{"id":4894,"date":"2024-04-26T09:27:14","date_gmt":"2024-04-26T14:27:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digitalstristg.wpenginepowered.com\/?p=4894"},"modified":"2025-03-20T11:33:59","modified_gmt":"2025-03-20T16:33:59","slug":"top-5-google-ads-recommendations-you-should-re-consider-before-implementing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.digitalstrike.com\/top-5-google-ads-recommendations-you-should-re-consider-before-implementing\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 5 Google Ads Recommendations You Should Re-Consider Before Implementing"},"content":{"rendered":"

Google Ads recommendations<\/a> may seem like shortcuts to success, but blindly following these recommendations can sometimes lead to wasteful spending and little to no ROI.<\/span><\/p>\n

At Digital Strike, we\u2019ve helped hundreds of businesses of every size in almost every vertical with their paid search campaigns<\/a>… So you can that say we\u2019ve learned a thing or two about Google\u2019s ad recommendations\u2014including when NOT to use them.<\/span><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s explore five common types of recommendations from Google that demand careful scrutiny before implementation and the reasons why.<\/span><\/p>\n

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1. Adding Recommended Keywords<\/b><\/h2>\n

Google recommends keywords for two reasons: To enhance optimization scores and to increase ad spend.<\/span><\/p>\n

Optimization score is somewhat of a fake metric that Google created to more or less suggest to inexperienced advertisers that they should use a variety of the ad variations Google offers. In doing this, you are expanding your reach across all channels like video, search, display, shopping, etc., while ultimately spending more money.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why you should re-consider:<\/b><\/p>\n

Rather than use these recommendations, it would be advised to dig deeper into what Google is suggesting. Google is a big proponent of running broad match keywords and\u2014while the targeting for broad match has improved\u2014it still isn’t always the best route. This is because broad match casts a wide net and, therefore, pulls in some terms that might not make sense for the business goals.<\/span><\/p>\n

For example, let\u2019s say you\u2019re running ads for an assisted living community<\/a>. Based on search history, Google is able to see that the large majority of searchers looking in the senior living realm are price shopping for affordable options. Therefore, some highly trafficked terms include \u201caffordable apartments,\u201d \u201ccheap senior housing,\u201d \u201cgovernment-assisted senior housing,\u201d etc. Google then puts these terms into the recommended new keyword area for you to use in ads.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, the problem with this is that the assisted living facility may not want to show up for these terms because it’s not what they offer at their business. This would result in wasted ad spend and poor Google ads account performance<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Increase Budget Based on Projections<\/b><\/h2>\n

If you do not have a high conversion rate, Google may suggest adding budget based on projections that forecast how many clicks<\/a> you <\/span>could<\/span><\/i> receive if you increase spend by certain dollar amounts (this is not always the answer, though).<\/span><\/p>\n

Why you should re-consider:<\/b><\/p>\n

Yes, there are times when you truly aren\u2019t showing because you aren’t spending enough to compete.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, before you take Google’s suggestion to increase the budget, you need to first take a look at the impression share lost to budget\u2014or Search Lost IS (Budget)\u2014in order to determine if the actual spend really is the issue.<\/span><\/p>\n

This metric gives a percentage of how many times your ads didn’t show because the campaign is limited by budget and is really the only time when you should consider increasing spend.<\/span><\/p>\n

Google’s goal is to ramp up your spend to dominate search results, but that doesn’t mean you will get more conversions, especially if you are not losing budget to impressions.<\/span><\/p>\n

If that is what is happening, then other factors need to be re-evaluated, such as keyword relevancy<\/a>, ad quality, and landing page experience<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Switching Bidding Strategy<\/b><\/h2>\n

Google Adwords offers a number of bid strategies to use based on campaign goals. Here are a few examples:<\/span><\/p>\n