A little while ago, I put together a list of ways I use labels in AdWords to help me in my account management. Today, I’d like to expand on that list and share a few more ways I’ve been able to use labels to make things a little easier. Last time, I talked about using labels for 3 areas in your account: regularly referenced areas, tracking changes, and preventing redundancy. This time I’ll be discussing how to compare keyword match types, campaign settings, and ad copy testing using the Dimensions tab as a reporting tool.
Keyword Match Types
W hen investigating currently performance within an account, one set of stats I like to reference is overall match type performance. Is broad match all of the sudden bursting with increased impressions? Has exact match started killing it in the conversion rate column? It’s hard to get answers to those questions from within the Keywords tab. I label each keyword with it’s appropriate match type “Exact”, “Phrase”, “BMM”, or “Broad” then head on over to the Dimensions tab to check the stats. Although this might seem cumbersome, it’s really not, especially if you have your labels column hidden in most account views like I do.
Campaign Settings
As Google keeps rolling out more and more types of campaigns and targeting methods within search and display, it becomes increasingly important to keep track and make sure each option is performing it’s best within your accounts. The Total – Search and Total – Display Network rows at the bottom of the interface simply don’t cut it anymore.
I’ve found the Display network needs most of these types of labels. Managed Placement campaigns most likely will perform different from Remarketing campaigns, and both will probably perform differently than a campaign running on Display Campaign Optimizer (DCO). Similarly, campaigns operating on Conversion Optimizer will probably perform differently from those running on CPC or CPM bidding. To get a higher level view of performance, throw on a label that clearly describes the targeting/bidding method for each campaign, then hop on over to the Dimensions tab when looking for a high level data breakdown in your campaigns.
Ad Copy Testing
To round out the list, ad copy testing has been a new area I’ve come to love using AdWords labels for multiple reasons. First, you can clearly and concisely describe your ad in a label that allows for testing on an aggregate level. Say you’re testing a “Free Shipping” call to action against a “Buy One Get One” option. Well, those should be your two labels right there. If each ad group in the campaign has two ads, one of each message above, you can simply ad a label with the corresponding text being tested then check out performance at the campaign level, with only two lines of data, on the Dimensions tab.
Second, it makes ending existing tests much easier. Although AdWords editor doesn’t support labels yet (BOO!), you can easily filter by label within the interface, pause all underperforming ads, then upload and tag a new set. Finally, labeling your ads keeps you honest. When you know you have to label the unique part of your ad, it (should) make it more difficult to write extremely similar ads.
Have you found any creative and useful ways to use labels in your account? I’d love to hear them! Share them in the comments!
