When it comes to Google Ads, the last thing you want is to be sinking money into a pit without seeing any results. Instead, you want to be spending your budget wisely and targeting customers who are genuinely interested in what you are selling. This is where Search Query Analysis (SQA) comes into play.Â
In this guide, we will explore the process of SQA and how it can help you target your campaigns more successfully by filtering out irrelevant traffic and only targeting the most relevant keywords to ultimately improve your Google Ads performance.
The Power of Search Query Analysis
Search Query Analysis (SQA) is the process of examining the search queries that people type into Google to get your ads. By knowing the terms that people are searching for and which ones are triggering your ads, you can further refine your ad campaigns and targeting to boost your return on investment (ROI).
Here are some key aspects of SQA:
Enhancing Search Quality
To build effective Google Ads campaigns, you first need to have a clear understanding of what your target audience and potential customers are searching for. SQA allows you to uncover this by showing the most common terms that your audience is searching for.
You can then align your ad copy and keywords with these key terms to improve your ads’ relevance and ensure that they show up for what your audience is searching for.
Exploring New Keywords
SQA is not just about refining your existing keyword list; it’s also a powerful way to discover new terms that you should be targeting. As you sift through the search query results, you will likely come across a range of highly relevant terms that you may have overlooked or not even considered when you first created your keyword list.
By incorporating these new keywords into your campaigns, you can tap into previously untapped markets and reach more new customers that you previously weren’t targeting.
Crafting Better User Journeys
When you understand the specific queries that lead users to your ads, you can also tailor your landing pages to their search intent. This will improve their experience with your site and ensure that they find exactly what they are looking for, which in turn will lead to higher conversion rates for your business.
For example, if you notice that users searching for “best running shoes” frequently click on your ad, consider directing them to a dedicated page showcasing your top running shoe products.
Negating Irrelevant Search Terms
Just as important as finding new keywords, is knowing which terms are irrelevant. When you complete SQA you will be able to identify terms that your ads are showing for that may be irrelevant. While this may not seem like a big deal, it can be, as it means you are wasting your budget on users who are unlikely to convert.
By filtering out and negating these irrelevant search terms and keywords you can prevent your ads from showing to uninterested users, thus saving your budget for more valuable clicks.
How to Perform Search Query Analysis
Now that you understand some of the key aspects it’s time to take a look at the steps needed to actually perform search query analysis:
- Pull the Search Query Report: Start by accessing the search query report in your Google Ads account and reading through the list of search queries that triggered your ads over a specific timeframe.
- Sort by Frequency: Next, you can sort the search queries from most visitors to least, so you can just focus on those that are generating the most impressions and clicks.
- Identify the Top Search Terms: Then, look at the exact search terms being typed in Google that are triggering your ads and identify which ones are the most common and relevant.
- Identify Irrelevant Keywords: You can then review this list and highlight any keywords that are not relevant to your business and add them as negative keywords so your ads no longer show for these terms. These might be phrases that are loosely related to your products or services but attract clicks from users with low purchase intent.
- Discover New Keywords: Finally, while you’re analysing the search queries, keep an eye out for any new keywords that are relevant but that you haven’t targeted before. If you notice search terms with high relevance to your offerings, consider incorporating them into your campaigns.
Frequency of SQA
So, now that we’ve established that SQA is a great way to identify growth opportunities and negate keywords that are wasting your budget, it’s important to think about doing it frequently. There’s no real one-size-fits-all time frame that we can provide on how often you should be redoing your search query analysis, as it can vary based on your campaign’s age and performance:
- For new campaigns: When you first start a new campaign, you should be conducting search query analysis weekly for at least first first few months to ensure that you properly define your campaigns and set them up for early success based on user behaviours.
- For well-established campaigns: Once your campaign is well-established you can drop back to monthly SQAs just to ensure that your campaigns stay on the right track. This ongoing practice will ensure that you stay on the pulse of new and evolving search behaviours and market trends.
A Source of Business Opportunities
In addition to continually optimising your ad campaigns for results, Search Query Analysis can also uncover valuable long-term business opportunities. By staying aware of relevant search queries and your audiences’ behaviour, you will be able to see when the market evolves and quickly adapt your offerings and content to meet these changing needs.
By knowing when a new demand arises, you can jump on it early by creating or pushing your product or services to meet that demand into a new market that is set up for success.
Leverage SQA for Result-Driven Google Ads.
Refining your Google Ads campaigns through Search Query Analysis is the best way to set your campaigns up for long-term success. By constantly filtering out irrelevant traffic, discovering new keywords, and tailoring your ads to match user intent, you will be able to target users who want and need your services. This in turn will increase the quality of leads being filtered your way and generate more sales while reducing wasted budget on uninterested traffic.Â
So, ultimately, SQA empowers you to make data-driven decisions that lead to more effective digital advertising campaigns.
