A GREAT overview by Artur MacLellan 🔥 on best practices when it comes to negative KWs and audience targeting strategies in the age of the AI-optimized "Smart" campaign types. Google is always optimizing toward audiences, not Keywords (even in Search!). Are suppression audiences the new negative keywords and the key to guiding smart-bidding campaigns towards maximizing your spend efficiency and overall growth?
Business & Marketing Multi-Channel Strategist | Expert in Digital Campaigns, SEM, PPC, Google Ads, Facebook Ads, Optimization & Data Analytics | Proven ROI & Engagement Growth for Lead Generation & Ecommerce Businesses
In early 2023, I KILLED a Google Ads campaign by OBSESSING over negative keywords... There I was, watching our conversion rates tank while frantically adding negative keywords to our smart bidding campaigns. "These search terms are irrelevant!" I told myself, as I systematically destroyed months of algorithm learning. My client was breathing down my neck, and I was desperate to show I was "optimizing" the account. What I discovered changed everything: Google Ads has fundamentally shifted from keyword targeting to audience targeting, and most advertisers haven't caught up. This is super important... Even though we are targeting keywords Google Switched this on us. We are actually targeting audiences... and here's what happens... Stop Fighting Your Smart Bidding Campaigns! Every time you dump a list of negative keywords into your smart bidding campaigns, you're essentially telling a Ferrari to drive like a Toyota Corolla. You are resetting Google's learnings and it has is trying to figure out and test new opportunities with the new restrictions. Advertisers switch to broad match with smart bidding, freak out at the search terms report, add tons of negative keywords, then wonder why their campaigns underperform. Meanwhile, their competitors who understand the new game of how google actually works and they have better CPAs and higher conversion rates. The choice is yours: adapt to the new way, or get left behind optimizing campaigns like it's 2015. Let me break down exactly how to thrive in this new era. #1. Recognize the Two Worlds of Google Ads This is the game-changing mindset shift you need. - Old World: Manual CPC and Maximize Clicks (keyword targeting) - New World: tCPA, tROAS, Max Conversions & Maximize Conversion Value (audience targeting) - Stop applying old-world tactics to new-world campaigns #2. Give Your Smart Bidding Campaigns Room to Breathe That urge to control everything? Fight it. - Focus on conversion trends and performance metrics - Wait the proper amount of time based on the # of conversions before making changes - Add negatives in batches and at the proper time. You can't add in negatives every day without seeing a dip in performance #3. Master the Hybrid Approach Here's how to get the best of both worlds. - Use manual campaigns for strict keyword control - Run smart bidding campaigns with minimal interference - Focus on account-level performance metrics Listen, I get it. That search terms report can trigger anxiety. But here's the truth: The moment I stopped micromanaging smart bidding campaigns was when the campaigns really took off. You can either fight the algorithm or let it work its magic. The choice is yours. Want to see exactly how I structure these campaigns? If you want to leverage the best of both worlds: Hyper Targeting + Google's Incredible Smart Bidding Strategies, drop a comment with the word "Strategies" below👇 #googleads #ppc #digitalmarketing #marketingstrategy #advertisingtips
