Resources to become a Google Bid Simulator Expert
Google launched a new tool a little while ago called the bid simulator. You can see an estimate of how many more clicks a keyword will receive as you change the bid.
Overall it’s decent when you only want to estimate how many more clicks you will receive from changing positions. It is not going to tell you how many more conversions you will receive.
This tool currently has many limitations, such as this simulation is only at the keyword level and it doesn’t work well for keywords with low search volume, or in campaigns that are always hitting their daily budgets. I’ve already heard rumors out of Google that this tool will be improved to see bid changes at the ad group level and attempting to remove a few of the current constraints.
Here are some resources to help you learn how to use the bid simulator:
Official Google presentation on the Bid Simulator
Google Adwords Bid Simulator Reference Guide
You Tube Video from Google on the Bid Simulator
Official Google Help Pages
Microsoft adCenter & Google AdWords Resources to make your life easier when Yahoo Search Marketing is replaced by adCenter
With the recent Yahoo and Microsoft agreement, Microsoft will take over both the search results and PPC ad serving from Yahoo. This gives Microsoft adCenter enough search share, you need to open an adCenter account and move your Google info there.
adCenter is a fantastic platform, with many features similar to Google. The biggest difference between Google and adCenter is that at Google, all the targeting options live at the campaign level. With adCenter, the targeting options live at the ad group and campaign level.
For instance, on Google you need to set a budget per campaign. However, you should separate search and content reach into two different campaigns; and thus you need to split your budget. On adCenter, you can have one budget for the campaign and then ad group is search and ad group 2 is content within the same campaign.
While most of the adCenter features are also in Google. The notable exception is adCenter’s param system (resource links below). With adCenter you can have multiple variables that show up in ad text for each keyword. It’s amazing how custom you can build your ads per individual keyword. Google only has basic keyword insertion, and the only thing you really get to choose is the casing.
Google does have many content targeting options that aren’t available on adCenter. With video ads, image ads, fantastic placement options, Google’s content network is fantastic. adCenter just doesn’t have the reach or the options with the content network.
Below is a chart that has some base comparisons between Google AdWords and Microsoft adCenter. Below the chart is a list of adCenter resources to help you learn their system quickly.
| Google AdWords | adCenter | |
| Match Types | broad, phrase, exact | broad, phrase, exact, content |
| Negative keywords | campaign, ad group | campaign, ad group |
| Keyword Bids | Keyword, placement, ad group | keyword, ad group |
| Content bids | ad group, placement | keyword, ad group |
| Budget | Campaign | Campaign |
| Budget types | daily | monthly or daily |
| Budget spend | accelerated or standard within day | same options, different names but can choose daily or monthly |
| Content enabled | Entire campaign | Campaign or ad group |
| Excluded sites | campaign or ad group (new UI) | campaign or ad group |
| Location targeting | campaign | campaign or ad group |
| Targeting by time of day | campaign | campaign or ad group |
| Changing bids by time of day | campaign | campaign or ad group |
| Changing bids by day of the week | campaign | campaign or ad group |
| Conversion tracking | yes, account | yes, account |
| Ad types | text, image, video, mobile | text, mobile |
| Ad serving | rotate or optimize (campaign) | ads are automatically optimized to show the highest CTR the most |
Here are a collection of articles that should help ease the transition to get started with adCenter:
Importing AdWords campaigns into adCenter
adCenter Match Types
Dynamic Keyword Insertion
- Dynamic Keyword Insertion on adCenter
- Using Params (adCenter allows some interesting customization of the ad text by keyword). To see these, in your ad group, select a keyword (or multiples) then hit the ‘add or edit keyword button’. Here you can edit the params by keyword. If you are doing a lot of param editing; then use the excel add-in.
adCenter excel-ad in. Similar to the AdWords Editor
adCenter adExcellence program. Similar to the Google Advertising Professionals program. Lots of good videos.
adding parameters to links. Similar to AdWords value track-like options.
adCenter community portal. This is where adCenter shines. Microsoft has an amazing set of individuals who have done a lot of hard work in engaging the search community. I can’t say enough good things about Carolyn Miller, Mel Carson, Jeanie Dumont, and many more over at Microsoft. These people are not the ‘old conceited’ Microsoft. They are the humble, smart, knowledge, eager-to-help, Microsoft could win if they adopted their attitude, Microsoft. Even if you didn’t use adCenter, you should follow this community as there’s just good info there regarding search and advertising in general.
Google Follows Their Own Trademark Rules > Allows ‘Google’ to be used in ad copy
Google recently changed the rules for how trademarks can be used in search ads when the ad is displayed in the US on a Google.com search.
The new rules state that you can use the trademark in ad copy if:
- You use the word in a descriptive or generic way (such as using Apple in an ad copy if you’re an orchard farmer)
- If you refer to the trademark owner (this is one of the ‘fair uses’ of trademarks) in one of these manners:
- Resale of trademark goods or services (Best Buy using Apple iPod in ad copy to sell iPods)
- Sale of components or replacement parts of the trademarked term (Bose selling iPod sound decks)
- Informational sites – sites that the primary purpose is to provide non-competitive and details about the product or services (this is open to interpretation)
Google has always had a clause that you cannot use the word ‘Google’ in your ad copy. So, I was wondering with these new rules, would they allow the use of Google if you meet one of the above criteria?
I conduct the Advanced Seminars for Success™ that are approved by Google. Therefore, I was wondering what would happen if I tried to use the word Google in ad copy. Well, after a couple emails and ad copy review, I can confidently say that Google is following their own rules:
When you have ad copy approved that contains trademark terms (and you’re not the trademark holder or an account that has not received express permission to the use trademark) then you will see the (limited) next to the ad copy which designates it will only be shown on US Google search. If you mouse over the question mark you will see this information:
If you’d like to learn more about trademarks, I’m conducting a trademark webinar next Wednesday with Search Engine Land.
Watch 3 videos to become an AdWords Display Ad Builder Guru
Google AdWords has a tool called ‘Display Ad Builder’. This tool allows you to quickly create image, video, and interactive ads within the AdWords interface. This if very useful if you want to quickly build a variety of banner ads. These ads are only displayed on the content network.
The tool uses ad templates. You can customize the colors, images, and text within the templates to fit your needs. In addition, the Display Ad Builder will build your ad in several sizes from the single template. This is a huge time saver.
Below are some of the more useful videos to get you started with the Display Ad Builder.
Why the Display Ad Builder is Useful
Ignore the fact that the video is called ‘become an expert’. This video really shows some of the reasons you should use display ad builder and some tips for building these ads.
How to Video: Create a Display Builder Ad
This video presents a nice walk through of building an ad using the Display Ad Builder
Seasonal Templates
This is a video of building a St. Patrick’s day template. You don’t need to watch it if you’ve watched the previous video (How to create a display ad builder above). What’s notable about the display ad builder is that they launch a lot of seasonal templates that can be useful to stay relevant to holiday seasons.
Even More Videos
If you would like to see more videos about the Display Ad Builder, Google’s Business channel has ten videos in the Display Ad Builder playlist.
Beginners Guide To Creating Mobile AdWords Campaigns
My latest Search Engine Land column is out entitled: Beginners Guide To Creating Mobile AdWords Campaigns.
The article walks through:
- Reaching users on iPhones, Blackberry Storms, or phones will full internet browsers
- Reaching users who are using a phone without a full internet browser, such as a Blackberry Curve or Razor
- How to create a mobile website
- Previewing mobile results
- Conversion tracking
If you are running mobile campaigns, or thinking about testing a mobile PPC campaign, the article is a nice primer to get you started.
Enjoy Beginners Guide To Creating Mobile AdWords Campaigns.
Be careful of updating to the new AdWords Editor
A few recent updates to the AdWords editor needed to be pulled and re-launched due to back-ups being lost, data corruption, and other issues.
The new update is now out (if you open the AdWords editor, it should give you a dialogue box to upgrade the editor); but be very careful.
After upgrading my editor, when I tried to open the file, I only received a ‘this program is no longer responding’ error from windows. I actually had two different versions of editor on my computer (which shouldn’t happen). I tried for a while, but nothing worked. Eventually, I had to completely uninstall and re-install the program.
Luckily, the data was still saved on my computer and I didn’t lose notes like a previous update.
The latest editor has a few nice updates. My favorite one is being able to sort the data by multiple columns.
You can sort by any three columns that are in your current view. For instance, if you do not have quality score being displayed in the current view, you need to first display quality score and then you can sort by it.
This will help in creating priorities of what keywords, ad copy, etc to change within your account.
Google changes trademarks again. Learn how to cope with the changes.
My latest Search Engine Land column, titled How Will Google’s Recent Trademark Changes Affect You? is now published.
Google has made a few big changes to how they handle trademarks in ad copy as well as expanding the countries where it is allowable to use trademarks as keywords.
In addition, Lori Weiman wrote a nice column this week titled Brand Aid How To Protect Your Brand Under Google’s New Trademark Policies which is more focused around helping brands protect their marks.
You have to use the new AdWords interface in 30 days
I received the below email from Google today for one of my accounts which is not currenlty using the new interface. It seems they now have only 30 days before they are forced to use the new one. I sure hope that Google finishes fixing the bugs as I have to go back to the old interface quite a bit these days as there are so many things that are either faster, easier-to-read, or just only in the old interface.
Hello,
In the coming weeks, we’ll upgrade your AdWords account (Customer ID: xxx-xx-xxxx) to a new web interface designed to make campaign management faster and easier. You can try it now; log into your account to use the new interface immediately.
You’ll have at least 30 days from the date of this email before you’ll be required to use the new interface to manage your campaigns. During this time we’ll continue to release additional features and make adjustments to the new interface based on advertiser feedback.
We’re working to ensure that the new interface contains all of the reports and controls you need to manage your campaigns effectively. We won’t upgrade your AdWords account to the new interface until we’re confident that it will meet your advertising needs.
Before we upgrade your account, you can switch between the new and previous interfaces at any time. Click the "Previous Interface" and "New Interface (Beta)" links in the top corner of your account (next to your email address) to switch back and forth.
To make sure that you’re prepared for the upgrade, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the new interface as soon as possible. We’ve prepared a set of online materials to help you get ready for the changes:
* Review the new interface microsite to get a quick overview of the changes and watch videos demonstrating the improvements: http://www.google.com/adwords/newinterface/
* Our "Getting Started Guide" will give you an overview of major new features and their benefits. You can download a PDF at: http://www.google.com/adwords/newinterface/new_interface_guide.pdf
* Wondering how to complete common AdWords tasks in the new interface? Visit our "How to" guide at: http://www.google.com/adwords/newinterface/standard/ads-and-keywords.html
* Search a full set of frequently asked questions in the Help Center for the new interface: https://adwords.google.com/support/aw/The help materials above will still be available after your account has been upgraded.
We hope you find that the new interface increases your advertising efficiency and makes it easier for you to improve your results. If you have any thoughts about the new interface, please let us know by clicking on the Feedback link in the top corner of your account. And as always, thank you for advertising with AdWords!
Sincerely,
The Google AdWords Team
Connect Your Google Analytics Goals to Your AdWords Conversion Tracking
Google very quietly rolled out a new feature – use your Google analytics goals as conversions in your AdWords accounts.
It’s been live for at least a week; and very straightforward to use.
Navigate to the conversion tracking screen (in either UI); and there’s a link for ‘Link your Analytics goals and transaction’.
However, when you go to link your AdWords and Analytics goals together, you can only use Goal 1 from your Google Analytics account:
Hopefully, this will be fixed sometime in the future.
Goal Confusion
I looked for a while; but as much as I could have – so if you know the answer or the link please post it in the comments.
Google Analytics treats a goal as the last site entrance, and is attributed to the day of the click.
Google AdWords treats as goal as the last AdWords ad clicked, and the goal as the date of the click (not the date of the conversion).
Therefore, is linking these two together just going to create more goal confusion – or will some nice pattern work itself out?
Google has a help file on connecting AdWords and Analytics; however, on that page the link to the help file “Read about how AdWords Conversion Tracking works with Google Analytics once the two are linked.” goes to a 404, not found page; hence the unanswered questions above.
Future?
I might have to set up another couple profiles and just set up single goals to see how well this works.
Since Analytics is a 1st party cookie, and AdWords is a 3rd party cookie – the analytics would be a better tracking mechanism once the details for how a conversion is actually counted are determined. The business rules laid out by Google will determine if this is actually useful for all.
I’d love to hear comments, links to other articles where this is discussed.
AdWords Mobile Pages Officially Close
I just received this email from Google:
Hello,
We’re sorry to inform you that, beginning May 6, we will no longer host AdWords Business Pages for mobile ads. As of that date, the product will be retired due to low usage. This means that all mobile Business Pages content will be removed, and any ads you have that link to an AdWords Business Page for mobile will stop running.
To continue running mobile ads after May 6, you’ll need to direct them to a different mobile landing page or to a phone number. For suggestions on how to create a new mobile landing page for your ads, visit http://adwords.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=138513. For directions on creating a “click-to-call” mobile ad that links to your phone number, visit http://adwords.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=32541.
We decided on this change after much consideration, and we apologize for any inconvenience it might cause you.
Sincerely,
The Google AdWords Team
As a reminder, here’s a guide to make a quick Wordpress mobile site if you want to either move your Google mobile page, or test out mobile advertising.
Google AdWords
Seminars for Success
Learn about Google AdWords from experts hand selected by Google.
These seminars will educate advertisers on the creation and management of successful AdWords campaigns.
Upcoming Seminars:
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Vancouver AdWords Seminars May 5th & 6th
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Learn More about the Seminars:
Seminar Information
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