It’s not every day you audit a PPC account that is in a healthy state. But what if you come across a Google Ads account that appears to be already optimised, well-structured, and strategically aligned?
Not only is this music to any Google Ads specialist's ears, but the big question you might be asking is, how do you approach an audit when you can't find any major flaws? In this blog post, I'll guide you through my approach to evaluating a seemingly well-optimised PPC account.
Assessing the Account's Health:
The first step is to ensure the fundamental elements of the account are in place—conversion tracking, account linking, scripts, and a structure aligned with the client’s objectives and goals. Can you confirm your satisfaction with the current campaign setup, including relevant keywords, ad copy, landing pages, and targeting settings, ensuring no spending has been wasted?
Evaluating the Optimisation :
The second step is to scrutinise recent optimisation efforts. If the account has been regularly fine-tuned, it's a positive sign of ongoing commitment to performance improvement. Evaluate the effectiveness of past optimisations, such as negative keywords, audience signals, bid strategies, and placement exclusions. Are they aligned with business goals, and have they contributed to improved campaign performance over time?
Approaching the Client:
Rather than tearing down the current supplier or over-promising improvements, the focus should be on providing constructive recommendations and taking a proactive, strategic approach on how to elevate the client’s account.
How do we do this?
Acknowledging the Positives
If the account is genuinely in good shape, acknowledge the positive aspects and highlight why you agree with the current setup and strategy. Being honest about the current setup will show the client that you work with integrity and do not use sales tactics to simply ‘win’ the work. I must caution that this strategy could go two ways, but overpromising and setting unrealistic expectations that your ‘quick wins’ will result in significant changes will set you up to fail in the long term.
Areas for Improvement
Highlight specific areas where improvements can be made to enhance performance. This could include refining ad copy for better relevance, exploring new keyword opportunities, or optimising bidding strategies for a better ROI.
Testing Opportunities
Testing can often be overlooked if an account is performing well. Continuous A/B testing in the account can help provide new learnings and any incremental gains. Propose new testing opportunities that have not been explored. This could involve A/B testing ad variations or experimenting with different ad formats, bid strategies, or feed optimisations.
Future Approach:
Share insights on how you would approach the account if you were to take over. Outline a strategic plan that aligns with the client's business goals and leverages your expertise.
To round it up, even seemingly well-optimised accounts can benefit from a fresh perspective and continuous improvement. By focusing on constructive feedback, testing opportunities, and outlining a forward-thinking strategic approach, a PPC specialist can add substantial value to a client's digital marketing efforts.