Leveraging First-Party Data
First-party data is crucial for understanding user journeys from ad click to app action. It also serves as the foundation for conversion modeling. As advertisers shift away from individual identifiers, Google’s machine learning can use statistical patterns from first-party data to automatically find relevant audiences.
Google’s Latest Automation Best Practices
Use Machine Learning
Instead of manually targeting specific demographics, let machine learning identify the right audience. This approach proved effective during the last election cycle, where candidates using machine learning achieved better results due to privacy constraints on political ads. To maximize conversions, invest in a full-funnel strategy using all major Google Ads and Google Marketing Platform products.
Follow All Automation Best Practices
Start with Fully-Automated Marketing: Google’s automated products outperform manual efforts and simplify campaign management. Use campaigns such as:
- Smart Shopping Campaigns: Drive eCommerce revenues at your target ROAS.
- Local Campaigns: Increase store visits at your target cost per visit.
- App Campaigns: Boost app downloads and user actions.
- Video Action Campaigns: Enhance conversions from YouTube.
- Discovery Ads: Increase conversions from Google’s feed-based products.
Use Audiences Powered by Machine Learning: Google Audiences utilize a wide range of signals (demographics, interests, context) to reach interested users. In scenarios where cookies are restricted, Google Audiences rely on contextual signals to determine relevance. Tools like Optimized Targeting in Google Ads and Targeting Expansion in Display & Video 360 help find new and relevant users.
Transition to Modern Search
Google’s paid search has evolved significantly, with new privacy-safe best practices termed as “modern search”. Key practices include:
- Smart Bidding: Uses machine learning to optimize each auction based on data available only to Google, targeting CPA or ROAS at the portfolio level.
- Data-Driven Attribution: Accurately values the impact of generic keywords, allowing better investment decisions.
- Improving Creative: Follow best practices such as optimizing ad rotation to conversion, providing multiple ads per ad group, and using Responsive Search Ads.
- Buying Relevant Keywords: Invest in broad match keywords using Smart Bidding and data-driven attribution for better results.
Building a Full-Funnel Marketing Strategy
Many advertisers struggle with full-funnel strategies. Start by implementing all recommended tactics and pare down the inefficient ones through holdout A/B testing. For example, MasterClass increased signups by 70% using this approach.
Key Tactics:
- Smart Display Campaigns: Automate display ads across the Google Display Network.
- Video Action Campaigns: Drive conversions with video ads on YouTube.
- Discovery Ads: Reach users across Google’s feed-based products.
Broaden Your Advertising Strategy:
- Target Similar High LTV Customers: Use Customer Match similar audiences.
- In-Market Audiences: Target users actively searching for products.
- Custom Audiences: Use display and YouTube ads to reach users searching for relevant keywords.
Sharing Transaction Values
Share the economic value created after each conversion with Google. This helps machine learning optimize for users driving value, resulting in better campaign performance.
Investing in Brand Building
Performance advertisers often struggle with brand building due to short-term negative ROAS. However, using Google products like Video Reach Campaigns can drive long-term brand value. Invisalign, for example, increased its market value significantly by investing in brand marketing during COVID-19.
Key Takeaways
- Invest in a Full-Funnel Strategy: Use Google Ads and Google Marketing Platform products to maximize conversions.
- Follow Automation Best Practices: Utilize automated marketing products and machine learning-powered audiences.
- Transition to Modern Search: Implement privacy-safe best practices to enhance search advertising.
- Experiment and Test: Continuously test new strategies and adjust your approach based on results.
Questions and Correct Answers
- What’s a recommended way to build a privacy-safe, full-funnel marketing strategy?
- Optimized targeting uses ____ to predict the individuals most likely to convert and reaches them for you.
- How can clients with repeat customers optimize for future high conversion revenue using Smart Bidding?
- How can Smart Bidding help clients optimize for profit rather than revenue?
- Why is optimized targeting suitable for a cookieless world?
- Why is Smart Bidding a durable, privacy-safe solution?
- What’s an effective way to broaden advertising strategy in a privacy-safe manner?
- Which campaign type unites all non-keyword related Google advertising into one automated cross-product?
By following these strategies and leveraging Google’s automation tools, advertisers can effectively navigate the evolving digital landscape while ensuring privacy-safe growth and performance.
Resources
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