How to Optimise A Google Ads Display Campaign & Get Sales

If you are not getting conversions with your Google Ads display campaigns inside the first 7 days of starting a new campaign this is because you are setting up your display campaigns incorrectly and not completing the required optimisations. 

Many people just quickly add some images and headlines together to start their display campaign and then wonder why they are not seeing success with their display ads.

The fact is if you are taking this approach you are just willing to give permission to Google to waste your money. 

Display campaign’s do work and are a highly valuable & important part of your Google Ads account and they are not ONLY for Bottom of the funnel targeting because used correctly Display campaigns are a valuable tool for finding new profitable audience groups especially because they have a much lower CPC.

So in this video I am going to show you how my display campaigns are set-up and how I optimise these campaigns.

For those of you in need of a refresher, the guide below is crafted to demystify the process of optimizing Google Ads display campaigns. It's not just about avoiding the pitfalls of hasty campaign setups but embracing a methodology that transforms display advertising into a potent tool for business growth. Whether you're targeting the bottom of the sales funnel or aiming to capture new audience segments, an effectively optimised display campaign can yield impressive results, especially with its typically lower cost-per-click (CPC) compared to other advertising forms.

Display Campaigns Basics

Display campaigns are a form of online advertising that allows businesses to showcase their ads on a vast network of websites across the Internet. These ads can be in various formats, including text, image, interactive, and video ads, and are displayed to users while they are browsing websites, watching videos, checking emails, or using apps. The primary objective of display advertising is to deliver general advertisements and brand messages to site visitors.

Unlike search campaigns that target users actively searching for specific keywords, display campaigns are more about capturing the attention of users based on their interests, demographics, or past online behavior. This distinction is crucial as it shifts the focus from immediate intent to potential interest. While search ads demand relevance to specific queries, display ads offer the flexibility of engaging users who might not be actively searching but are still likely prospects for your offerings.

The Potential of Display Campaigns in Reaching New Audiences

One of the greatest strengths of display campaigns is their ability to reach new, broader audiences. Through the Google Display Network (GDN), your ads can appear on a vast array of websites, reaching over 90% of Internet users worldwide. This extensive reach allows you to:

• Build Brand Awareness: Display campaigns can introduce your brand to a large audience, making them an excellent tool for top-of-the-funnel marketing strategies.
• Retargeting: They are effective in retargeting strategies where you re-engage users who have previously interacted with your brand.
• Audience Targeting: Google Ads offers sophisticated targeting options based on user demographics, interests, behaviors, and more, allowing for highly tailored campaigns.
• Diverse Ad Formats: The versatility in ad formats (like banners, skyscrapers, and squares) enables creative ways to capture user attention and convey your message.

Common Pitfalls in Display Campaign Setup

A successful Google Ads display campaign hinges on more than just selecting appealing images or crafting catchy headlines. Many advertisers, especially those new to the platform, fall into traps that can hinder the performance of their campaigns. Recognizing these common pitfalls is the first step towards creating more effective and profitable display campaigns.

Quick and Inefficient Campaign Setups

In the rush to launch, it's tempting to opt for speed over strategy. However, hasty setups often lead to:

• Poor Targeting: Without proper research and consideration, ads may reach audiences who have little or no interest in the product or service, leading to low engagement and wasted spend.
• Generic Creative Elements: Rapidly chosen images and headlines might fail to resonate with the target audience, lacking the customization needed to stand out.

Lack of Strategic Planning in Creative Design

Display ads are visual storytellers. Their success largely depends on the quality and relevance of their creative elements:

• Ineffective Ad Creatives: Ads that don't align with the audience's interests or preferences can lead to low click-through rates (CTRs) and conversions.
• Ignoring Ad Placement and Context: Failing to consider where and how the ad will be displayed can result in ads appearing out of context or in unfavorable locations, diminishing their effectiveness.

Underestimating the Power of Optimization

A "set it and forget it" mentality is a significant hindrance. Continuous optimization is key:

• Neglecting Data Analysis: Not using data to guide adjustments in the campaign can lead to ongoing inefficiencies and missed opportunities for improvement.
• Lack of Testing: Failing to test different elements of the campaign (like ad copy, images, or targeting criteria) means missing out on discovering what resonates best with your audience.

Misaligned Objectives and Expectations

Misunderstanding the role of display campaigns in the marketing funnel often leads to unrealistic expectations:

• Seeking Immediate Conversions: Display campaigns are typically more effective in building awareness and interest than driving immediate sales.
• Ignoring Branding Potential: Many advertisers overlook the branding and top-of-funnel engagement opportunities that display campaigns offer.

Overlooking Advanced Targeting Options

Google Ads provides a plethora of targeting options, and not using them effectively can limit campaign potential:

• Broad Targeting: Overly broad targeting can lead to irrelevant ad placements, wasting budget.
• Not Utilizing Remarketing: Remarketing is a powerful tool in display advertising, allowing you to reconnect with people who have previously interacted with your brand.

Strategic Planning for Display Campaigns

Successful Google Ads display campaigns begin with a robust strategic planning process. This phase is crucial in setting a solid foundation for your campaign, ensuring it is tailored to meet your specific business objectives.

Goal Setting: Defining What You Want to Achieve

The first step in planning your display campaign is to clearly identify your campaign objectives. Are you aiming for brand awareness, lead generation, increased website traffic, or direct sales? This decision is pivotal as it influences every aspect of your campaign strategy, from the creative elements to the choice of targeting options. Align these goals with your broader business objectives to ensure cohesion and effectiveness. It is also important to set measurable targets for your campaign, such as specific click-through rates (CTR), conversion rates, or return on ad spend (ROAS). These metrics will not only guide your campaign setup but also provide benchmarks to assess its performance.

Target Audience Identification and Segmentation

Understanding your target audience is fundamental to the success of your display campaign. It involves delving into the demographics, interests, online behaviors, and pain points of your potential customers. Creating detailed buyer personas can be an effective way to tailor your messaging and creative elements to different audience segments. By segmenting your audience, you can deliver more personalized and relevant ad experiences, increasing the likelihood of engagement and conversion.

Crafting Compelling Images and Headlines

The visual and textual components of your ads are what initially capture the attention of your audience. Therefore, it’s crucial to invest in designing engaging visuals that not only grab attention but also reflect your brand's identity and values. Alongside eye-catching images, the development of impactful headlines cannot be overstated. These headlines should be clear, concise, and engaging, succinctly communicating your value proposition and motivating users to take action. Ensuring that your ad creatives are relevant to the audience segment and appropriate for the context in which they are displayed is also key to their effectiveness.

Choosing the Right Ad Formats and Placements

Selecting the most appropriate ad formats and placements is a strategic decision that can significantly impact the success of your campaign. This might involve choosing between banners, responsive ads, or video ads based on what resonates best with your target audience and aligns with your campaign goals. Furthermore, deciding where your ads will be most effective is equally important. This could mean targeting specific types of websites, mobile apps, or placements within videos to ensure your ads reach the right people in the right context.

Developing a Clear Message and Call to Action (CTA)

Finally, the core message of your ad should be clear and compelling, directly speaking to the needs and interests of your target audience. A strong call to action (CTA) is critical in guiding users on what to do next, whether it’s to learn more, sign up, or make a purchase. The CTA should be direct, encouraging, and aligned with the overall goal of your campaign.

Technical Aspects of Optimizing Display Campaigns

Once the strategic planning for your Google Ads display campaign is in place, the next crucial step involves diving into the technical aspects of campaign setup and optimization. This stage is where your planning materializes into actionable steps, ensuring that your campaigns are not only well-designed but also technically sound to reach your targeted audience effectively.

Setting Up the Campaign Structure

The structure of your campaign is pivotal for its success. This involves organizing your ad groups based on different themes, products, services, or audience segments. A well-structured campaign allows for more granular control and easier optimization. For instance, you might have separate ad groups targeting different demographics or product lines, each with tailored ads and specific keywords.

Utilizing Targeting Options

Google Ads offers a wide array of targeting options that can significantly enhance the effectiveness of your display campaigns. This includes:

• Demographic Targeting: Selecting your audience based on age, gender, income level, and other demographic factors.
• Interest and Behavior Targeting: Reaching users based on their interests, hobbies, and online behavior patterns.
• Contextual Targeting: Placing ads on websites that are relevant to your product or service.
• Geotargeting: Focusing on users in specific geographic locations, which is particularly important if your business is location-specific.
• Device Targeting: Choosing to show your ads on specific devices, like mobiles, tablets, or desktops, depending on where your audience is most likely to engage.

Budget Allocation and Bid Strategies

Budgeting and bidding are critical components of your campaign’s performance. Determining the right budget and how to allocate it across your campaigns is crucial. You need to balance between spending enough to get results, but not so much that your return on investment diminishes. Google Ads offers various bid strategies that can be used based on your campaign goals, such as cost-per-click (CPC), cost-per-thousand impressions (CPM), or cost-per-acquisition (CPA). Each of these strategies has its strengths and should be chosen based on what you aim to achieve with your campaign.

Ad Extensions and Features

Utilizing ad extensions can significantly enhance the visibility and effectiveness of your ads. Extensions like sitelinks, callouts, and structured snippets add more information to your ads and provide additional links to your website, which can improve your ad’s click-through rate. Google also offers various features like frequency capping, ad scheduling, and placement exclusions, which allow you to control how, when, and where your ads appear.

Monitoring and Adjusting Campaigns

Once your campaign is live, continuous monitoring is essential. This involves tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) like CTR, conversion rate, and quality score. Use Google Analytics in conjunction with Google Ads to gain deeper insights into how users are interacting with your ads and website. Based on this data, you’ll need to make regular adjustments to your campaigns, such as refining your targeting, adjusting bids, or tweaking your ad creatives.