search network and display network campaigns to avoid wasting your budget. We do not recommend the display network for generating leads.

Optimization of Max Performance campaigns

Dependency of Performance Max and Search Networks campaigns

• Do not completely replace the Search Network: Start with search network campaigns to train the algorithm before moving on to Performance Max campaigns. Search campaigns offer more control and precision. Use Performance Max in addition to the Search Network to maximize your results.
• Use Performance Max only with caution: This strategy requires a lot of data and settings to be effective (term exclusion, page flow configuration, etc.).

Excluding Keywords and Brands: Account Level Configuration

• Analysis of search terms on your search network campaigns: Regularly analyze search terms from search network campaigns to identify irrelevant keywords and add them as negative keywords in your campaigns.
• Excluding keywords in Performance Max campaigns at the account level: Exclude irrelevant keywords from your Performance Max campaigns to avoid showing ads to irrelevant users. You need to add them at the account level (settings) to exclude them from all your campaigns. Unfortunately, you cannot exclude only within the campaign in question. Only brands can be excluded in your Performance Max campaign settings.
• Exclusion of brands: Exclude your brand from the list in the shared library so as not to bid when someone already intends to find you. This avoids wasting budget on customers or visitors who already know you.

Our video advice

Need help optimizing your Google Ads campaigns?

By following this non-exhaustive action plan, you will be able to optimize your existing Google Ads campaigns and improve your performance. But if you prefer to entrust this task to experts, Geekworkers is here for you!

We offer you a free audit of your existing campaigns and a personalized consultation to develop a tailor-made strategy.