Auto-rules for keyword testing without blowing up your budget
You have to test to grow your Google campaigns - use automation to make it efficient.
If you’re advertsing on Google search, testing new keywords is essential for growth. It's how you find those hidden gems that can take your campaigns to the next level. But if you're not careful, those tests can quickly eat up your budget. It can be death by a thousand cuts.
So, what's the solution? Auto-rules.
Auto-rules are like having a tireless assistant working on your account 24/7. They can automatically pause or adjust keywords based on performance criteria that you set. So, if a keyword isn't delivering results after a certain amount of time or spend, the auto-rule will shut it down before it can do more damage.
I've seen the difference this can make firsthand. We build a lot of Google ad accounts from scratch for our clients. This is often the hardest part, where you have zero data and only theories. Theories that you then have to spend into and validate.
The difference between an account with auto-rules from the get go and ones without is the difference between failure and success.
When we inherit accounts, clients are typically spending thousands of dollars a day on a long-tail of keywords tests that aren’t driving much value. We typically set up some auto-rules, and within weeks, their costs drop without any significant impact on their conversions. That means lower CPAs, higher ROAS.
But it's not just about saving money. It's also about saving time. When you're running a business, every minute counts. Do you really want to be spending a few hours a week sifting through keyword data? No. And you probably don’t, which means you probably have wasteful keywords on right now. With auto-rules, you can set it and forget it. The system will handle the grunt work while you focus on the big picture.
Of course, setting up effective auto-rules takes some know-how. You need to understand your performance metrics, set realistic thresholds, and keep an eye on the results to make sure everything is working as intended. But once you have that system in place, it can be a game-changer.
This is an example rule for when we’re first building out campaigns and testing a higher variety of keywords.
If we’re testing 50 keywords, we want to ensure that a high % of those 50 all get a chance to shine. So we put this in place to pause out anything that’s had it’s $70 worth of testing budget - that hasn’t yet scored a winner for us. Your own thresholds may vary.
I've worked with businesses of all sizes, from small startups to large corporations, and the ones that are most successful with Google Ads are the ones that have a solid testing strategy and use auto-rules to manage it. They're able to continuously expand their keyword set without blowing their budget, and they free up their time to focus on other aspects of their business.
So, if you're serious about growing your Google Ads account, don't neglect your keyword testing. But more importantly, don't neglect your auto-rules. They're the unsung heroes that can keep your tests in check and your costs under control. Trust me, your future self will thank you for setting them up.
In my agency, we make auto-rules a standard part of our setup process for every client. It's not an optional extra; it's a necessary tool for success. And I encourage you to do the same in your own accounts. It might take a bit of effort upfront, but the long-term benefits are well worth it.
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