Simplify Keyword and Ad Copy Automation in Your Ad Campaigns
When it comes to paid search ads, the keywords you choose and the ad copy you write to match them have a huge impact on the success of your campaigns. Unfortunately, picking keywords and writing ad copy can be a pain.
Surely, there has to be an easier way to manage these key aspects of your campaigns. Well, there is. In fact, there are several ways to automate and lighten your workload… but only if you use them correctly.
In this article, we’ll explore some free options for automating keyword and ad copy, evaluating their strengths and weaknesses. Obviously, none of these options will let you “set it and forget it,” but they can save you time (and a headache).
Keyword Automation
Keywords are the heart and soul of any well-paid search campaign, but it can be tough to put together a decent keyword list. Here are some ways you can use your exact match keywords with different match types to increase search volume and identify new keywords:
- Broad Match: With this option, Bing and Google will treat your keywords as a general guideline for the searches you want to appear in. If you enter the keyword “chew toy,” your ad could be shown to people searching for everything from “no-stuffing chew toy for dogs” to a baby teething ring. Broad match effectively multiplies the effective reach of your campaigns, which can be great if you’re looking for an “automatic” way to increase search volume, but you’ll need to keep a close eye on the search terms report to make sure you’re not wasting money on irrelevant searches.
- Phrase Match: With phrase match keywords, your ads will only appear if users search for specific keyword phrases as you entered them in your campaign. To create phrase match keywords, add quotation marks around them. They should be formatted like this: “pink salt lamp”. Phrase match keywords will only show if users enter the phrases exactly without any intermediate words, although additional words can be added before or after the keyword. When it comes to automatically expanding the reach of your keyword lists, phrase match keywords can be a good way to go.
- Broad Match Modified: A final way to automatically expand your keyword list is to use broad match modified. With broad match modified, you add a “+” sign to your root keywords, like so: pink + salt + lamp. Google and Bing will only show your ads in searches that include your tagged keywords (or close variants), but they’ll get creative with their interpretation of your other keywords.
Another useful tool is the Google Recommendations Tab and the Bing Opportunities Tab, which suggest keywords based on your campaign’s performance. While it’s tempting to automatically add these keywords, it’s advisable to review them carefully to ensure they’re relevant.
Ad Automation
In addition to keywords, automating ad copywriting can save you a lot of time. Google and Bing offer several options to facilitate this process:
- Keyword Insertion: This feature allows your ads to automatically adapt to users’ specific searches. For example, if you sell appliances and use the keyword “mixer,” keyword insertion could modify your ad to say “Great deals on mixers,” improving its relevance and increasing the likelihood of clicks.
- Countdown Timer: This option creates a sense of urgency by adding a countdown timer to your ads, ideal for limited-time promotions. Google and Bing automatically update the timer, ensuring your ad is always relevant.
- IF Functions: With these functions, you can customize your ads based on different audience segments, such as mobile users or repeat visitors. This allows you to tailor your message to the specific needs of each group without creating multiple ads.
- Dynamic Search Ads (DSA): This option allows Google and Bing to automatically generate keywords and ads based on your website content. While it doesn’t offer the same level of control as traditional ads, it’s a great option for large or content-heavy websites.
Conclusion
While automation can greatly simplify ad campaign management, it’s not a complete replacement for creativity and strategy. It’s crucial to regularly monitor your campaigns and make adjustments as needed. If you feel overwhelmed by the workload, consider working with a team of experts who can combine the best of human talent and automation to maximize your results.
