Optimization

This week we focused on Optimization. To optimize something means to make it the best it can be. It will be the most efficient, the most effective. You do more good things and fewer bad things.

In order to optimize your web site and your AdWords campaign, you need to have a goal, or a problem you're trying to solve. Say you have low impressions because your ad isn't showing up on Google. You may have one or two problems.
*Low Quality Score
*Ad that breaks rules
For help concerning broken rules, you'll have to consult Google, since we haven't covered that much yet. The most likely problem is your keywords. If your keywords have low Quality Scores, don't match the ad or are too general, your ad won't get shown often. And if it's not shown, it won't be seen. If it's not seen, it won't be clicked on. Check your keywords for relevance and clarity.You may have to switch them out a lot, but keep finding them.

Which brings me to the next point of Optimization. Say that your ad is showing up, but no one is clicking on it (so you have a bad click-through rate). You probably have a bad ad. Bad ads can mean that you have the wrong keywords, not enough negative keywords or perhaps just a bad keyword/ad match. Guidelines found here can help you make your ad better.

Finally, if people do click on your ad, but no one is converting (doing whatever it is you want them to do) and so your conversion rate is low, the problem comes down to your site. Either you're drawing in the wrong people (and the problem really lies in your ads or keywords), or your website stinks. I don't mean that in a mean way, but really, if you have a good site, people will generally do what you want them to do.

The problem may be that you're taking them to the wrong landing page. Maybe you need a new layout to make things easier. Your landing page should always be relevant to your ad. It needs to be easy to navigate and for people to know what it is you want them to do. On certain sites, pictures and videos are very helpful.

You want to grab people's attention, get their interest, and then lead them to decision and Action.

As a recap, when you're trying to optimize
*Check keywords for relevance to your ad and product
*Check ads for clarity and relevance to keywords and landing page
*Check landing page for ease of navigation and relevance to ad.

All these things are interconnected. If no one is converting, the real problem may go all the way back to your keywords. Make two versions of everything and test to find the better one. Never stop because it can always be better.