Google Ads is a vital tool for your business but it’s not without its fair share of challenges. Like most PPC platforms, Google Ads is only as good as the effort and investment you put into it. It’s not always sales and leads that are right in front of you. You might be one of those users that have been penalised by Google.
To keep the advertising platform clean and free from illicit ads or content, Google constantly scores advertisers with a system called ad rank. This important factor makes or breaks your campaign, so it’s better to understand it.
Let’s first talk about ad rank and understand why it matters.
Google makes sure that each user of their search engine gets the best experience possible. This includes everything that a regular internet user sees on Google – like your ads. Google observes all these. The better your ads, the more rewards you get from Google.
As such, Google incorporates what’s called an ad rank score into Google Ads. Simply multiply your cost-per-click (CPC) with your Quality score. Your CPC is the amount you’re willing to pay per click and your Quality Score determines the quality of your ads and content. To check for your Quality Score, log in to your account, click on select keywords. Then, click edit columns and select Quality Score.
Quality Scores are measured between 1 to 10. Ideally, you want your score between the 8-10 mark. Anything below 7 can cause concerns. Once your score drops to 4 and below, Google will stop showing your ads.
Looking at Quality Score deeper, it comprises three metrics which are expected CTR, landing page experience, and ad relevance.
Expected CTR
The Click-through rate determines the number of times your ad is being clicked on. This means engagement and sales on your end. For Google, however, this shows that your ads provide effective solutions to problems that people search. It is calculated by dividing impressions by clicks.
Landing Page Experience
This refers to the relevance of your website to the ad that you are trying to get across. Most importantly, however, it also determines the user experience on your website upon clicking on an ad. Things such as mobile-friendliness, load speed, and overall website performance matter when it comes to landing page experience.
Ad Relevance
Last but not least, ad relevance refers to how proper your keywords relate to your ad. It’s important that your keywords perfectly match your ads so that you don’t get penalised by Google. Be as specific as possible and don’t forget to use negative keywords to your advantage as well.
Calculating your Quality Score factors in these three crucial factors. The trend here is that Google wants you to provide a good user experience for people who make specific queries on the search engine. It’s easy to say that you should try to avoid getting penalised by Google but it’s not as easy as it sounds.
Penalised by Google? Here’s How You Can Get Out Of It
Optimise for Speed and Performance
Previously, you should only care about your website’s speed and performance because of SEO. However, you should also consider it because of Google Ads. You can improve your website’s performance in so many ways. You may get a better server, update your website regularly, optimise for mobile devices, and compress your code.
Don’t Get Too Greedy with Keywords
A common mistake marketers make is thinking that the more keywords they use for their Google Ads, the better. The problem is, you may generate irrelevant traffic. Moreover, there’s a chance that your ads will appear when someone searches irrelevant keywords. Instead of going for a myriad of keywords, be more specific about the ones you use instead.
Use Image Extensions
To get a better CTR, you have to make sure that your ad stands out from the rest. One way to do this is to use image extensions. To put it simply, these are images that will appear in a small box alongside your ad. Generally, the goal of image extensions is to grab attention and it does a perfect job of that.
Block IPs From Far Off Places
It can be quite frustrating to get clicks from people that are in areas where you don’t offer your services to. Aside from the fact that these clicks waste your ad spend, these clicks also make your ad less relevant too. By blocking certain regions from accessing your content, you can guarantee yourself that you are getting the most out of your ad spend.
Getting penalised on Google Ads is probably more frustrating than having ads that don’t pose the numbers you want. Quality Score is one of the most important things you need to be mindful of when using Google Ads because it dictates the success of your ads.
If you’re having trouble mastering this tricky metric for Google Ads then don’t be afraid to turn to us for help. At Constant Clicks, we come up with new ways to improve ad campaigns. If you’re struggling with one of your ad’s Quality Scores or if you’ve been penalised by Google, just know that it isn’t a death sentence.
With the right changes, you can begin making the most out of your Google Ads campaign in a short matter of time.