Given this high-stakes shopping period, optimizing Google Ads campaigns becomes crucial to maximize revenue. BFCM presents unique opportunities and challenges for marketers. On one hand, there’s an unprecedented surge in consumer demand; on the other, there’s fierce competition for attention and conversions. To stand out, businesses must fine-tune their SEM strategies, ensuring every dollar spent translates into measurable returns.

In this blog, we’ll delve into practical SEM tips & tricks tailored for BFCM, equipping you with the tools to not just capture attention but to convert it into sales. Whether it’s setting the stage with compelling ad copy, leveraging smart bidding, or optimizing for mobile shoppers, these strategies will help you navigate the dynamic landscape of holiday marketing. Let’s dive in and explore how you can make the most of this lucrative season!

Start Preparing Your Campaigns Early

Don’t wait until the last minute to get your ducks in a row for your Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. If you’re thinking you can start prepping a week before, you’re already behind the game. The secret sauce to a successful BFCM campaign is all in the groundwork you lay ahead of time. This means having your Google Ads campaigns polished, keywords fine-tuned, & budgets mapped out well in advance. By doing this, you’ll free up valuable time during the actual sale period to focus on evaluating performance and making those crucial but minor, adjustments that could make all the difference. It’s about setting yourself up so that when the clock ticks down to Black Friday, you’re not scrambling but rather strategically navigating the market dynamics.

Set your goals, leverage insights from past performances, and ensure your landing pages and ad copies are optimized and ready to go. By the time BFCM rolls around, you’ll be in a position to maximize revenue rather than play catch-up. This early preparation allows you to pivot quickly and efficiently in response to real-time data, ensuring that your campaigns are running like a well-oiled machine. After all, in the high-stakes world of holiday eCommerce, the early bird really does catch the worm.

Pick BFCM Promo’s That Drive Results

When it comes to boosting sales during Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM), the type of promotion you choose can make all the difference. General percent discounts are proven winners, driving the best results. A whopping 44% of shoppers prefer these discounts, making them the top choice for BFCM promotions. Site-wide percent discounts, in particular, lead to the highest conversion rates, enticing customers with the promise of savings across the board.

Following that the #2 choice is the classic buy one, get one free (BOGO) promotion. This approach is favored by 34% of shoppers and offers a tangible incentive that encourages bulk purchasing, elevating the average order value. The appeal of getting something extra for the money spent makes this promotion a perennial favorite.

On the flip side, early access or exclusive deals don’t seem to hit the mark as effectively. Only 7% of shoppers state this as their preferred deal, suggesting that the allure of exclusivity might not be as strong as the straightforward appeal of immediate savings. Understanding these preferences can help you tailor your promotions to meet customer expectations, ensuring your BFCM strategy is not just competitive but also compelling enough to capture those holiday dollars.

Review Past Performance and Set Goals

Before diving into the holiday frenzy, take a moment to revisit last year’s campaign performance. Look at what worked and what didn’t: examine messaging, keywords, campaigns, ad groups, deals, promos, and products. Lean into strategies that delivered results while pulling back from those that fell short. Did you notice any top efficiency campaigns that lost impression share due to budget constraints? That’s a clue where you might need to allocate more budget this year.

Don’t overlook your search term report from last year, either. Were there search terms driving revenue that you weren’t actively bidding on? Make sure to bid on those this year to increase your chances of showing for those search terms while also catching cheaper CPCs. At the same time, keep an eye out for irrelevant terms that came through, wasting ad spend, and cut them out.

Once you’ve dissected past performance, it’s time to set clear, measurable goals for the upcoming BFCM period. Use your data insights to inform adjustments in strategy, budgeting, and expectations. Knowing where to push and where to scale back can be the difference between a good campaign and a great one. Remember, the data from past performance is your playbook; use it to craft a smarter, more effective strategy for this year’s high-stakes shopping season.

Warn the Algorithm that Change is Coming by Setting Seasonality Adjustments

To prepare for the BFCM rush, it’s crucial to let your algorithm know that a change is on the horizon. This means setting seasonality adjustments to account for the expected surge in budget and conversion rates (CVRs). These adjustments help the algorithm anticipate the increased demand and adjust bidding strategies accordingly. It’s a bit like giving your system a heads-up that things are about to get busy, ensuring it’s not caught off guard.

When setting these adjustments, make sure they’re active for more than seven days. If you are expecting your sale changes to take longer than seven days, consider adding multiple seasonality adjustments.

Take a look at last year’s BFCM conversion rate increase to determine what your adjustment should be. This historical data provides a solid benchmark for expected performance shifts, allowing you to set realistic and effective adjustments. However, be mindful that this approach often results in higher cost-per-clicks (CPCs). It’s a trade-off for staying competitive during peak periods. With the right adjustments in place, your campaigns are better positioned to handle the BFCM frenzy, ultimately leading to more effective bidding and improved overall performance. It’s about setting the stage for success before the holiday shopping bonanza kicks in.

Add New Sales/Deals-Related Keywords to Your Keyword Strategy

As the holiday season approaches, it’s crucial to adapt your keyword strategy to capture the attention of deal-seeking shoppers. We always recommend creating a promo campaign that exclusively targets keywords with sale modifiers. These might include phrases like “Black Friday deals,” “Cyber Monday discounts,” or “holiday sale offers.” By honing in on these terms, you can specifically attract users who are actively searching for promotions ready to shop some deals.

Next, organize your ad groups by products. This segmentation allows you to tailor your messaging and offers more effectively, ensuring that each ad resonates with the specific interests of your audience. It’s essential to max out budgets for these high-intent terms, as they are likely to drive substantial traffic and conversions during the BFCM period.

To determine what keywords to use in your new campaign, review the search term report for inspiration. This report provides insights into the actual terms users are searching for, allowing you to identify additional opportunities for keyword expansion. Look for patterns and trends in the report to uncover new phrases that align with your promotions.

Incorporating these strategies will not only enhance your campaign’s visibility but also position your brand to capitalize on the increased shopping activity during the holiday season. By aligning your keywords with consumer intent, you ensure that your ads are reaching the right audience at the right time.

Optimize your PMax campaigns for sales

To make the most of your Performance Max (PMax) campaigns during BFCM we typically recommend ecommerce accounts follow the following steps:

• Promo Asset Groups: Start by creating a dedicated “Promo” asset group for each sale you’re running. Consistency is key, so ensure the creative and copy you use are aligned across all channels. Running this new asset group with teaser ads a week before the sale not only generates early demand but also helps the algorithm get out of its learning phase, optimizing performance when the main sale kicks off.
• Improving Asset Group Signals: Add promo-related keywords as search themes to capture the attention of deal-seeking shoppers. Also, incorporate audience signals specifically targeting holiday deal seekers, ensuring that your ads reach those most likely to convert. 
• Update Your Feed: Don’t forget to update your product feeds to highlight the deals you’re offering. Do this at least 7 days in advance to allow ample time for troubleshooting any feed-related issues that might arise. 
• Consolidate your Campaigns: A consolidated approach to product segmentation is recommended, as it aids the algorithm in optimizing more efficiently. Over-segmentation can dilute the effectiveness of your campaign, making it harder for the algorithm to find and focus on winning strategies.

By following these steps, you’ll be well-equipped to leverage PMax campaigns effectively, capturing the attention of your target audience and driving sales during this peak shopping period.

Craft Urgency-Driven Ad Copy and Optimize Landing Pages

Creating urgency-driven ad copy is crucial in capturing the attention of potential customers during the high-stakes BFCM period. Phrases like “limited-time offer” or “only a few left in stock” tap into the psychological triggers of scarcity and exclusivity, compelling users to act swiftly. Countdown timers in ads can further amplify this effect by introducing a tangible deadline, nudging consumers toward immediate action.

But it’s not just about the ad copy; the landing page must echo this urgency. Imagine clicking on an ad promising a flash sale only to land on a generic page with no mention of it. That’s a conversion killer. Ensure your landing pages are not only visually aligned with your ads but also reinforce the same urgent message. They should be designed for seamless navigation, prominently featuring the offer and a clear call-to-action.

Additionally, integrating elements of social proof—like customer reviews or real-time purchase notifications—can enhance credibility and drive engagement. These subtle cues suggest that others are buying and benefiting from the deal, encouraging more users to join in/

In essence, your ad copy and landing pages should work in harmony, creating a cohesive and persuasive user experience that leverages urgency and social proof to drive conversions. This alignment is key to maximizing ROI during BFCM.

Utilize extension assets to promote your sales

Leveraging extension assets in your Google Ads campaigns can significantly enhance visibility and drive more traffic during the BFCM frenzy. We always recommend utilizing all three of these asset extensions for each promo you run:

• Promo extensions are a must-have, allowing you to highlight special promotions like discount codes or limited-time offers. They can accommodate various promo types, whether it’s a monetary or percent discount, giving you flexibility.

Sitelink extensions are another powerful tool. They can direct users to specific sales-related pages or funnel traffic to product pages that historically perform well during sales events. Think custom deals pages, top-performing categories, or those hot-ticket items with irresistible deals.

Headline extensions, which can automatically tailor your ad copy for all ads within a specific campaign or ad group. By adding both a headline and description, you can ensure that your promotions are front and center. Pinning the headline or description guarantees that it shows for every searcher, maximizing your ad’s impact.

Incorporating these extensions isn’t just about adding more content to your ads—it’s about strategically guiding potential customers to the most relevant parts of your site where they’re likely to convert. With the right extensions in place, your ads become more than just attention-grabbers; they turn into conversion-driving machines that help you make the most of the holiday shopping rush.

Leverage Smart Bidding, Audience Targeting, and Remarketing

To make the most of your BFCM campaigns, smart bidding can be your best friend. Automated bidding solutions like Target ROAS or Maximize Conversions Value adjust bids in real-time to optimize for conversions and boost your ROI. This takes the guesswork out of the equation, letting algorithms do the heavy lifting while you focus on strategy.

Precise audience targeting is crucial during BFCM, where every second counts. By zeroing in on high-intent shoppers—those who are most likely to convert—you ensure that your ads reach the right eyeballs at the right time. Use audience insights to craft segments based on behaviors, interests, and past interactions. This way, you’re not just casting a wide net; you’re fishing where the fish are.

Remarketing plays a pivotal role in re-engaging past visitors who may have shown interest but didn’t quite make the purchase. Set up remarketing lists to target these folks with tailored ads, reminding them of the deals they almost snagged. This not only increases your chances of conversion but also maximizes your ad spend by focusing on warm leads. By combining smart bidding, precise targeting, and effective remarketing, you create a trifecta that not only captures but captivates your audience during the high-stakes BFCM period.

Utilize AI Tools for Enhanced Decision-Making

AI tools have revolutionized how marketers approach campaign strategies, especially during high-stakes periods like BFCM. Google’s AI recommendations are a game-changer, offering insights that can help refine your campaign strategies and adapt swiftly to changes in consumer behavior. These recommendations can assist in identifying patterns and trends that might be missed otherwise, enabling you to make data-driven decisions with confidence.

Performance Max campaigns are another powerful AI-driven solution designed to broaden your reach with minimal manual intervention. By leveraging machine learning, these campaigns optimize across all Google channels, ensuring your ads are shown to the most relevant audiences. This means you can effectively capture a diverse range of potential buyers without getting bogged down in the nitty-gritty details of manual optimizations.

By integrating AI tools into your campaign strategy, you’re not just keeping pace with the competition—you’re setting the stage for success.

Optimize for Mobile Shoppers

With mobile shopping becoming increasingly dominant during BFCM, ensuring your campaigns are mobile-optimized is non-negotiable. Mobile devices offer a unique blend of convenience and immediacy, making them the go-to choice for many shoppers seeking quick, seamless experiences. So, how do you make the most of this trend?

First, streamline your mobile ad strategies. Design ad creatives with mobile users in mind by using short, impactful copy and eye-catching visuals that load quickly. The goal is to capture attention while providing an effortless shopping experience.

Next, consider the psychology of mobile shopping. Users often shop on-the-go, meaning your campaigns should cater to this sense of urgency. Incorporate elements that emphasize speed and ease, such as “Buy Now” buttons and simplified checkout processes.

App campaigns are another critical component for those ecommerce brands that have apps. They allow you to engage users directly within your app, which is particularly effective for retaining high-intent shoppers. Ensure your app is not only user-friendly but also optimized for fast loading times and straightforward navigation. By honing in on these strategies, you’ll effectively capture and convert mobile shoppers during the high-stakes BFCM period.

Conclusion

Optimizing your Google Ads campaigns during the high-stakes BFCM period is a game-changer for maximizing revenue. By starting early, reviewing past performance, and setting clear, measurable goals, you lay a solid foundation for success. Implementing seasonality adjustments keeps the algorithm primed for increased activity while adding new sales-related keywords ensures you capture every opportunity.

Crafting urgency-driven ad copy and optimizing landing pages can drive engagement by leveraging psychological triggers. Utilizing extension assets highlights your promotions effectively, and smart bidding, audience targeting, and remarketing enhance your campaign’s reach and impact. Don’t forget to harness AI tools for data-driven decision-making and optimize for mobile shoppers to capture the growing mobile market.

Post-Black Friday, extending deals and nurturing leads maintains momentum and capitalizes on new customer relationships. By incorporating these insights, you’ll enhance visibility, engagement, and sales, making the most of the holiday shopping frenzy. Remember, success in holiday marketing requires continuous learning and adaptation. Stay agile, and you’ll thrive in this dynamic landscape.

Ready to maximize your Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales with a powerful SEM strategy? Contact our team of experts today to get the support you need to drive optimal results.

The post BFCM Marketing: SEM Strategies for the Holiday Season appeared first on NoGood™: Growth Marketing Agency.

While some may argue, “We don’t need yet another video platform,” this could be a valuable tool for B2B marketers looking to expand their advertising strategies into short-form content and grow their online brand and community, particularly if they’ve felt that existing platforms don’t provide the appropriate space for their content as they tend to lean more consumer/comm driven.

How LinkedIn’s Short-Form Video Feed Works

Currently, the video feed is part of a limited beta test on the LinkedIn iOS mobile app and is not yet available to all LinkedIn users. Those who are part of the beta can access the feed through the new “Video” tab at the bottom of the app, located between the “Home” and “My Network” tabs. Note that this feed is completely separate from the original feed with your typical posts, yet the videos you post on the “My Network” feed are what shows up on the “Video” feed.

Once you’re in the “Video” tab, the experience is very similar to that of other short-form video apps: you can scroll through content, like, comment, share videos to your profile, and follow new users directly from the feed. However, posting directly on the short-form video feed is not currently an option.

Other features of the product include the ability to:

• Adjust playback speed
• Turn on high contrast
• Show closed captions
• Save a video for future reference
• Report a post
• Mark a post as “Not Interested” to avoid seeing similar content in the future

At this moment, the videos in the feed come from those posted through a general LinkedIn post. There is no way to differentiate which feed your post goes to.

Your video feed will consist of a mix of content from people you actively follow, as well as videos from those you don’t currently follow. While LinkedIn hasn’t officially disclosed how the videos in your feed are selected, it appears to be curated in a similar manner to TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts, where spending more time on or interacting with one video influences the videos shown to you in the future.

Types of Content on the Feed

While the new LinkedIn video feed may look and feel similar to other short-form video platforms, the content itself is what sets it apart. Unlike the more consumer-oriented and hobby-centric content typically found on TikTok, Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts, the videos on LinkedIn’s feed are primarily business, employment, and career-driven. Similar to the content you would see on the general LinkedIn post feed.

We’ve noticed a nice mix of content from individual LinkedIn profiles offering professional advice and insights into their industries, as well as content from businesses and corporate accounts showcasing their work and promoting their products.

Are There Ads in the Space?

Currently, ads do not appear to be included in the short-form video feed beta. LinkedIn has not yet announced if or how they plan to incorporate ads into the feed, but based on the trajectory of other short-form video platforms, it’s likely only a matter of time before this feature is integrated.

Ads within the feed would be a significant win for B2B advertisers, many of whom feel limited in expanding into other short-form video platforms, as their content doesn’t always feel native to those environments.

How Can B2B Marketers Capitalize on This Product?

We’ve all seen the benefits that DTC and eCommerce brands have reaped by building communities on short-form video platforms. LinkedIn Video is the perfect place for B2B brands to start building a community of their own, in an environment where people are actively in a business mindset.

For this reason, we suggest that B2B businesses seize this opportunity as early as possible before the platform becomes oversaturated with creators. Since the feed displays a mix of content from people you currently follow, as well as content the algorithm thinks you would be interested in, this is a great opportunity to get your brand in front of a new audience while also providing additional value to your current followers—moving them further down the funnel, all free of charge.

What Kind of Content to Post

There appears to be a wide variety of content currently being shown in the feed. Everything from vlog-style UGC videos to more highly edited promotional videos is common. We suggest testing a bit of everything to find what resonates with your audience.

That said, keep in mind the nature of the other short-form video platforms. The content that tends to succeed most often on those platforms leans towards being more natural and organic, rather than overly sales-focused. While scrolling through the platform, we found that those more highly produced sales videos felt somewhat awkward and more out of place.. They feel more like a paid ad, making you want to scroll right past and not pay attention to the content provided.

On the flip side, the UGC content, focusing less on driving immediate results from your videos, and more on providing value to your potential customers and building up your brand’s community does a better job at catching our attention as it feels a lot more similar to the content that we know and love on the other short form platforms.

Top three UGC videos we feel do best on the feed:

• Podcast clips: about every three-to-five videos you are bound to find at least one clip that looks like it is taken directly from a podcast. These videos are so successful since they take the most high quality and valuable clip from a longer podcast and promote it, making people crave to hear more. 
• Day in the life vlogs: We are seeing a lot of content of people showing what it is like working at their company. These videos make you feel like you are getting an inside look at a brand, making you feel more connected to it. They also tend to sneak in small pockets of information on how the brand can benefit you, without feeling too salesy. 
• Listicles: Listicle videos are a short list of items that are based on a specific theme, designed to make it feel like the listener is getting value or learning something from the list. In doing this, the content tends to sneak in the brand and how the brand can provide benefit to the audience somewhere in the list. 

Developing a good hook

Regardless of the type of videos that you post, what is most important is that you have a strong hook on it. The hook is the first sentence that is said or written in the video that is used to capture the user’s attention.

The hook of a video can make or break your video’s performance. If you don’t have a strong hook, you run the risk of losing your audience’s attention right from the start. To know what videos of yours have the most impactful hook, determine your hook rate. Hook rate is calculated by dividing your 3-second video view metric by impressions then multiplying by 100.

A good hook rate will vary from industry to industry, but a good benchmark for all advertisers is anywhere from 35-35%. Some of the hooks that we find work best for our B2B clients are as follows:

• Summary Statement: Summarizes exactly what the video is going to cover in the first sentence. 
• Relatable Statement: Addressing the audience directly by stating something that they can connect with.
• Listicles: Stating you are going to go through the top [X] number of [Y]
• Statistics: Sharing a stat that wasn’t previously known to the audience 
• Dramatic Statement: A sentence that is bold, shocking, or surprising.

The Future of LinkedIn’s Short-Form Video Feed

There’s no official word from LinkedIn on if or when this feature will be rolled out to all users, but we predict that it’s here to stay and will be the perfect space for B2B brands to finally build their communities. Dust off your UGC skills, B2B marketers—the benefits you can experience from short-form video platforms are immense.

The post Is LinkedIn Video the New B2B TikTok? appeared first on NoGood™: Growth Marketing Agency.

What is a Broad Match Keyword?

Before we dive in on how and when marketers should test broad match keywords, it is important to have a strong understanding of what exactly they are and how they work. Broad match is a keyword match type in Google Ads that allows your ad to show on searches that are related to the meaning of your keyword, which can include searches that don’t contain the keyword terms. 

This match type helps your ads reach a wider audience without requiring an extensive keyword list. For example, including a board-match match type on the keyword “running shoes” can match searches like “blue sneakers for sale” or “red tennis shoes,” broadening your reach and increasing the possibilities for conversions.

How Does Broad Match Differ from Phrase and Exact Match?

Broad match keywords differ significantly from phrase and exact match types. Here’s a quick comparison:

• Exact Match: Your ads will only show when the search query matches the exact keyword or close variants with the same meaning. This match type offers the highest level of control but the least reach.
• Phrase Match: Your ads can appear when the search query includes the meaning of your keyword. Phrase match offers a balance between control and reach, allowing for slight variations in search queries.
• Broad Match: Your ads can show on searches that are related to the meaning of your keyword. This match type offers the greatest reach but requires careful management to avoid irrelevant clicks.

Evolution of Broad Match

If you were to ask many marketers even just a couple of years ago if they were running broad match keywords in their SEM strategy, their answer was likely no. In the past, broad match keywords were often seen as too, well, “broad.” They ended up showing on search terms that were not relevant to the advertiser and were seen as inefficient, leading to wasted ad spend on irrelevant clicks.

However, Google has significantly improved broad matches with advanced machine learning algorithms that better understand user intent and context. Google says, “Broad match is not the same as it was, redesigned completely to be more powerful paired with Smart Bidding. No more need to manage millions of variations of the same keyword.”

Now, broad match can match relevant queries just as effectively as exact and phrase match, by considering various signals, including:

• The actual keyword being targeted
• The searcher’s recent search activities and intent
• The content of the landing page the ad for the keyword is pointing to 
• Other keywords in an ad group to better understand keyword intent/true meaning
• The searcher’s location
• Predicted performance 

When to Use Broad Match Keywords

While broad-match keywords have come a long way in recent years and can provide a lot of value for a lot of different advertisers, we wouldn’t make the blanket statement that all marketers should use broad-match keywords. In fact, we would typically only suggest broad match to advertisers who:

1. Are comfortable with their current CPA or ROAS: As broad match can sometimes be seen as slightly less efficient, especially when starting out, we typically only recommend broad match keywords to advertisers who are satisfied with your current Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) or Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) and are looking to scale.
2. You have a strong impression share: If you currently have a strong impression share on your phrase and exact match keywords, scaling on your own without adding additional keywords to your strategy could be difficult. Broad match keywords can help you get in front of additional searchers without needing to conduct additional keyword research.
3. Value growth over efficiency: If the advertiser’s goal is to grow and reach a wider audience rather than focusing solely on efficiency then broad match keywords might be a good opportunity to help scale.

When to Avoid Broad Match Keywords

On the other side of the coin, there are a couple of aspects where we don’t typically recommend testing broad match keywords.

1. Efficiency is a priority: If your focus is on maximizing efficiency and minimizing wasted spend, broad match might not be the best choice.
2. Minimal budgets: If you have a small budget (say under $15k/month) it is wise to stick with match types where you can have confidence you know exactly who you are showing your ads to. 
3. High competition verticals: In highly competitive industries where irrelevant clicks can be costly, broad match may lead to significant inefficiencies.

Testing Broad Match Keywords

If you feel like broad match keywords are a right fit for your brand, now is the perfect time to start testing them. With that said, we have developed a list of ways we suggest testing broad match keywords efficiently, and a list of ways we would suggest avoiding testing broad match keywords to ensure you don’t waste any ad spend.

Ways We Don’t Recommend Testing

• Switching All Match Types to Broad Match : Simply switching all your keywords from exact/phrase match to broad match is a strategy that a lot of advertisers find issues with. While this might be the easiest and quickest way to test broad match it typically leads to an influx of inefficiencies as it sends everything back into learning mode and removes the ability for historically efficient phrase and exact match keywords from showing. Additionally, it makes it hard to have an apples-to-apples comparison of how broad match performs vs. the previous match types. 
• Adding Broad Match on Top of Historical Match Types: While this option is slightly better than the prior option as it leaves the keywords with historic learnings as is and doesn’t set everything back into a learning period, we also typically don’t recommend this testing strategy as we find that the broad match keywords tend to steal all of the spend from the phrase and exact match keywords, again, making it hard to have a good comparison of how broad match works vs. other match types. 

How We Suggest Testing Broad Match

1. Net-New Campaign With Selected Keywords: The number one strategy that we tend to recommend when starting to test broad match keywords is selecting approximately 10 of your top-performing keywords from a campaign and breaking them out into a net-new campaign to test on their own. 

This strategy allows you to keep complete control over the amount of spend that you are pushing to the broad match keywords as they are in the learning phase and are less efficient. Over time, it also allows you to get that apples-to-apples comparison of what match type is more efficient.

As time goes on, you can continue to add in additional keywords as you see efficiency improving and shift spend away from the original campaign and towards the new campaign.

If you are testing this strategy, make sure you are including filtering negatives in the new campaign to avoid any keyword cannibalization from the existing campaign. This means, for each keyword that you are testing in the broad match campaign, make sure you add the negative exact match version of the keyword to the campaign as well to push those searches to the original campaign.

When set up properly, we have seen the broad match version of the campaign drive CPAs up to 40% lower than their exact and phrase match campaign counterparts.

2. Ad Variation Test: Another way that you can test running broad match keywords in a controlled way is by setting up a custom experiment. To do this, follow the following steps: 

• 1: Go to the experiments tab in Google Ads
• 2: Select “Create a New Experiment”
• 3: Select “Custom Experiment”
• 4: Name your experiment
• 5: Select the campaign you want to test broad match with
• 6: Enter a suffix for the trial name
• 7: Go to the keywords in the trial campaign
• 8: Select all of the keywords and hit “Edit” > “Change match type” > “Upgrade to broad match”
• 9: Select “Schedule”
• 10 Select your experiment goals, split, and dates
• 11: Create your experiment

Tips for Testing Broad Match

1. Play the Long Game: We like to say that testing broad match keywords is a marathon, not a sprint. Broad match keywords take longer to get out of learning mode and drive efficient results than other match types. Keep in mind that it tends to get worse before it gets better. Don’t jump ship if you are not seeing the results you were hoping for right off the bat. We typically recommend giving broad match for at least a month to see decent results. 
2. Daily Monitoring of Search Terms: As mentioned above, broad match keywords tend not to be the strongest performers from the start. They tend to improve performance over time as they learn what is relevant and drives conversions and what is not. With that said, you can help speed up this process and push the algorithm in the right direction by keeping a close eye on the search term report from the start and adding in negative keywords as you see irrelevant terms coming through. We typically suggest doing this exercise daily, at least for the first two weeks, then you can pull back naturally as you start to see the number of relevant search terms increasing and the number of irrelevant search terms decreasing. 
3. Avoid SKAG Format: Single Keyword Ad Groups (SKAG) are not ideal for broad match testing as broad match keywords learn best from the other keywords within the ad group. Make sure to have at least 5 other thematically similar keywords within each ad group to give the match type its best chance.
4. Use Automated Bidding Strategies: Google highly recommends utilizing Smart Bidding strategies when testing broad match to drive the best results. That means that when setting up a broad match campaign, you should be using one of the following bidding strategies:
   1. Maximize conversions
   2. Maximize conversion value
   3. Target CPA
   4. Target ROAS. 

Continuously Monitor Broad Match Keywords to Maximize ROI

Broad match keywords, when used correctly, can significantly enhance the reach of your Google Ads campaigns. However, they require careful testing and monitoring to ensure they deliver relevant traffic without wasting ad spend.

By following the strategies and tips outlined in this post, you can effectively test broad-match keywords and harness their full potential. If you can take any piece of advice from this post, it should be that a broad match is not going to be an overnight success. Make sure you are giving the match type more than enough time to gather data/learnings to help it get out of learning mode. That is when you will start to see the results. 

Happy testing!

The post How to Test Broad Match Keywords in 2024 Without Wasting Spend appeared first on NoGood™: Growth Marketing Agency.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

• How Are AI Overviews Affecting Ad Placement?
• How Will AI Overviews Impact PPC Ad Performance?
• New Performance Metrics
• Additional Ways PPC Marketers Adapt to AI Overviews

How Are AI Overviews Affecting Ad Placement?

A recent study done on 100,000 keywords by SEO platform SE Ranking found the following:

• Shopping ads (carousels) are shown above the AI Overview 80% of the time.
• More ads appeared below the AI Overview than above it
• No ads appeared alongside the AI Overview 27% of the time

In 2023, Google’s top revenue-driving source was ad placements, with 53% of all revenue from ads coming from search ad placements. Due to this, in our opinion, it was never a question of IF Google would include ads within AI Overviews while continuing to drive search ad performance, but it was HOW Google was going to implement ads into AI Overviews while continuing to drive strong search ad performance.

When AI Overviews were first released, Google started by running their ads above and below the Search Generative Experience (SGE). While these original placements are still around, recent versions of the AI Overview include native ads within the experience. Any ad located within the AI Overview is labeled as “sponsored”.

Google has mentioned that if a searcher’s query is commercially driven, they will likely show an ad, instead of the AI Overview Google will only use AI when necessary to promote items like pricing, reviews, and stores to help make the user convert.

While AI Overview ad placements are still being tested and adapted, Google’s SCP and CPO, Philipp Schindler confirms that ads will play an important role in these overviews saying, “SGE is creating new opportunities for us to improve commercial journeys for people by showing relevant ads alongside search results.”

How Will AI Overviews Impact PPC Ad Performance?

In the ideal world, we would have a crystal ball that we can look into to see how the widespread implementation of AI Overviews will impact the performance of Google Ads, but we don’t. What we do know is that there will be changes to the way that people search and how they utilize the SERP.

Across the board, we feel the new feature will mainly impact top-of-funnel awareness/education-based strategies, leaving bottom-off-funnel conversion-based strategies relatively unchanged. Below are our predictions on how AI Overviews will impact PPC.

Increase in Long-tail Conversational Queries

Due to the more conversational aspect of AI Overviews and generative AI as a whole, people are going to be shifting the way that they search to also being more conversational. We are moving away from the days of one to two-word searches and moving towards full sentences using our natural conversational language.

This was a trend that we were already starting to see as voice search became more popular, but the expansion of AI Overviews is only expected to continue that trend as people communicate with the experience in a similar manner that they would communicate with a human.

For example, a CMO looking to outsource some of their work to an agency might have searched for “Marketing Agencies” in the past, but with the rise of AI Overviews, that search might look more like “I need a PPC marketing agency with proven results.” then they might follow up with an additional search for “Show me some of their case studies.”

What Can Marketers do to Prepare?

As searches are becoming more conversational with the rise of artificial intelligence chatbots, marketers need to adjust both their keyword strategy and their ad copy strategy to reflect this shift.

When reviewing your keywords, move away from the short-tail keywords that are only one to two words and lean into more long-tail keywords. Broad match keywords are also a great way to ensure that you are covering your bases and reaching those more conversational keywords.

There are plenty of other ways to find conversational-based long-tail keywords. You can test plugging in your top-performing keywords into keyword research tools such as Google’s Keyword Planner, SEMRush, and AHREFS. We would also recommend reviewing your search term report to see if you can find any conversational trends within your current keyword searches.

Also, outsmart AI with AI. We have found it useful to ask chatbots for examples of conversational searches that a user might type into a search engine to learn more about your product or service. Test using some of the suggestions that it gives in your keyword strategy.

Ad copy needs to be moving away from its more salesy tones and lean towards a more natural voice that helps solve the problem that the user is searching for. Where strong call-to-actions were once a best practice for all advertisers, they now might feel unnatural with this new conversational shift. Give the searcher some sort of answer within the ad copy, but just enough that they want to click into your ad to learn more.

Similar to conversational keyword research, you can also use AI tools to help you come up with conversational-based ad copy for your ads. Try asking a chatbot to help you draft some conversational-based ad copy that solves a problem that your searchers are looking for. Your copy should provide the searcher with the solution to their problem to blend in with the AI Overview while also compelling users to want to click through for more information.

New Performance Metrics

The main goal of AI Overviews is to increase the number of zero-click searches. This means you may see a decrease in CTR and an increase in CPCs. It is predicted that, on average, overviews will decrease CTRs by 30%. As a result, you should shift your focus towards impressions, ROAS and ROI of your ads.

Despite lower CTRs, there could be a positive side effect of these summaries on PPC ads. AI Overviews will make users more qualified before they click your ad. Overviews are going to give users a baseline understanding of what they are searching for. This means that if someone clicks through your ad to your site, they are already slightly further through the funnel than they would have been without the summary, making them one step closer to their conversion point. This could end up having a positive impact on your CVRs and overall ROAS.

What Can Marketers do to Prepare?

Optimize your landing pages for conversions

With searchers now receiving baseline answers directly on the Search Engine Results Page (SERP) those who do click through to your landing page are likely to be more informed and farther along in the purchasing/conversion process than before. This underscores the importance of ensuring that your landing pages are optimized for conversions.

Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) becomes increasingly critical in this context. Below are some key strategies to ensure your landing page is ready for conversions:

• Shorten Form Fields: Streamline your checkout or form submission process by minimizing the number of fields required.
• Highlight Value Proposition: Make your unique value proposition immediately visible and compelling.
• Clear Call-to-Action (CTA): Ensure your CTA is prominently displayed above the fold and clearly communicates what action you want the visitor to take.
• Leverage Social Proof: Incorporate testimonials, reviews, or user-generated content to build trust and credibility.
• Minimize Distractions: Remove unnecessary elements that could divert attention away from your primary conversion goal.
• Offer Incentives: Provide incentives such as discounts, free trials, or exclusive offers to incentivize conversions.

Google Ads offers great tools for A/B testing different landing page variations, enabling you to identify what resonates best with your target audience. By optimizing your landing pages now, you’ll be better prepared to capitalize on the more qualified leads generated by SGE in the future.

Increased Competition for Ad Placement

As mentioned above, ads can be shown above or below the AI Overview With 35% of ads showing below the overview, users are going to have to scroll through a lot more noise and distraction before getting to your ad, likely dropping CTRs even lower.

With that being said, getting that top placement is going to become more important than ever to get your ad directly in front of the searcher and avoid losing them below the summary. This is going to make that Absolute Top Ad placement even more sought after, meaning marketers will need to put extra effort into improving ad rank so your ad doesn’t drop below the feature.

What Can Marketers do to Prepare?

Advertisers are not going to want their ads to be pushed below the AI Overview. Get ahead of the curve and work on improving your ad rank now to win that placement early and often.

Remember, six key components make up Ad Rank scores:

• How much you are willing to bid for your ad placement
• The quality of your landing pages and ads (also known as your Quality Score)
• The Ad Rank threshold (your ability to show in the auction
• How competitive that auction is for your specific keyword
• The relevancy of your ad to the specific search
• The overall expected impact that your ad will have on the searcher

The main item that you can and should focus on is improving your Quality Scores. That is the only feature that you can control without spending additional ad dollars to raise your bid.

Additional Ways PPC Marketers Adapt to AI Overviews

Expand your reach with new TOFU tactics

As it is likely that AI Overviews will mainly impact top-of-funnel (TOFU) search efforts, now is a great time to expand your reach with new TOFU tools offered by Google. Whether it is running a new video campaign to get in front of your audience on YouTube Shorts or creating a Demand Gen campaign to promote a free white paper download, start developing new TOFU strategies because it is likely that search ads won’t generate the traffic anymore as summaries are leading to an increase in clickless impressions.

We have seen a lot of success running Demand Gen campaigns to help fill the TOFU for our B2B clients since the launch of the AI Overview beta. Test running a Demand Gen campaign to promote a white paper or case study that will benefit your potential audience. Make sure you clearly promote the benefit that downloading the resource will have on the user in the creative and copy.

For eCommerce brands, video campaigns can be a really successful approach to filling the TOFU, especially with videos now showing on YouTube shorts, where product promoters are finding that vertical video ads are driving 10% to 20% more conversions per dollar.

The post Navigating Google AI Overviews: The Impact on Search Ads and PPC appeared first on NoGood™: Growth Marketing Agency.

Defining SEO and PPC

Before we dive into how PPC and SEO can work together to provide the ultimate search experience, it’s important to have a clear understanding of what the two different functions are.

What is SEO?

SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is the practice of enhancing a website’s visibility on search engines, primarily through organic (non-paid) means. It involves optimizing content, improving site structure, and acquiring backlinks to boost rankings organically on search engine result pages (SERPs). One of the biggest benefits of SEO is that it’s a completely free marketing option.

On the other hand, a disadvantage of SEO is that optimization does not typically lead to instant results. Instead, these results can take months or even years to begin appearing.

What is PPC?

PPC, or Pay-Per-Click, is an advertising model where advertisers pay a fee each time their ad is clicked. PPC advertising is typically done through search ads management platforms like Google Ads or Microsoft Ads. Unlike SEO, PPC is a quick way to appear at the top of SERPs, but it requires careful management of keywords and ad budgets. In other words, it comes at a cost.

How SEO and PPC Work Together to Improve Results

SEO can often be considered a marathon, while PPC often resembles a sprint. While these two races might differ greatly in some aspects, there are parts of training that should overlap. A common mistake that we see many marketers make is treating these two functions as completely separate entities. They’ll consider learnings from one function without integrating those of the other.

PPC and SEO are most efficient when they work together, not against one another.

How Do I Align SEO and PPC?

The strategic alignment of SEO and PPC involves a sophisticated blend of tools and tactics that seamlessly bridges the gap between these two similar yet different strategies. Below are several examples of how you can harmonize your PPC and SEO strategies to drive the best results for your business.

Optimize for the Blended CPA, Not Your Channel’s CPA

When running a PPC campaign, it’s common for you to want to drive the lowest cost per acquisition (CPA) for your channel possible. While this is great in theory, sometimes a lower CPA for your PPC account doesn’t always lead to a lower CPA for your brand as a whole.

Think of it this way. Let’s say that one of NoGood’s top-performing keywords in our Google Ads Account is “Top Growth Marketing Agencies” and we drive, on average, 5 conversions a month at a CPA of $100 for this keyword. But let’s also say that we’re ranking number one organically for this keyword, and typically bring in 10 organic conversions a month at no spend.

This gives us 15 total conversions a month at a blended CPA of $33.

Now let’s say that since we know we’re ranking so highly for “Top Growth Marketing Agency” organically, we pause down that keyword in the PPC account and shift spend to another relevant keyword that we aren’t ranking for organically. In this instance, let’s say that keyword is “Best Digital Marketing Agency.” The keyword might not be as efficient, but we’re able to drive 4 conversions per month at a CPA of $125.

Since we’re no longer bidding on the keyword “Top Growth Marketing Agency” in our PPC account, our organic ranking takes three of those conversions, taking us to 13 organic conversions on that keyword.

From a pure PPC standpoint, we might be concerned that our CPA went from $100 to $125, and our conversions dropped from five to four, but if you look at the blended results, you will find that this new strategy drove 17 conversions at a CPA of $29.

Utilize PPC Tools to Optimize Organic Pages

The PPC platform Google Ads offers multiple free tools that optimize your landing pages and improve conversion rates.

A/B Testing With Google’s Ad Variation Tool

A great way to align SEO and PPC efforts is the utilization of the Ad Variation tool in Google Ads. The Ad Variation tool allows you to effortlessly sample different A/B landing page variations, helping marketers gain valuable insights into user preferences. This gives them the ability to refine both organic and paid content. This method not only contributes to enhanced conversion rates but also drives a unified approach across channels.

Quality Scores & Landing Page Experience Scores

Google Ads’ Quality Score’s “Landing Page Experience” factor is a metric that evaluates how suitable a landing page is for each of your different keywords. If a landing page receives a “Below Average” ranking for a paid keyword, that’s a good sign that adjustments are also likely needed for the keyword to do well organically.

Several ways to improve your landing page experience include ensuring your keyword is clearly listed on your landing page, guaranteeing your landing page is easy to navigate, and improving site speed. All these factors are ways to bolster organic rankings through SEO.

Utilize PPC Tools to Test Copy

Similar to using Google Ads’ Ad Variation Tool for A/B testing landing pages, you can also use it to A/B test different headlines and descriptions to help identify which messaging most resonates with your audience on a SERP, resulting in higher click-through-rates (CTRs). The Ad Variation tool is a great way to test different keywords, calls to action, unique selling points, or value propositions within your ad copy to determine what your audience finds the most compelling.

Messaging on the SERP is also important for organic listings in SEO. A big part of SEO is updating your title tags and meta descriptions to entice users to click your link when they find you organically. Suppose we find that certain copy works well for paid ad headlines and descriptions. In that case, it will also likely work well for organic searches, as title tags and meta descriptions look very similar to headlines and descriptions on the SERP. 

Use PPC to Identify Additional SEO Keywords

One of the most valuable cross-collaboration uses between PPC and SEO is that PPC is a great way to determine the keywords for which we should be optimizing our SEO strategy.

Due to SEO’s extensive implementation-to-results pipeline, determining whether or not to test new keywords proves a challenge. A PPC strategy allows you to quickly experiment with new keywords to ascertain whether or not they’re high value or going to drive desired results. If you do find value in a PPC keyword, you can choose to tailor your SEO strategy accordingly.

Similarly, if you find that a keyword performs poorly from a paid perspective, chances are these results will be mirrored organically.

The search term results page, or the Search Query Reports (SQR), within Google Ads is also a great way to determine what kinds of messaging users are typing into the search bar to find your keyword. Not only do you want to start bidding on these search terms from a PPC perspective, but it’s important to begin tailoring your landing page messaging to align with what users are searching for, which benefits both PPC and SEO strategies

Additionally, aligning organic landing pages with successful paid keywords establishes messaging consistency. This unity enhances user experience and contributes to a comprehensive digital marketing strategy. The incorporation of high-performing paid keywords into organic content ensures a solidified approach, maximizing the impact of both SEO and PPC efforts.

Optimize Organic Pages to Drive PPC Performance

Most paid search engine marketers utilize the same landing pages that SEO specialists optimize, deeming a win for an organic page to be a win for a paid landing page.

When SEO specialists optimize pages to improve site speed, improve mobile appearances, and apply CRO strategies to improve quality for organic visitors, paid visitors are going to reap the same benefits.

Remarket to Organic Visitors with PPC

Organic rankings inherently generate more trusted traffic than paid ads. Leveraging this trust, PPC campaigns can strategically re-engage the visitors who organically visited a site but did not convert by developing remarketing audiences and targeting them through Search, Display, Video, PMax, or Demand Generation ads.

PPC, especially through remarketing campaigns, becomes a valuable tool for educating previously acquired visitors. By sharing additional brand details and reinforcing value propositions, businesses encourage visitors to return for final conversions. This approach extends the customer journey, aligning with a comprehensive digital marketing strategy.

Conclusion

As the line between SEO and PPC becomes more and more blurred in 2025, it’s key to recognize that they’re not mutually exclusive but, when integrated strategically, form a potent combination.

In essence, the integration of SEO and PPC necessitates the thoughtful alignment of tools, strategies, and optimizations. This collaborative effort ensures that insights from one domain seamlessly inform the other, resulting in a holistic, high-performing online presence that maximizes results across channels.

In the end, it’s not about choosing between SEO and PPC but about harnessing their collective strength for a comprehensive and effective digital marketing strategy.

The post Maximizing Strategic Impact with PPC and SEO Working Together appeared first on NoGood™: Growth Marketing Agency.

This resource dives deep into the most crucial paid media trends predicted in 2024, highlighting their significance and expected impact on the market. From the phase-out of third-party data usage by Google to the rising influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI), we’ll explore how these trends are shaping the future of digital marketing. The insights drawn from this post will empower PPC account managers, marketing directors, CMOs, and other digital marketing professionals to steer their advertising strategies effectively in 2024 and beyond.

Looking for a paid media agency in 2024?

Expected Trends in Paid Media for 2024

As we look to the future, several key paid media trends in 2024 are expected to shape the way businesses approach their advertising strategies.

The phase-out of third-party data by Google

In response to evolving consumer privacy expectations and changes in recent years, third-party cookies, a mainstay of traditional digital advertising, are predicted to be phased out from Google Ads in 2024. This pivotal shift will force marketers to redirect their focus to collecting and utilizing more first-party data, ensuring that their advertising is fueled by high-quality, proprietary customer insights collected directly from their customer base.

In 2024, marketers should lean on GA4, a platform designed with user privacy in mind, to help develop new target audiences, strategies, budgets, etc. GA4 is going to become a pivotal platform in data collection moving forward, so it is crucial you start embracing building out the new platform ASAP.  

The Rise of Artificial Intelligence and Automation in PPC Platforms

Fast-surging trends for 2024 point to enhanced use of AI across PPC platforms. The immense potential of AI is slated to revolutionize a variety of traditional practices, ranging from how we write ad copy to how we run and manage our campaigns.

AI can be a huge time saver for marketers in 2024 if used properly. Take Google’s Performance Max campaign type, for example. This campaign uses a variety of signals from landing pages, audiences, ad copy, etc., to help automate ads across the entire funnel. This campaign type is only expected to continue to improve as Google continues to drop additional features for enhancement. Most recently, Google added “Search Themes” to PMax campaigns, giving marketers the ability to tell the algorithm what kind of searches they are confident would be a relevant match for their business. 

You should also utilize AI in Google Ads through the trifecta of broad-match keywords, responsive search ads, and smart bidding. Combining these three tools lets Google pick the most relevant times to show your ads at the most efficient cost while showing the audience member the most tailored ad copy.

While AI is a gift to marketers, be cautious of relying solely on it. There will always be a need to humanize digital advertising. So, make sure you are staying on top of what is happening in your campaigns and why.

Shift in Focus from Keyword Targeting to Strong Audience Targeting

The anticipated growth of Performance Max and Demand Gen campaigns signals a marked shift from keyword-centric to audience-focused strategies in Google Ads. The days of targeting hundreds to thousands of different keywords in a single search campaign are starting to be a strategy of the past.

As Performance Max continues to evolve, we are going to have to shift our mindset to finding our appropriate audiences. Performance Max campaigns do not even give you the ability to target any keywords in the same nature that you would in a generic search campaign. One of the major signals that their ads rely on is the audience signals that you include in your asset groups.

The new Demand Generation campaign type, an expansion on Discovery campaigns, also relies primarily on audience targeting to show ads across a wide variety of platforms. One of their newest features includes look-alike audiences, an audience that is created based on active users that are similar to provided first-party data. It is predicted that Google will also phase this audience type out to additional campaign types such as P-Max and video campaigns.

Increasing Competition Driving up Cost-Per-Click (CPC)

Unfortunately, 2024 won’t be all sunshine, automation, and rainbows for paid media. We are predicting yet another year of increasing CPC trends. It is reported that 61% of industries saw an increase in CPC in 2023, and things are not expected to slow down in 2024 as competition is expected to be at an all-time high as more advertisers than ever are expected to enter the market in 2024.

While, unfortunately, CPC increases in today’s economy are inevitable, your focus should not be on controlling CPCs. You should be focusing on improving items in your advertising strategy that you can control. This includes developing the best ads you can to improve your ad strength, improving your landing page experience to improve conversion rates, and ensuring you are only showing your ads to the most relevant audiences to avoid wasted ad spend.

CPCs are going to increase, but now is not the time to pull back or you will end up losing your customers to the new competitors in the space. 

Impact of Emerging Trends on PPC Account Managers and Digital Marketers

As we contemplate the future contours of the “paid media trends 2024,” it’s clear that the impact on PPC account managers, marketing directors, CMOs, and other digital marketers will be significant. Keeping pace with such fast-surging trends will require a shrewd marketing strategy tailored to these shifts.

Negative impacts for those slow to adapt

Without a doubt, PPC managers slow to adapt to these emerging paid media trends may face several setbacks. Industries trends suggest that the phase-out of third-party data by Google and an increased reliance on AI and automation on PPC platforms are inevitable. These shifts will have a profound impact on how PPC account managers conduct their business. With soaring CPCs and growing competition, failing to embrace these transformations may result in unfortunate negative impacts on advertising campaigns, potentially affecting the overall customer acquisition strategy.

Time-savings and strategic advantages from AI engagement

However, not all emerging trends present a challenge. In fact, proper engagement with AI and automation systems will provide account managers with an array of tangible benefits. Optimizing for AI-led strategies like Performance Max campaigns and broader audience targeting will free up time spent on minor account modifications and shift focus to crafting robust strategies. Additionally, the increased reliance on “first-party cookies” will require a stronger focus on creative optimization, giving rise to more tailored, relevant audience segments.

This focus will unlock new avenues for improved audience insights and higher conversion rates, thereby enhancing overall business and marketing goals. With the right embrace of these trends, account managers can not only combat the rising competition but also seize it as an opportunity for growth. The future of PPC and paid media trends indeed heralds an era of innovation that has the potential to redefine the marketing landscape as a whole.

Maximizing Ad Spend and ROI Through Emerging Trends

As we navigate this highly dynamic and fast-paced 2024 landscape, let’s discuss how these emerging paid media trends can not only help to hold the fort, but also improve the return on investment (ROI).

Rising above the competition in the increasingly competitive markets

As mentioned above, competition in the PPC landscape is slated to intensify in 2024. While the thought of increased competition and CPC might make some marketers want to pull out of the auction, now is not the time to pull back on your paid media strategies. The moment is ripe for those who consistently optimize their accounts, adapt to the changing trends, and leverage the new Google features like AI-driven campaigns such as PMax, broader match capabilities, and smart bidding.

On the other hand, marketers who fail to adapt, opting for a more conservative approach towards their ad spending, are running the risk of being overtaken by the more assertive competitors who are keeping up with the trends. 

Utilizing automation and Google’s improved features to enhance strategy

Embracing automation is no longer a future consideration but an immediate necessity for digital marketers. Marketers who leverage the benefits of AI tend to save significant time on minor account modifications, thus making room for the development of robust strategies that will help push the needle more drastically. Performance Max and Discovery campaigns stand at the forefront of these technological innovations.

These tools automate the heavy lifting in-platform, thereby creating more time for PPC account managers, marketing directors, and CMOs to focus on shaping an insightful, overarching digital strategy. In this new age of PPC, it’s all about leveraging technology to maximize the efficacy and efficiency of advertising strategies.

As we step boldly into 2024, it’s clear that the game plan for success doesn’t just involve adapting to changing trends but also requires a capacity to anticipate, adapt, and excel within this evolving landscape. By smartly embracing these paid media trends, we can ensure that our marketing dollars are well spent and yield the potential ROI we target.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, 2024 will be an exciting year in the world of paid media. The digital marketing landscape in 2024 demands a proactive approach from marketers as key trends reshape advertising strategies as we know them today. The anticipated shift away from third-party data usage by Google underscores the importance of transitioning to first-party data and platforms like GA4. Concurrently, the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation introduces efficiency through tools such as Google’s Performance Max campaign, though a careful balance with human oversight remains crucial.

The evolving focus from keyword-centric to audience-focused strategies, exemplified by Performance Max and the emerging Demand Generation campaigns, highlights the significance of precise audience targeting. However, amid these positive developments, the challenges of increasing competition and rising Cost-Per-Click (CPC) necessitate strategic adaptation rather than a direct attempt to control costs. For PPC account managers and digital marketers, embracing AI and automation provides opportunities for time-saving advantages and strategic enhancements, ultimately positioning them for success in the dynamic landscape of 2024.

The future of PPC and paid media trends promises an era of innovation, where those who navigate the complexities emerge as pioneers in the reshaping of the marketing landscape. Don’t be a marketer who sits back and watches this all unfold in front of them. Join the trends and reap their benefits. Start planning for 2024 today.

The post Paid Media Trends You Should Be Watching in 2024 appeared first on NoGood™: Growth Marketing Agency.