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<\/div>\nThe scenario is easy to imagine. A new client approaches you about running their campaigns. They tell you that they had someone working on the project before, but it didn\u2019t work out.<\/p>\n
They tell you this with a certain amount of excitement in their voice, as if they are doing you a great favor. In their mind, it means that part of your job has already been done for you.<\/p>\n
What a treat, right?<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, this is rarely what a PPC manager wants to hear from a new client. If anything, it creates more work and confusion.<\/p>\n
Every PPC manager has created a new campaign, but taking over an existing one presents unique challenges.<\/p>\n
- \n
- Where do you start?<\/li>\n
- Has any competitive analysis been done?<\/li>\n
- What about keyword planning and research?<\/li>\n
- What\u2019s the difference between \u201cCampaign1\u201d and \u201cCampaign2?\u201d<\/li>\n
- Why is \u2018maximize clicks\u2019 the selected bidding strategy?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
It\u2019s a bit like trying to start a movie from the middle. You\u2019re going to have many questions and it may take some serious sleuthing before you can find the answers.<\/p>\n
In this discussion, we\u2019ll look at how to run Google Ads for clients when they have pre-existing campaigns. You\u2019ll learn how to establish that crucial background knowledge that you need to revive the client\u2019s stagnant campaigns.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s take a look.<\/p>\n
![\"ppc](\"https:\/\/ppcexpo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/ppcaduitaccount-3.png\")
<\/a><\/div>\nStep 1: Establish A Rapport With The Client<\/h2>\n
Before lifting the hood of the campaigns to see what\u2019s happening, you first want to establish a good relationship with the client. After all, this is a new partnership. You want to start on the right foot!<\/p>\n
Here are some tips to get you started.<\/p>\n
i. Trust Is Vital!<\/h3>\n
The most successful client relationships are the ones built on trust and respect. The more trust there is, the more the client will share about their brand, goals, expectations and concerns.<\/p>\n
All of this information is extremely valuable to you as a marketer!<\/p>\n
Your priority should be trying to build this trust. You want to be communicative, relatable and straightforward. When possible, communicate concepts using simple terms. The client is not as familiar with PPC marketing and terminology as you are!<\/p>\n
Trust isn\u2019t always easy to obtain, which means you may need a certain level of patience. The client may have been burned by the previous PPC marketer who left them high and dry.<\/p>\n
It may take some time for them to regain their trust in advertisers.<\/p>\n
ii. Don\u2019t Keep Them In The Dark<\/h3>\n
Some PPC marketers may incorrectly assume that the client only cares about results. Sure, they don\u2019t need to hear about every minor update, but don\u2019t keep them entirely in the dark.<\/p>\n
Plus, the client is an expert at their business. They may be able to provide helpful insight into how to perfect ad messages!<\/p>\n
You also want to be sure that any critical updates reach the client. You don\u2019t want to be in a situation where the client notices a significant drop in performance or another issue on their own.<\/p>\n
This will damage the trust. It\u2019s better to acknowledge the problem and let the client know that you\u2019re working on resolving it.<\/p>\n
iii. Offer Weekly Reports<\/h3>\n
One of the best ways to stop the client from feeling left out is to offer weekly updates and reports. This will demonstrate that you are reliable and trustworthy. The client will know when they can expect the next update.<\/p>\n
A weekly update gives them a little check-in and explanation of what\u2019s happening. It doesn\u2019t have to be much, just enough to show that you care about the client\u2019s involvement in the process.<\/p>\n
If they have any follow-up questions, you should answer them promptly. Then, use these questions to improve future reports.<\/p>\n
For instance, if a client\u2019s questions are focused on the budget, then, in future reports, you want to include how ad spend is being allocated across campaigns.<\/p>\n
iv. Give Your Client Full Access<\/h3>\n
Weekly performance Reports are a great way to keep clients in the know. That said, you should also offer them full access to any tool or service you use. This includes site analytics, PPC accounts and more.<\/p>\n
Full transparency is a great trust builder! It shows that you are not hiding anything from them or not trusting them with the tools you use.<\/p>\n
The client may even explore these tools for themselves to answer their questions or further their understanding.<\/p>\n
v. Highlight Problems Early<\/h3>\n
No one expects an unending supply of positive news. Even your clients understand that slight downturns in performance are expected and mistakes can happen.<\/p>\n
The client deserves to know when problems occur. This is not always easy because it can feel like you\u2019re doing a lousy job as a marketer.<\/p>\n
However, your client will respect your ability to be upfront about these issues, rather than trying to cover them up.<\/p>\n
After all, your service is just one aspect of their marketing. The client needs the good news and <\/em>the bad news to inform the rest of their strategies.<\/p>\n
When you highlight your own shortcomings, it creates valuable learning opportunities. Failures show you what is not working, which creates the chance to improve upon these weak areas.<\/p>\n
vi. Discuss Goals And Expectations<\/h3>\n
You and the client should openly discuss and set goals together. Listen to their expectations and then explain their paid search account\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n
This needs to be an honest conversation. If you promise the client the world and only deliver a small island, they\u2019ll be disappointed. It\u2019s okay if you have to lower their expectations.<\/p>\n
It is infinitely easier to push back on the client during goal setting than to answer to campaign performance<\/a> that falls below what was agreed on. So, don\u2019t get locked into unrealistically high goals!<\/p>\n
Since this is a new client, it\u2019s also crucial that you give yourself some leeway with the timing. Explain to the client the process of investigating the account, researching the business and so on.<\/p>\n
The client may have the presumption that you can just pick up where the previous marketer left off, but it\u2019s not that simple.<\/p>\n
vii. Don\u2019t Be Afraid To Offer Your Own Strategies<\/h3>\n
Every client is different. You may be hired by an organization with a dedicated marketing team that needs some extra work. You could also be working for a one-person operation that needs all the help they can get.<\/p>\n
In either case, don\u2019t neglect your own creativity and expertise as a marketer. You may have the campaign idea that the client needs to propel their marketing to the next level.<\/p>\n
Coming with your own marketing strategies<\/a> demonstrates initiative and creativity. Even if the idea isn\u2019t accepted, it shows that you can join creative conversations.<\/p>\n
Step 2: Getting Started With A Client\u2019s Existing Google Ads Campaigns<\/h2>\n
Now that you\u2019ve established the necessary foundation for a strong client relationship, it\u2019s time to open up their Google Ads account and see what\u2019s been happening.<\/p>\n
This section will outline the steps you should follow when taking over a pre-existing account for a client.<\/p>\n
i. Accessing The Account<\/h3>\n
There are a few options on how you want to access and use the existing Google Ads account. Your first option is to download the .CSV and import it into your own Google Ads account.<\/p>\n
Alternatively, you can add yourself to the existing account and remove the previous agency\u2019s permissions.<\/p>\n
The second option is best because you lose the historical campaign data when you download the .CSV. This will make it hard to make optimization decisions and learn how well certain strategies have worked in the past.<\/p>\n
When you add yourself to the existing account, make sure you have the highest permissions \u2013 at least enough to change campaign settings.<\/p>\n
You should also request access to the client\u2019s Google Analytics and website.<\/p>\n
Account Audit And Measuring Campaign Performance<\/h3>\n
Now that you have access, your next step is to start figuring out what is happening in the account<\/a>.<\/p>\n
You\u2019re picking up the story halfway through. You need to find out what happened since the beginning, why it happened and how you can make it better in the end.<\/p>\n
This initial audit will take some time. You have to work through the entire account before you can really begin making improvements.<\/p>\n
As you measure campaign performance, remember to look from all angles. Even though a keyword may have low impressions, it could be one of the best closers in the account.<\/p>\n
While you\u2019re investigating the account, keep in mind the client\u2019s goals. This will help you focus on the most relevant metrics and highlight the most valuable keywords, ad groups and campaigns.<\/p>\n
There are a few factors you should pay attention to as you audit the account:<\/p>\n
Wasted Spend: <\/strong>How much money is being wasted? Costs are always critical, no matter the client. If you can make better use of their budget than the last agency, you\u2019ll win huge favor. You can remove wasted spending<\/a> by refining keyword targets to remove poor performers. This is eating into the budget. It\u2019s money that you spend on other areas of the account! You can try wasted spend report online<\/a> to check your account performance<\/p>\n
Quality Score: <\/strong>This is one of the most crucial success factors to any campaign, no matter what goal you have. Quality Scores<\/a> will influence your ad ranks, how much you need to bid on keywords and more. You can also look at this quality rating for what it is \u2013 Google grading your PPC work. It can be a great way to identify problematic areas in the account quickly.<\/p>\n
Landing Page Optimization: <\/strong>Creating strategic PPC campaigns is only part of the process. Even the most compelling ad message can be made worthless if it leads to a poor landing page<\/a>. The landing page is the place on your site where audiences are brought after clicking your ad. It\u2019s the final gate between a click and a conversion. It\u2019s so crucial to successful PPC that it is even one of the primary factors in calculating Quality Scores.<\/p>\n
Mobile Advertising: <\/strong>Mobile has long surpassed desktop in terms of search volume. Everyone is using their smartphone and other mobile devices to access the Internet throughout the day. You don\u2019t want to miss out on this massive audience because your ads are optimized poorly for mobile. While auditing the account, look for areas that perform poorly on mobile devices. This will help you assess how mobile-friendly the overall account is and what areas need attention.<\/p>\n
You can try device performance report online to check the performance of mobile and other devices.<\/p>\n
ii.Lin-Rodnitzky Ratio (L\/R)<\/h3>\n
The Lin-Rodnitzky Ratio is a method of quickly and efficiently analyzing a PPC account. To use this method, conversion tracking needs to be correctly implemented. You need a fair amount of available conversion and CTR data.<\/p>\n
The calculation itself is relatively straightforward. All you need to do is take your costs for all conversions and divide it by the cost of ad traffic that converts at least once.<\/p>\n
The result should be somewhere between 1.0 and 2.5 (sometimes higher). This number can be used as a score for the overall health of your campaign. The ideal range is between 1.5 and 2.0.<\/p>\n
If your calculations are lower than this range, it is a sign that you aren\u2019t aggressive enough with your efforts. You should start adding new keywords and putting more effort into optimization.<\/p>\n
Conversely, if your Lin-Rodnitzky score is on the high side, the opposite is true. You\u2019re too aggressive with your efforts. You need to start acting more conservatively. Start by adding some keywords to your negative keyword list and lowering bids on keywords that aren\u2019t producing results.<\/p>\n
iii.Keyword Performance<\/h3>\n
Keywords are the building blocks of your campaigns. While you likely examined keywords during your account audit, you should really spend extra time on this subject.<\/p>\n
You want to know your top-performing keywords. These are the search terms that are generating the majority of your conversions and results. Thus, they need to be your primary concern.<\/p>\n
Next, look for keywords that are hurting your overall performance. It may be best to add these terms to your negative keyword list.<\/p>\n
Finally, conduct some keyword research of your own. There may be valuable targets that the old agency left alone or didn\u2019t identify.<\/p>\n
iv.Geo And Device Performance<\/h3>\n
You can refine your PPC targeting by looking at specific locations and device types. This allows you to understand what factors influence performance.<\/p>\n
As mentioned, device type is a critical factor because of mobile\u2019s importance in today\u2019s world.<\/p>\n
Geo-locations are also crucial, especially if the client\u2019s business has specific locations they want to target or operate locally.<\/p>\n
You want to identify the areas with the most potential value.<\/p>\n
\n![\"google](\"https:\/\/ppcexpo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/ppcsignal-homebanner2.png\")
<\/a><\/div>\nStep 3: How To Run Google Ads For Clients With PPC Signal<\/h2>\n
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