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Search Ads 360 ads are the key to reaching targeted audiences. This article explores three essential elements to powering your Search Ads 360 campaigns: reporting and analytics, optimisation strategies and best practices. From leveraging data to advanced tactics, find out how these aspects can take your Search Ads to the next level.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Search Ads 360 reporting and analysis
Search Ads 360 (SA360) is a comprehensive Google search management platform that allows you to manage and optimise your search marketing campaigns across multiple search engines.
Reporting and analytics are key components of SA360, allowing you to measure the performance of your campaigns, make data-driven decisions and continually optimise your strategies.
Below is an overview of Search Ads 360's reporting and analytics features:
Performance Metrics
SA360 provides a wide range of performance metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of your search campaigns. These metrics include clicks, impressions, conversions, click-through rate (CTR), cost-per-click (CPC) and more. You can analyse data at multiple levels - campaign, ad group, ad and keyword - to identify the strengths and weaknesses of your strategies.
Cross-engine reporting
SA360 allows you to manage campaigns on different search engines, such as Google Ads, Bing Ads and Yahoo. The platform provides unified reporting, allowing you to analyse performance across multiple engines in a single interface.
Customisable dashboards
You can create customisable dashboards to visualise key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics that matter most to the business. Dashboards provide a quick overview of campaign performance and can be tailored to specific objectives.
Attribution models
SA360 supports advanced attribution modelling, allowing you to understand how different touchpoints contribute to conversions. This feature helps you allocate budget effectively across multiple channels and optimise the customer journey.
Scheduled and automated reports
SA360 allows you to schedule automated reports, ensuring that stakeholders receive regular updates on campaign performance. These reports can be customized to include specific metrics and insights.
Dimensional reports
You can analyze performance based on various dimensions, such as device, geography, time of day, etc. This granularity helps identify trends and optimize campaigns for specific audience segments.
Bidding strategy reports
SA360 provides information on the performance of bidding strategies. You can evaluate the effectiveness of automated bid adjustments and make informed decisions about your bidding strategies.
Integration with Google Analytics
SA360 integrates seamlessly with Google Analytics, allowing you to combine data from both platforms to get a more complete view of user behaviour and campaign performance.
Budget management
You can track and analyse budget utilisation across all campaigns. This includes information on the distribution of spending, the pace and recommendations for optimising budget allocation.
Advanced filters and segmentation
SA360 offers advanced filtering and segmentation options, allowing you to drill down into specific subsets of data for more detailed analysis.
The integration of these Search Ads 360 reports allows Analytics 360 customers to view and analyse Search Ads 360 data in Analytics 360. Once the integration is complete, a new set of reports dedicated to Search Ads 360 will be visible in the Acquisition section of Analytics 360. These reports show the Acquisition - Behaviour - Conversions (ABC) metrics from Analytics 360 along the Search Ads 360 dimensions, as well as the Clicks data imported from Search Ads 360.
Requirements for integrating Search Ads 360 reports
To use the Search Ads 360 reporting integration, it is necessary:
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Be an Analytics 360 customer and be part of the latest version of the Analytics 360 contract, which includes the Google Analytics Advertising Features Policy requirements.
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Be a Search Ads 360 advertiser.
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Be a party to the email agreement that specifies which Search Ads 360 advertiser ID and Analytics 360 properties you wish to link. Your Analytics 360 account manager will confirm the terms and process the email agreement.
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Activate the Conversion API (also known as auto-tagging) in your Search Ads 360 account. (Activating the Conversion API adds gclid and gclsrc to your landing page URLs, allowing Analytics to track Search Ads 360 traffic.
Search Ads 360 reports are compatible with Search Ads 360, or SA360, native dimensions and allow:
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Advertisers: Monitor the performance of individual Search Ads 360 advertisers.
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Engine accounts: Evaluate the performance of each of your Search Ads 360 engine accounts.
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Campaigns: Analyse how each of your Search Ads 360 campaigns drives site engagement and conversions.
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Ad Groups: See how well your Search Ads 360 ad groups are meeting your expectations.
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Keywords: Understand the performance of each keyword in your Search Ads 360 account.
Search Ads 360 campaign optimisation strategies
Optimising Search Ads 360 (SA360) campaigns is essential to achieve better performance and maximise ROI. Here are some key optimisation strategies for these campaigns:
Keyword optimisation
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Regularly review and update your keyword lists. Identify high-performing keywords and add them to relevant ad groups. Remove or adjust bids on underperforming keywords.
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Leverage negative keywords to filter out irrelevant traffic and improve ad targeting.
Proof of the text of advertisements
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A/B test ad copy to identify the most effective messages. Test variations in headlines, descriptions and display paths to improve click-through rates and overall ad performance.
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Use ad extensions to provide additional information and increase the viewability of your ads.
Bid management
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Implement automated bidding strategies provided by SA360, such as target CPA (cost per acquisition) or target ROAS (return on ad spend), to optimise bids based on your campaign objectives.
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Regularly analyse the performance of bidding strategies and make adjustments as needed. Monitor bid strategy reports in SA360 for insights.
Ad group structure
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Make sure the ad group structure is well organised, with well themed keywords and relevant ad copy. This helps improve ad relevance, quality score and overall campaign performance.
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Use SA360's recommendations to improve ad group structure and follow targeting best practices.
Device optimisation
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Analyse performance on different devices (desktops, mobile devices, tablets) and adjust bids accordingly. Consider applying bid modifiers based on device performance.
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Use responsive search ads to automatically adapt ad formats to different types of devices.
Segmentation by location and time
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Review the performance of your campaigns based on geographic location. Adjust bids for high performing regions and consider excluding low performing areas and take advantage of location bid adjustments to optimise your bids for specific locations.
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Analyse when your audience is most active and adjust bidding strategies accordingly. Use bid adjustments for specific times of day or days of the week.
Leverage the audiences
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Apply audience targeting based on demographics, interests or remarketing lists. Tailor advertising messages and offers to different audience segments.
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Use SA360 audience performance reports to identify high-value audience segments.
Landing page optimisation
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Make sure your landing pages are relevant and provide a good user experience. Optimise landing page content, load times and mobile responsiveness.
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Use SA360 landing page performance information to identify areas for improvement.
Budget management
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Monitors budget allocation across campaigns and adjusts budgets based on performance. Allocate more budget to high-performing campaigns and adjust the pace for consistent delivery.
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Use SA360's budget management features to set rules and automate budget adjustments.
Competitive analysis
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Monitor competitor activities and adjust your strategies accordingly. Analyse the competitive landscape for keywords, ad positions and messaging.
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Use SA360's competitive metrics and auction information to better understand the competitive landscape.
Regular monitoring and reporting
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Establish regular reporting schedules to track key performance metrics. Monitor changes in performance and take appropriate action based on information from SA360 reports.
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Stay informed about industry trends and updates to adjust your strategies accordingly.
By implementing these optimisation strategies, you can improve the effectiveness of your Search Ads 360 campaigns, achieving better results and reaching your advertising goals. Regular monitoring and adjustments based on performance data are essential components of a successful campaign optimisation strategy.
Best practices for Search Ads 360
To maximise the effectiveness of your Search Ads 360 (SA360) campaigns, it is essential to follow best practices. Here are some key recommendations:
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Adopt a well-structured campaign architecture and ad groups.
Organise campaigns and ad groups in a logical and structured way. Group keywords and ads based on relevance to improve quality score and ad performance.
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Leverages automated bidding strategies
Use SA360's automated bidding strategies, such as target CPA (cost per acquisition) or target ROAS (return on ad spend), to optimise bids based on your performance objectives.
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Regularly review and optimise keywords
Conduct regular keyword research to identify new opportunities and refine existing keyword lists. Eliminate underperforming keywords and add new relevant ones.
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Use negative keywords
Use negative keywords strategically to filter out irrelevant traffic and improve the targeting of your ads. This helps to reduce costs and improve ad relevance.
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Use ad extensions
Take advantage of ad extensions to provide additional information and improve ad visibility. Extensions such as site links, callouts and structured snippets can increase the appeal of your ad.
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Use audience targeting
Implement audience targeting based on demographics, interests or remarketing lists. Tailor advertising messages and bids to different audience segments.
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Settings of offers per device
Analyses performance on different devices and adjusts bids accordingly. Implements bid modifiers based on device performance to optimise ad delivery.
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Track conversions
Set up conversion tracking to measure the success of your campaigns. This allows you to make data-driven decisions and optimise conversions.
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Keep up to date with industry trends
Stay on top of changes in the advertising landscape, search engine algorithms and industry trends. Adjust your strategies accordingly to stay competitive.
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Regularly monitors and analyses performance
Establishes regular reporting schedules to monitor key performance metrics. Analyse data to identify trends, opportunities and areas for improvement. Use SA360 reporting tools for more detailed information.
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Collaborate and share information
Share perspectives and reports to ensure alignment and informed decision-making.
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Take advantage of SA360's features
Explore and take advantage of all the features and tools provided by SA360. This includes bidding strategies, automated rules, attribution models and other advanced functionality.
By incorporating these practices into Search Ads 360 management, the performance of your campaigns can improve efficiency and achieve better results in your search advertising efforts. Regularly evaluate and adapt your strategies based on performance data and changes in the advertising landscape.