If you’re looking to improve your Google Ads performance, you’ve probably heard about campaign experiments. But do you know how to use them to make meaningful improvements? Google Ads campaign experiments can be a game changer for advertisers who want to test different strategies, refine their approach, and get better results. In this post, we’ll dive into the concept of campaign experiments and show you how to leverage them to boost your performance.
What Are Google Ads Campaign Experiments?
Google Ads campaign experiments allow you to test different versions of your campaigns to see which one delivers better results. These experiments can help you test various changes, including adjustments to bidding strategies, ad copy, targeting, or even the structure of your entire campaign. By running experiments, you can make data-driven decisions, reduce risks, and ensure that your advertising dollars are well spent.
A campaign experiment works by creating a “split” within your campaign. For example, you can set up two variations of an ad campaign—one control group that runs as usual and one experimental group that incorporates the changes you want to test. Google then runs both versions simultaneously, and you can compare their performance side by side to see which performs better.
With a properly set up experiment, you’ll have the tools to refine your Google Ads strategy and maximize your return on investment (ROI).
Why Should You Use Google Ads Campaign Experiments?
Using Google Ads campaign experiments offers a number of benefits that help advertisers optimize their campaigns and achieve better results. Here’s why you should consider using them:
- Data-Driven Decisions: Experiments remove the guesswork and let you base your decisions on actual performance data. You won’t have to rely on intuition; instead, you can test changes and verify whether they lead to improved results.
- Risk Mitigation: Testing new strategies or features can feel risky. But with Google Ads campaign experiments, you can test changes in a controlled environment. The control group runs without changes, ensuring that your original campaign remains unaffected. You can then compare the results of the test to the original setup before committing fully.
- Cost Efficiency: Running experiments can help you get more out of your advertising budget. By testing which bidding strategy, keywords, or ads work best, you can allocate your budget to the highest-performing elements, leading to better efficiency in spending.
- Faster Learning Curve: Campaign experiments allow you to learn quickly and efficiently. You can run tests on a smaller scale before making large-scale changes, giving you the opportunity to fine-tune your approach and avoid mistakes that might be costly in the long run.
How to Set Up Google Ads Campaign Experiments
Setting up a Google Ads campaign experiment involves several key steps. Here’s a step-by-step guide to get you started:
Step 1: Identify What You Want to Test
Before you set up an experiment, it’s crucial to identify what you want to test. Common elements you can experiment with include:
- Bidding strategies: Test different types of bidding strategies, such as automated bidding (e.g., Target CPA or Maximize Conversions) versus manual bidding.
- Ad copy variations: Experiment with different headlines, descriptions, and calls to action in your ads to see which messaging resonates best with your audience.
- Targeting options: Test different targeting settings such as audience segments, geographic locations, devices, or ad schedules.
- Keyword selection: Test different keyword variations to find which ones generate the best results for your business.
- Landing pages: Try testing different landing pages to see if a particular layout or call to action yields better conversions.
Step 2: Create a New Campaign Experiment
Once you’ve identified what to test, it’s time to create a new campaign experiment. Follow these steps:
- Login to Google Ads: Start by logging into your Google Ads account.
- Select the Campaign: Choose the campaign you want to run the experiment on. You can select any campaign that is already live.
- Click on “Drafts & Experiments”: On the left-hand menu, go to “Campaigns” and then select “Drafts & Experiments.”
- Create a New Draft: Click on the “Create a draft” button. This will be a copy of your existing campaign, where you can apply the changes you want to test.
- Modify the Draft: Apply the changes you want to test in the draft. You can adjust the bidding strategy, keywords, ad copy, targeting, etc.
- Create Experiment: After modifying the draft, select the option to create an experiment. Here, you’ll be asked to define the experiment settings, including the percentage of traffic you want to allocate to the experiment (usually 50/50, but you can adjust it as needed).
Step 3: Monitor Your Experiment
Once the experiment is live, it’s important to monitor its performance closely. Google Ads provides detailed reports that allow you to compare the performance of your control and experimental groups. Look at metrics such as:
- Click-through rate (CTR)
- Conversion rate
- Cost per conversion
- Return on Ad Spend (ROAS)
By analyzing these metrics, you can determine whether the changes you’ve made are improving performance. Be sure to run the experiment long enough to gather statistically significant data.
Step 4: Analyze Results and Make Decisions
Once the experiment has completed, it’s time to analyze the results. If the experimental group outperforms the control group, you may choose to implement the changes across the entire campaign. If the results are inconclusive or if the changes negatively impacted performance, you’ll need to reassess and test other variations.
Google Ads will automatically provide you with an “experiment status,” allowing you to see if the experiment had a positive or negative effect on the key performance metrics. At this point, you can either apply the experiment changes to your full campaign or abandon the experiment and try different adjustments.
Step 5: Implement Learnings Across Other Campaigns
Campaign experiments aren’t limited to just one campaign. Once you have identified strategies that work, apply them to other campaigns across your account. The insights gained from the experiment can be used to optimize your entire advertising strategy, helping you get more out of your ad spend.
Best Practices for Google Ads Campaign Experiments
To make the most out of your campaign experiments, here are some best practices to follow:
- Keep It Simple: Don’t test too many variables at once. It can be tempting to make several changes at the same time, but this can make it difficult to pinpoint what led to improved performance. Start with one or two changes at a time to maintain clear, actionable insights.
- Set Clear Goals: Before launching an experiment, define the goals you want to achieve. Do you want to increase clicks, conversions, or return on ad spend? Having a clear goal in mind will help you determine which metrics to track and ensure that your experiment is focused.
- Run Experiments Long Enough: Don’t cut your experiments short. You need enough data to draw meaningful conclusions. Running an experiment for at least a week is often recommended, but longer might be necessary depending on your campaign’s size and budget.
- Test Across Multiple Campaigns: Once you’ve found successful strategies in one campaign, implement them across other campaigns to test their effectiveness at scale. What works for one campaign may work across multiple campaigns, saving you time in the long run.
- Keep Track of Variations: It’s important to track all changes that you make during an experiment. Whether it’s bidding, targeting, or ad copy, ensure you have a system to track each variation so that you can easily compare the results.
Conclusion
Google Ads campaign experiments are a powerful tool for improving the performance of your campaigns. By testing different variables and refining your approach based on data, you can make smarter decisions and boost your ROI. Whether you’re testing ad copy, bidding strategies, or targeting, campaign experiments give you the insights you need to take your Google Ads campaigns to the next level.
If you’re ready to start experimenting with your Google Ads campaigns, or if you need expert help to refine your strategies, check out our Google Advertising Services page for more details on how Forerunner Marketing can assist you. Our team can guide you through the entire process and ensure that your campaigns are optimized for success. Visit our website for more information on our services.
