The time has come! Your AdWords campaigns have been running and now it's time to audit the account to make sure that everything is running on all cylinders. To be most effective and make sure you don't get lost in all the data, take time to thoughtfully plan out how you will audit the account. You can use these quick tips to get started:
Minimum Audit Timeframe Recommendation: 3 Months
Before you begin, take a second to ensure you will have all the data you need by checking that your Google AdWords and Google Analytics accounts are linked properly. AdWords is great at showing data on how customers interact with your ads, while Analytics data will show how customers are interacting with your site.
Structure & Settings
Starting an audit with a look at the campaign structure and settings will be important for every other area of the audit. Start with quick checks such as:
- Is geo-targeting set?
- Is the Ad Schedule adjusted for peak times or hours of operation?
- Are campaigns organized according to themes?
- Are there approximately 10-20 keywords to an ad group?
- Does the bidding structure match the goals of the campaign?
Budget Review
Costs per click will vary based on industry, network delivery method, and keyword competitiveness. If the red 'Limited by Budget' label appears, go back to the Settings & Structure review to analyze if adjustments are needed to fit the daily budget.
Ad Rank Factor Review
In an AdWords auction, you may not win even if you have the highest bid. If and where your ads show depends on several factors including Quality Score and Expected Click Through Rate (CTR). Start with these questions like these to identify any problem areas in your audit:
- Are any keywords not showing due to low quality scores?
- Are the ads linking to relevant and keyword optimized landing pages?
- Have any extensions been enabled?
- Are there any disapproved ads?
- Are users completing conversions or bouncing off the page?
Keyword Review
Last but not least should be the analysis of keywords. This should be more than a quick check on which keywords have the highest number of impressions and CTRs. A thorough keyword analysis should take into account search volume, competitor research, match types, negative keywords, and historic search terms.
By starting off your audit with a well-thought out structure, you will save yourself time and effort. For assistance from certified Google Partners to dive into the audit, contact Informatics. Our AdWords experts are ready to help you learn how to get the most out of your campaigns.
