Paid search automation allows marketers to scale their strategies across a large audience whilst delivering consistently impressive results. Automation is used to replace time-consuming tasks such as reporting and data analysis. Google has released automated solutions for almost every aspect of account management - the trick is to know when to remain in control and when to hand over the automated reins.
Google Ads is a central space for marketers looking to reach customers across the web. It is not merely search and shopping – advertisers can buy Display Banner ads, YouTube ads, Phone App ads and more. 2022 feels like an important time for search professionals to refresh their Google advertising strategies, with the goal of finding a balance between automated decision-making, and manual control.
There is a flexible toolkit of Google technology built for individuals and brands wanting to take their search engine marketing (SEM) to the next level. But also there is a second side of Google Ads with excellent off-the-shelf automated solutions for mass-targeting. As a marketer, it's time to consider your approach and use these solutions that experienced searchers have historically avoided.
As times change in the digital marketing landscape, so must we. Automation is no longer a dirty word and as AI starts to overtake us in some aspects, it’s time to let go of some control and allow Google’s automation tools to take some of the slack. Allowing Google to automate your campaigns opens up room for you to focus more on core marketing tactics and reach your customers more effectively.
The biggest automation benefit comes in the form of bidding strategies. When choosing a bid strategy, evaluate at the campaign level to determine if the strategy will help accomplish your goal and if you have enough data to make it work (e.g., enough conversion volume to make Target CPA effective). If not, you might benefit from another bid strategy, a portfolio level strategy, or even an adjustment in account structure to better leverage it later on.
Automated bid strategies in Google Ads are a fantastic way to save time while leveraging algorithms to optimise an account, but only when evaluated and chosen wisely. There are a variety of automated bidding options in Google Ads. Some may be great for your account, others might be terrible. You might find you have a use for every bidding strategy somewhere in your account, or you might not be able to use any. Until you understand how each bidding strategy works, this is impossible to determine.
Now a larger majority of your search bidding is automated, it is important to know where to focus your efforts. An important way to gain success through SEM is to cut through the analytics by defining your customer-centric business goals, and aligning targeting and reporting appropriately. Search automation can help get the right users to your site, but it’s down to your customer experience to keep them there. Landing page and site content optimization can make or break Search advertising activity. Knowing your customers inside out means you should understand their previous preferences and what actions they are looking to take before they return to your site - rather than them having to navigate from scratch. Now, Google is skilled at preempting user intent and serving specific content at the right time. However, too much intervention can be detrimental. That’s why understanding your data is so critical.
Points to take away:
It’s time to embrace and improve your search engine automation and future-proof your company in the digital world. Get in touch with Sprocket Digital today for support with your SEO needs.
With well over one hundred 5-star Google reviews, its safe to say we are the real deal. Client relationships and demonstratable results are our priority. If you'd like to know more, we'll even let you talk to some real clients.
