QUICK OVERVIEW
What to take away from the article
- Search helps to work with a specific intention. Performance Max extends reach across Google channels.
- Compare results by order and margin, with the same conversion definitions.
- Address branded search, assets and store feedback before expanding campaigns.
Objective first, then campaign type
A billboard installation company needs relevant inquiries in the serviced region. An e-shop with repeated purchase of packaging needs orders with sufficient margin and available stock. The number of clicks is not the common denominator of their success. Therefore, even before choosing a campaign, write down which business result the budget should bring and who will confirm it in the system.
Separate three situations: a person is looking for an exact product, is comparing solutions or is already looking for your brand. They can all bring in an order, but they don't answer the same question about the benefit of advertising. In particular, branded search can capture demand built up by other activities. Therefore, when evaluating the budget, also monitor the overall development of new customers and orders. We discuss the basis of the offer and the target customer in the article on marketing strategy and quality inquiries.
What is the difference between Search and Performance Max
Search is suitable for working with search queries. Performance Max is a targeted campaign type that can use multiple Google advertising channels. It therefore requires well-thought-out inputs: business goal, measurement, creative and, in the case of an e-shop, high-quality product data. A wider reach does not in itself mean a higher profit.
The following table is a decision aid, not a ranking of quality. In a specific account, the availability of functions and the result of the test decide. A well-prepared combination can make more sense than trying to move the entire budget into one type of campaign.
| Area | Postup | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Where does it address the customer? | Especially when searching. | Across multiple Google channels. |
| What to prepare? | Query structure, texts and relevant landing pages. | High-quality measurement, images, texts and other materials according to the target. |
| What to check? | Search queries, budget, brand and quality of contacts. | The composition of the results, the brand, the background and the value of the business results. |
| When to notice? | Many clicks on non-offer inquiries. | Lots of reported conversions with no growth in value orders. |
A branded search can skew the comparison
Imagine a fictitious business that has been getting referrals for ten years. Some customers type its name directly into Google. If a campaign captures such demand, it can look very effective. However, it does not follow that she herself created the customer's interest. Therefore, when comparing, look separately at brand-related results and general search results.
Google provides tag inclusion and exclusion settings; their scope varies by campaign type. First verify the setting at the specific account level. Then track whether the total number of orders, qualified inquiries and new customers has changed. Moving a reported conversion between campaigns is not automatically an additional order.
Lead quality matters for businesses that sell through enquiries
In the case of services, it is not enough to send the system information that someone has submitted a form. An interested party outside the region, a job seeker and a client with a realistic budget are not equal business opportunities. Record the reason for rejection, the status of the quotation and the resulting order. Without it, it is easy to optimize for the cheapest contact instead of the most suitable customer.
A trader needs simple statuses that everyone uses equally. For example, new inquiry, qualified inquiry, submitted offer, won and lost order. Each status must have an owner and a date. We explain the technical and business procedure in the manual for measurement of inquiries via CRM and Google Ads.
How to prepare a test from which a decision can be made
Before starting, save the initial results and check the functionality of the measurement. Determine if you're looking to expand your reach, reduce your qualified inquiry price, or increase your sales contribution. Do not mix these questions into a single number. Adapt the length of the test to the volume of results and the time from the first contact to the order; the universal rule of seven days may not be enough.
During the test, keep a comparable offer and note changes in prices, availability or seasonal fluctuations. If you redesign the website, expand the assortment and change the conversions at the same time, the result cannot be attributed to one modification. With a small volume of data, admit uncertainty and make decisions based on the quality of specific orders.
- Determine in advance the main indicator and the maximum budget of the test.
- Check for duplicate conversions, sales delays and discarded contacts.
- Evaluate the overall business result, not just the performance shift between campaigns.
What to send when auditing campaigns
Prepare an overview of the offer, regions, approximate value of the order, available capacity and export trade balances for a comparable period. It is also useful to know which services or products you want to grow and which are not worth promoting. Without these inputs, a technically correct campaign may support the wrong part of the business.
The audit recommendation should be a specific intervention with a reason: correct the measurement, separate the brand, supplement the landing page or test the extension. Only then does it make sense to decide on a higher budget. The financial side of the comparison is shown by our ROAS, Margin and Profit Model.
