Google Ads Are HARD. Here Are 5 Tips That'll Actually Make You Money.

I'm not going to sugar coat it, Google Ads are HARD. So in this post, I'm going to give you 5 tips that will help you run campaigns that actually make you money. And hopefully, make it just a little bit easier for you along the way.

Tip #1: Get Your Tracking Right (Or Burn Your Money)

Tracking is incredibly important. If you don't have proper tracking set up, you will never run profitable ads. Period.

Let's start with your business. How are most people currently booking with you? Is it over a phone call? A booking software on your website? Either way, you need to know what's working.

If you're like most people, you might think asking "where'd you find us?" on the phone is good enough. Unfortunately, the reality is that Google needs to know where people found you too. Without proper tracking in place, Google can't optimize for that type of booking and you'll be burning money as you go.

To implement tracking, there are a thousand and one YouTube videos online. If you're using a platform like Vallypro, you can find step-by-step instructions here on how to set things up properly. It may be a bit daunting at first, but with a little time, you can get it done.

Tip #2: Use AI Wisely (But Don't Outsource Your Brain)

ChatGPT is everyone's new business consultant, therapist, and best friend. But sometimes it's best to use that good ole fashioned brain of yours.

AI may know a lot, but nobody knows your target market like YOU. Spend some time thinking about what makes your business stand apart from the rest. Then use that info to create messaging that resonates with your potential clients, both on your website and in your Google Ads headlines.

Tip #3: Your Website Will Make or Break You

If you're spending $1,000 a month on advertising and sending people to a $300 website, you're wasting way more money than if you had just paid for a legitimate website out of the gate.

Did you hire someone off Fiverr to throw your site together? Did you spend a week building it yourself? Either way, you probably need to take a hard look at it and reevaluate.

The messaging on your website should be concise and compelling. The goal is to make that potential customer who lands on your page think, "I'd love to fish with them."

Study your competition. Then study your competition's competition. Look at fishing charters all over the country. See what they're doing and pull out what you like. After that, either learn how to build a website yourself, or hire someone to do it right.

The worst thing you can do is send traffic to a website that doesn't convert. And here's the kicker - if your site isn't optimized for speed, messaging, and a handful of other factors, your Google Ads CPC will go up and you'll be shown in a lower position. It's a double whammy.

Tip #4: Be Patient. Google Ads Takes Time

Google Ads takes time. You need conversions before Google starts to figure out what it's looking for.

Don't stop after 1 week. Don't stop after 1 month. Keep going. It gets better with time.

Tip #5: Negative Keywords Are Your Lifeblood

If you go into Google Ads, slap on "bait store," "head boat," and "fishing charter jobs" as negative keywords, and think you're good to go... you're in for a rude awakening.

Here's what you actually need to do. In Google Ads, navigate to Campaigns > Insights and Reports > Search Terms. From there, you can look through the actual list of search terms your ads have been showing up for. It's usually staggering. If you've been running ads for a while, there will be thousands of terms in there.

Go through the list and add anything irrelevant as a negative keyword. I have seen accounts waste thousands and thousands of dollars on search terms that had absolutely nothing to do with their business. Don't let that be you.

Wrapping It Up

Google Ads aren't easy, but they're not impossible either. Get your tracking dialed in, use AI as a tool (not a crutch), invest in a website that actually converts, give it time, and stay on top of your negative keywords.

Do those five things and you'll already be ahead of the vast majority of advertisers out there.

Reach Out

austin@firstmatemarketing.co

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