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The following is a guest post by Therese Palmere. Therese is a creative writing specialist for the New York-based digital marketing agency, Aumcore. Her background is in guerilla style marketing for the nonprofit sector and content writing. She has written articles and blog topics regarding popular digital marketing trends, social media updates, and developments in the tech world. 

Since its integration, Google AdWords has become a major component in every business’ digital marketing strategy. The PPC services AdWords offers has become popular because it appeals to different types of businesses; small business, large corporations, B2B and B2C brands can all benefit from Search Engine Marketing (SEM). You can customize the campaign to fit your needs, focus in on your specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), all while controlling your budget. But even with these benefits there are still many businesses that fall short and end up spending thousands of dollars to end up with nothing. To avoid that drawback, here are 3 ways to fix common Google AdWords mistakes that will double your Return on Investment!

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Did you know Google’s Display Network reaches over 80% of all global internet users and serves upwards of 6 billion ad impressions every day? These stats play just a small part in the larger reason why more than 4 million advertisers have a presence on Google. For many businesses like Hungry Fish, they were able to utilize Google AdWords to broaden the reach of their brand by accessing more than 2,500 sites that share relevant content. Other brands will even use AdWords to gain leverage over their competitors by using different placement strategies to get ahead.

It seems like a simple process right? Your business pays in order for your ad to be seen by your target audience and your brand reaps the benefits. But just because you’re hashing out the big bucks doesn’t necessarily mean you will produce the results you’re expecting. Common pitfalls will leave a huge dent in your revenue and damage your brand image in the long run. Don’t let that be you! These fixes will show you how to double your ROI and avoid the top three common mistakes businesses make with Google AdWords.

1: You’re not being specific enough

Selecting the correct keywords for your business requires a solid understanding of your audience. A great place to start is to ask previous clients how they found you. Where did they first see your brand? How did they come across that page? What made them click? Conduct this research component and get specific! Ask earlier clients if they have any advice or constructive criticism that will help you improve the consumer journey. A survey analysis of previous patrons will also help build good relations because it shows your team is dedicated to your brand’s growth.

Another way to get more specific with your keywords is to go through your analytics to see which ones are producing the conversions your business is looking for. Are the advertisements and bids you’re spending money on doing what you really want them to do? Are you trying to increase sales of a particular item? Do you want more call-ins? Are users leaving their emails for your monthly subscription? Head to the keywords tab to filter out the search terms that are not producing your desired results. If you’re still unsure about how to start narrowing down your search items, you can even consider hiring an AdWords expert to assist your business. However, once you’ve made some cuts, you will notice a decrease in traffic, but that’s okay! You want users who will generate specific actions for your business. Getting rid of the excess will allow you to save money and decrease your CPC.

Take these steps to help you eliminate the keywords you think your audience is using versus the keywords they are actually using to discover your business.

2: You’re not putting your consumers first

When it comes to your advertisement remember – it’s all about the user.

Take the user-centric approach by showing consumers that you care about what it is they need or want. Your business is a service, and it exists to help your target audience. Focus on answering the questions your audience will ask.

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Here are some more examples:

• Where is the nearest pizza place? = “Delicious pizza in Union Square!”
• What time does the drug store close? = “24 hours drive through pharmacy window.”

What makes these ads successful is the question/answer approach to specific questions consumers may ask about your business: the location, the hours of operation, the specific services you can offer. Determine what it is your audience will inquire about when searching for you and integrate that answer into your advertisement.

3: You’re rushing ahead without a plan

When creating your PPC strategy, you need to think like the tortoise, slow and steady. Don’t succumb to the seduction of the tips and tricks that promise quick results. That’s not what you want! Invest and believe in your business. You want strong, sustainable leads and conversions that will prove successful throughout your brand’s lifetime.

The double in your ROI will occur when you find a reliable strategy that produces the exact results your business is looking for. This is done by the strong research and analysis that happens in every step of this process. It’s important to remember success is not always immediate.

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Another important item to note, do not be afraid to let something go if it isn’t working anymore- even if at first it was creating the conversions you wanted to see. Adapt and respond to the results your campaigns are producing to find the system your business will use in the long run. Initially, it may seem like your spending is outweighing the results you are producing, but once you find the campaigns, keywords, and placements that work- that’s priceless.

These three fixes address the most common mistakes businesses make with Google AdWords. Going in with a broad approach, getting carried away by over talking your business, and using shortcuts that only produce instant results will inevitably damage your brand.

Remember to:

1. Get specific. Ask previous clients what keywords they used to find you and eliminate search items that you’re overspending on.
2. Take a user-centric approach. Address the questions your users may have about what your business has to offer.
3. Act like the tortoise! There is a lot of truth in childhood stories, and it can be applied to your PPC campaign; go slow and steady by thinking about what the long term looks like for your brand.

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