How To Fix A Bad Google Ads Campaign
Aug 22, 2023Do you have a poorly performing Google Ads campaign that is simply wasting your money with no conversions?
Or, even worse, do you possess a subpar Google Ads account with multiple campaigns, all of which are squandering your budget?
If this situation describes you, in this article, I want to guide you through the steps I take when I'm working to improve a struggling Google Ads account.
The first point to clarify is that YOU SHOULD NOT simply turn off all of your current Google Ads campaigns and then initiate new ones.
👉 Should I Pause My Google Ads Campaign?
👉 Wait, Don't STOP Your Google Ads Campaign Yet!
Because the optimal approach is to assess the existing Google Ads campaigns and:
- Pause the segments of the campaign that are underperforming.
- Build upon the segments of the campaign that are yielding positive results.
So, let's explore two common issues and how I would address them.
- Multiple campaigns targeting the same keywords or products:
A prevalent issue in problematic Google Ads accounts is the presence of multiple campaigns all targeting the same products or keywords. This typically arises from a lack of expertise, with individuals experimenting in the hope of finding a successful strategy.
Additionally, it's worth noting that when starting a new campaign, Google tends to give it a boost for the first 1-2 weeks to assess its performance. After this initial period, the campaign's performance will depend on its core results.
A common scenario with multiple campaigns is that they yield favorable outcomes in the first 1-2 weeks, but then performance declines. Continuously relying on starting new campaigns is not a sustainable strategy.
To address this issue, if you have multiple campaigns targeting the same keywords or products, follow these steps:
- Review the campaigns based on Cost, Click-Through Rate (CTR), conversion rate, and cost per conversion (Cost/Conv) or Return on Ad Spend (ROAS).
- Pause all campaigns except for the one with the best conversion metrics and a reasonable amount of spending.
- Continue running only the campaigns that are delivering the best results.
- Subsequently, consider updating or adding new campaigns.
- Campaigns that are not set up correctly:
In this scenario, the best course of action is to enhance your current campaigns. Some common problems include:
For search campaigns:
- Excessive ad groups with multiple ad groups triggering ads for the same search terms.
- Absence of split tests.
- Incorrect bid strategy.
For Performance Max campaigns:
- Lack of audience signals or insufficient audience signals added.
- Inadequate segmentation by product groups.
- Incorrect bid strategy.
In both cases, the primary objective is to identify underperforming aspects of your account and block them, while concurrently enhancing the segments that are delivering the best results.
