£30k/month carpentry business is approaching Google Ads all wrong

As a small ecommerce business owner, getting the most out of your limited marketing budget is crucial.

In a recent episode of the Grow with Evergreen podcast, our MD, Aaron, spoke with Stuart, owner of a handmade furniture company, about optimising Google Ads campaigns on a tight budget.

Here are 5 key takeaways:

Use Google Ads conversion tracking, not Google Analytics

Many businesses import conversion data from Google Analytics into Google Ads. However, this can lead to inflated and inaccurate conversion reporting. Instead, conversion tracking should be set up directly in Google Ads for more precise data on which ads and keywords are driving sales.

Only assign conversion value to actual purchases

Avoid assigning monetary values to micro-conversions like add-to-carts or initiating checkout. This artificially inflates your campaign’s perceived performance. Only attribute value to completed purchases.

Move away from “Maximise Clicks” bidding

The “Maximise Clicks” bidding strategy focuses on volume over quality. For most ecommerce businesses, it’s better to use manual bidding or “Target Impression Share” to have more control over ad spend and reach your ideal customers.

Leverage audience targeting

Take advantage of Google’s in-market and affinity audiences to show your ads to people actively shopping for or interested in your products. Start with observation-only targeting to gather data before adjusting bids.

Refine location targeting settings

Under location options, choose “Presence: People in or regularly in your targeted locations” rather than the default setting that includes people merely interested in those locations. This ensures your budget is spent reaching people who can actually purchase from you.

Implementing these optimizations can help stretch a limited ad budget further and drive more qualified traffic to your ecommerce site. Even small improvements in efficiency can make a big difference for growing businesses.

For more Google Ads tips and digital marketing advice for home, garden and lifestyle brands, check out the full Grow with Evergreen podcast episode.

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