Measuring your AdWords optimization level in few minutes is not a chimera. You can do it by just looking at only 3 Key Performance Indicators and performing some fast quality checks. Looking at this presentation you will know exactly what to look at (and why) in any AdWords account to have a full assessment of its optimization. And it comes with a lot of actionable suggestions to measure and improve performance in all campaigns. These slides were presented by Gianpaolo Lorusso at SEMDays in Bucarest on 9/26/15.

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Gianpaolo Lorusso

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• Google Partner since 2005, I have been working
in the Web Marketing field for 12 years now.
• I created ADworld Experience, the largest
AdWords event in Southern Europe.
• I am working on PPC Performance Monitor, a
free web application (in beta) for checking the
optimization level of AdWords accounts.
Who I am

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Let’s get to the point…
What are the most common questions when
taking over a direct response account?
What is the situation?
Could we have more?
Could we be spending less?
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What if I say…
We can answer these questions in 5
minutes by looking at…
3 reports
&
by doing some fast checks
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What to look at…
• Efficiency
is CPC the lowest possible for our keywords?
• Effectiveness
are we buying the right clicks?
• Coverage
are we getting all the “right clicks” we can?
• Qualitative checks
are we using all the “PPC good boy” best practices?
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Efficiency in AdWords
 Search
Top spending keywords should have Quality
Scores ranging from 7 to 10
 Display & Shopping
Good CTR, lower than search CPCs (except for
very specific placements or key shopping items)
and acceptable Bounce Rates
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Visualize QS
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And what else?
 Search
Keywords with a lot of impressions (but few
clicks) should never have a low Quality Score too.
 Display & Shopping
High rotating placements and shopping items
should not have extremely low CTR & high Bounce
Rates.
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Improving efficiency
 Change campaigns structure
 Limit geographic and language target
 Use extensions (especially sitelinks, local, call &
callout)
 Negative keywords
 Keywords matching types
 New ad texts/images (always test new ads)
 Dynamic Keyword Insertion & ad personalizers
 Dynamic Search ADS
 Select highest CTR placements
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Keywords / placements / shopping items cost per
conversion has to be lower than the direct or
indirect profit generated
Do not forget to consider lifetime customer value, «impossible»
conversions, discovery effect (& word of mouth) and statistical
relevance of data
Effectiveness in AdWords
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Out of scale conversions
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Black budget holes
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Tracking conversions
 Always connect AdWords and Analytics accounts (to
see bounce rates and more search terms)
 Consider importing conversions from Analytics
(AdWords cookie lasts 7 to 90 days, Analytics one lasts 6
months)
 9h import delay in conversions from Analytics
 Numbers will always be different because AdWords
attribution dates refer to the last click on the AD while
Analytics ones to the last website session
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Improve effectiveness
 Consider tracking “engagement” conversions (PDF
download, NL subscriptions, long/deep visits)
 Top ranking only for effective keywords, less visible for
all the others (check on Analytics)
 Allow Search to have its budget, then use display
 Landing page tests (optimizely, vwo, unbounce)
 Testing Enhanced CPC or CPA (if enough conversions)
 Aggressive display targeting (DCO)
 Remarketing in search or display (positive or negative)
 Manage bids for effective display placements
 Shopping campaigns (a “must do” for e-commerce)
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The most effective keywords and placements
should have the maximum possible coverage in
impression shares.
In other words… when users perform searches or visit sites
which have already proven to be highly converting they have to
see our ads.
Coverage & budget spending
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Visualize coverage
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consider adding budget or separate keyword
add budget / separate key & increase CPC
data consistence filter

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 Tuning CPCs to balance daily budget & expense
 Add budget for high converting campaigns/groups (dividing
top keywords from the others)
 ADS active only in days/hours your target users are on line
(BtoB or BtoC?)
 Schedule extensions and ADS visibility according to offers and
customer care opening hours
 Block or adjust bids for less performing geographical areas
& demographic groups
 Block or adjust bids for less performing devices
Optimizing coverage
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Qualitative checks recap
 Is budget aligned with everyday expense?
 How many texts ads/images are we using in each group?
 Are there dynamic keyword insertions & personalizers?
 Are all possible extensions being used?
 Are there negative keywords? At what level?
 Are there different keywords matching types?
 Are there Dynamic Search ADS?
 Bids strategies in use? Enhanced CPC/CPA?
 Is Analytics account connected? Which conversions are being
tracked?
 Are best/worst items being managed/blocked in Display &
Shopping? What about remarketing?
 Are some landing pages tests being performed?
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Foto credits: www.sgoralnick.com
And then…
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Do not be too sure to have addressed all the most effective
ways you can hit your target customers…
• Ask to your customer’s front desk
• Online surveys
• Call for online feedbacks
• Conditional live chats
• Monitor social network comments
Start again!
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Thanks for your attention
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Slides at: http://bit.ly/lorussoSD15
www.ppcperformancemonitor.com (free alpha)
1h free video: http://bit.ly/adwords-optimized
See you on April 14-15, 2016 at www.adworldexperience.com
10% discount code: semdays10
(valid for registration & all video-courses until 12/31/15)