If you’re not auditing your PPC keywords on a regular basis, you may be throwing valuable budget at low-performing terms. As search patterns continue to change, holding on to old keywords can rapidly deplete your budget and hurt your performance. The upside is that periodic keyword audits will correct this. By making your keywords new and meaningful, you can make your PPC campaigns remain effective and keep on performing well. Here’s why audits are that essential and how they can enhance your campaign performance.
What is a Keyword Audit?
A keyword audit entails reviewing the performance of your keywords in your PPC campaigns. It enables you to recognize high-performing keywords, detect underperforming ones, and optimize your approach by getting rid of or tweaking ineffective keywords.
Why Keyword Audits Matter
- Adapting to Changing Search Trends: Search behavior is evolving, propelled by seasonality and changing consumer demands. Audits keep your keyword strategy up-to-date.
- Identifying Underperforming Keywords: Certain keywords might no longer be returning results. Audits enable you to identify these keywords and swap them out with stronger-performing ones.
- Increasing Campaign Efficiency: Removing unwanted traffic and bidding optimization, audits enhance ad performance while stretching your budget to its fullest.
- Improving Targeting with Negative Keywords: Continuously updating your negative keyword list helps you ensure you’re bringing in high-quality, converting traffic.
How Regular Keyword Audits Enhance ROI
Improved Ad Relevance
Regular audits ensure keywords match ad copy and landing pages, enhancing Quality Score and reducing CPC.
Wasted Spend Reduction
Fine-tuning your keyword list makes wasteful spend decrease by targeting high-converting keywords.
Better Targeting
Regular audits assist you in optimizing match types and ensuring you’re targeting the right people.
Best Practices for Keyword Audits
- Monitor Key Metrics: Monitor metrics such as CTR, conversion rate, and cost-per-conversion per keyword. Low-conversion keywords need to be modified or cut.
- Monitor Competitor Keywords: Investigate competitor keywords to identify new prospects and potential holes in your approach.
- Optimize Match Types: Periodically modify match types (broad, phrase, exact) to achieve the optimal balance between volume of traffic and pertinence.
- Create a Habit: Include keyword audits as a regular component of your approach, monthly audits are preferable, but this will depend on campaign size.
Bottom Line
Scheduling regular keyword audits is essential for PPC campaign optimization. They allow optimization to changing search patterns, drop unprofitable keywords, and tighten targeting. By cleaning out waste and concentrating on high-performing keywords, audits enhance campaign performance and ROI. Being proactive with keyword audits means your campaigns are constantly optimized to the most lucrative search terms, ensuring maximum ad relevance, and staying ahead of the competition.
Sagar T
Sagar, Vice President of Digital Analyst Team (DAT), brings over 15 years of digital media expertise, including 12 years dedicated to DAT's growth. Certified in Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, Google Analytics, and Marin, he excels in managing an annual budget of over $80 million. Sagar is renowned for his strategic acumen in digital marketing, exceptional budget management, and his ability to drive significant industry results.
