Quick Answer: Having three tightly themed, highly relevant search ads per group boosts impressions and clicks via increased visibility and ad rotation. This allows sufficient data for proper A/B testing to determine optimal elements for improved ad relevance, clickthrough rates, conversions and return on spend over time.
Key Takeaways:
- Increases ad visibility and impressions via Google’s ad rotation system across the multiple options.
- Allows sufficient data for proper A/B testing to optimise messaging and layout elements.
- Boosts ad relevance by tailoring each variation to subtle differences in searcher intent.
- Lifts click-through rates by eliminating lower-performing ads over time.
- Enhances Quality Scores through higher-performing ads and increased relevance between ads, keywords and landing pages.
Benefits and strategies of multiple ads in an ad group
| Benefit/Strategy | Description/Impact |
|---|---|
| Enhanced ad performance | Multiple ads increase impressions, clicks, and conversions through ad rotation. |
| Increased CTR | Diverse ads cater to different searcher intents, improving engagement and click-through rates. |
| A/B testing and optimisation | More ads provide data for identifying high performers and refining ad strategies. |
| Lower bounce rates | Tailored ads to searcher intent improve ad relevance, aligning with landing pages. |
| Quality score improvement | Multiple ads improve Quality Score factors like CTR, ad relevance, and landing page experience. |
| Google’s ad selection | Google selects the best-performing ad in an auction, optimising ad group performance. |
| Keyword inclusion in headlines | Keywords in headlines improve visibility, click-appeal, and Quality Score. |
| Catering to diverse needs | Multiple ads allow targeting various customer motivations and needs. |
| Showcasing versatility | Different ads can highlight various aspects of a product or service, increasing engagement. |
| Avoiding common mistakes | Focus on ad relevance, avoid overloading ad groups, and align ads with landing pages. |
The concept of ad groups in PPC
Understanding ad groups
Ad groups are a core component of setting up and organising Google Ads campaigns.
At its most basic, an ad group consists of one or more ads (max three) that target a specific set of relevant keywords.
When creating a Google Ads campaign, advertisers set up ad groups to group together ads that share a similar theme or target market.
For example, an online shoe retailer may create one ad group for running shoes, another for boots, and another for dress shoes. The running shoe ad group would contain ads that promote running shoes on the site, along with keywords related to running shoes like “running trainers”, “running sneakers”, or “mens running shoes”. Grouping similar ads and keywords allows advertisers to set specific bids and budgets, pick relevant ad text, and track performance data at the ad group level.
Ad groups act as building blocks that add structure and organisation to a campaign.
Well-structured ad groups aligned to products, services, or target markets are essential for the success of any PPC campaign.
When ads and keywords are precisely grouped, they optimise the display of ads, improve quality scores, and enable better performance analysis, leading to a higher return on ad spend.
The role of ad groups in PPC
Ad groups play several important strategic roles within a pay-per-click advertising campaign:
Organising campaigns – Ad groups are a great way to organise large or complex campaigns based on common themes. Rather than managing one long list of keywords and ads, advertisers can break them down into logical ad groups. For example, an ecommerce store may have one high-level campaign, with ad groups for each product category.
Ad groups enable precise targeting by grouping similar keywords and relevant ads. For example, the shoe retailer can craft ad text specifically for running shoes when those searchers are in the running shoe ad group. This relevance leads to higher clickthrough and conversion rates.
Streamlining optimisation – Tracking metrics like clickthrough rate and conversion rate at the ad group level makes it easier to identify high and low performing areas. Resources for testing and optimisation can be focused on the specific ad groups that need it most.
Improving Quality Scores – Quality Score is Google’s rating system for measuring how relevant and useful ads and landing pages are to searchers. By theming ad groups properly around a product or service, the ads and landing pages will be highly relevant to the searcher’s query. This relevance raises the Quality Score, lowers the cost per click, and improves ad rank.
Facilitating analysis – Properly structured ad groups with cohesive themes allow better reporting, and analysis. All the data tied to a specific theme is bundled, making it easy to gauge performance by product line, keyword theme, geography or other attributes. Poorly structured ad groups lead to messy, confusing reporting.
Ad group structure and best practices
A properly set up ad group contains closely themed ads and a tightly grouped list of relevant keywords and is aligned to strategically segmented landing pages.
While the limit on ad group targeting items per account (such as keywords, placements and audience lists) is huge, ads are limited to a maximum number of three active ads per ad group. The best approach is to include only what is absolutely necessary.
As covered earlier, the goal is to maintain high relevance between searcher intent, ad message, landing page, and calls to action.
Typical ad group structure
- Three highly relevant ads (this is the maximum number of ads in a group, so make sure to use them all)
- No more than 20 tightly themed keywords or keyphrases per group
- Links to a strategically filtered landing page
Best practices for ad group creation
- Group keywords and ads according to product or closely related themes
- Ensure ad text speaks directly to the searcher’s intent
- Drive traffic to strategically filtered landing pages
- Keep the keyword list short and highly relevant
- Use negative keywords liberally across groups
- Check performance metrics at the ad group level
- Optimise poor performing ad groups first
These guidelines help keep relevance high, Quality Scores up, and campaigns neat and manageable.
Though it does take diligence to implement, thoughtfully constructed ad groups pay dividends across all key PPC success metrics.
The shoe retailer from earlier could have one campaign, with ad groups for running shoes, hiking boots, dress shoes and so on.
Within the hiking boots ad group are corresponding ads and keywords, driving searchers to a hiking boots focused product category page.
All components work together to make that searcher-to-buyer journey as efficient as possible.
By mastering the creation and optimisation of precisely themed ad groups, advertisers can expect higher click through rates, lower cost per acquisition, and greater return on ad spend.
Benefits of multiple ads in an ad group
Enhanced ad performance and visibility
Having multiple ads within a single ad group provides significant advantages when it comes to improving ad performance and visibility.
Google Ads uses an ad rotation system that randomly displays different ads from an ad group each time the search query matches the target keywords.
This allows every eligible ad the opportunity to be shown without any single ad dominating.
Using the full allocation of three active ads and creating tightly themed ads in a group ensures each variation gets rotated continuously, multiplying the overall number of impressions an ad group receives.
More impressions directly translate to more clicks and conversions.
Additionally, housing three ads in one ad group creates a synergistic effect since they share the same relevant keywords and Quality Score.
So when one ad performs particularly well and earns a boost in rank due to a high clickthrough or conversion rate, the benefit cascades across the entire ad group.
Increased click-through rates (CTR)
Expanding an ad group to include multiple (max 3) tightly themed ads also lifts the overall click-through rate.
Even if developed around the same product or keywords, individual ads will always have slight performance differences.
These variations occur because different ads resonate differently with searchers depending on factors like ad copy, prominently featured benefits, calls to action, or layout.
Looking at the running shoe ad group example, one ad variation might put stability features front and centre, while another focuses on lightweight comfort.
Aligning ads to subtle variances in searcher intent via copy or layout increases the likelihood of engagement.
Just as important, eliminating lower-performing ads allows for doubling down on those gaining the most traction.
Testing ads over an extended timeframe also reveals patterns around optimal ad length, prominent copy details and ideal calls-to-action.
Key insights learned from analysing a multi-ad approach can be used to develop new variations or improve existing well-performing ads.
Continuously test and refine to keep click-through rates trending upward.
A/B testing and optimisation
The more ads housed in an ad group, the more data accumulated to identify high performers.
You can experiment with elements like:
- Headline phrasing
- Ad copy style and prominence
- Calls-to-action variety
- Keyword emphasis
- Image usage
- Layout structure
A good rule of thumb is to create one new ad variation for every 20 keywords in an ad group, as that allows sufficient data for meaningful analysis.
When reviewing ads, wait until you’re at around 100 conversions to gauge true ad performance.
The key is constantly comparing ads side-by-side over an extended period to determine optimal elements to double down on.
Lower-performing ads should be removed frequently to ensure your budget is put behind the best performers.
Trends typically emerge around things like:
- Ad length
- Benefit focus
- Query match emphasis
- Call-to-action choices
It’s a good idea to incorporate learnings from top performers into new iterations for further testing.
Building on this you can take some of the best elements from multiple ads to develop an entirely new hybrid variation.
Continual monitoring, culling and creation of new ads provides the power of “survival of the fittest”. Using the multi-ad approach stretches budgets further by:
- Discouraging irrelevant clicks
- Increasing conversions
- Maximising ROI
Lower bounce rates with more ads
Improving ad relevance
One of the key upsides to housing multiple tightly themed ads within an ad group is the ability to focus each variation on subtle differences in searcher intent.
Even when targeting identical products and keywords, searchers arrive with slightly different motivations and desired outcomes.
Crafting three distinct variations allows you to cater ad copy and presentation to various searcher needs.
For example, potential customers looking for running trainers may be motivated by different features:
- Cushioning and shock absorption
- Lightweight responsiveness
- Traction and grip
Creating individual ads with messaging aligned to each motivation results in more relevant ad exposure.
So when searchers see an ad specifically calling out traction and grip, it will resonate more than a generic running shoe ad.
This precise matching of intent to message feels almost tailor-made for the searcher’s unique needs.
Aligning ads with landing pages
Relevance between the ad and landing page represents another key area for improvement when adopting an expanded ad group approach.
Best practices dictate that ads within a group send users to strategically filtered landing pages featuring highly aligned products, messaging and calls-to-action.
For example, if a searcher clicks on the ad focused on shock absorption and injury prevention, they should arrive on a landing page featuring stable running shoes.
That continuity of message and product ensures relevance across the click journey.
If they instead ended up on a page about barefoot shoes, it would undermine confidence and introduce doubts about underlying promises.
By crafting distinct ads across an optimised set of corresponding landing pages, you guarantee contextual consistency no matter where searchers enter or exit the journey.
This synergy results from coordinating all components across ads, keywords and landing pages within an ad group framework.
When executed smoothly, it feels like an extension of the searcher’s initial needs, organically directing them to their intended goals.
Quality score and multiple ads
Understanding quality score
Quality Score represents a unique metric within Google Ads that provides useful insights into the overall quality and expected performance for ads and keywords.
Quality Score offers a 1 to 10 rating system reflecting relevance between searcher intent and the corresponding ads and landing pages.
The specific factors comprising Quality Score include:
- Click-through rate (CTR) – The frequency that an ad gets clicked when shown. Higher performing ads earn higher Quality Scores.
- Ad relevance – How closely the ad copy and messaging matches the user’s search terms. Higher relevance improves Quality Scores.
- Landing page experience – The quality of the page visitors arrive at after clicking an ad. More relevant and useful landing pages increase Quality Scores.
So while Quality Score doesn’t directly determine ad ranks or costs, optimising these input factors can indirectly drive better ad positioning and lower costs per click over time.
This makes monitoring Quality Score essential for identifying areas needing performance improvements.
Impact of multiple ads on Quality Score
Adding multiple tightly themed ads within ad groups directly benefits several Quality Score factors simultaneously:
Increasing click-through rate – With more ads earning clicks within a group, it lifts the average CTR, improving the group’s Quality Score. Higher performing ads also trigger Google to display the ad group more prominently across auctions.
Improving ad relevance – Crafting varied ad copy around products for different searcher motivations means increased alignment between user intent and ad exposure. This synergy signals relevance to Google.
Enhancing landing pages – Coordinating strategic landing pages for each ad variation sustains contextual relevance across the click journey, improving page experience.
While Quality Score applies at the keyword level initially, performance indicators like CTR get factored in from both the keyword and ad group levels.
So, using multiple well-optimised ads to lift ad group metrics creates a compounding effect on keyword Quality Scores.
Strategies for improving Quality Score
Here are some proven tactics for leveraging a multi-ad approach to enhance Quality Scores:
Create relevant ad variations – Tailor ad copy, structure and keyword emphasis based on subtle differences in searcher motivation within a niche. Align closely with corresponding landing pages.
Optimise all landing pages – Every page should clearly summise key product benefits and details from each distinct ad presented.
Emphasise key product differentiators – Clearly showcase stand-out features of offerings in both ad copy and landing pages – improved relevance lifts Quality Scores.
Add negatives to shape traffic – Use negative keywords across groups to filter out misaligned queries to each ad variation. Increased relevance results over time.
Test ad copy components – Experiment with elements like space allotment, calls to action, imagery and key benefits presented to optimise CTR.
Cycle underperformers frequently – Deleting lower-performing ads allows increased budget distribution to those accruing clicks and conversions.
Monitor weekly for insights – Check key metrics and trends across keywords and ad groups to identify improvement areas.
Best-performing ad selection by Google
Google’s ad selection process
When a search query matches the keywords and targeting parameters for an ad group containing multiple ads, Google initiates a competitive auction to determine the best-performing ad to show the searcher.
This selection process evaluates all eligible ads within that group to identify which variation aligns closest to Google’s desired performance criteria.
The algorithms powering this decision analyse historical data associated with each ad variation, including:
- Click-through rate (CTR)
- Conversion rate
- Ad relevance
- Landing page experience
- Ad text feedback
Google also incorporates real-time context about the searcher’s goal, browsing history and location to gauge the probability of engagement with specific ads.
Any negative feedback or low page dwell times regarding past ad exposures also get factored in by the algorithms.
By synthesising historical and contextual data signals, Google’s ad selection technology aims to showcase whichever variation seems most likely to satisfy searcher intent while achieving advertiser goals.
This system allows continually optimising delivery around the best-performing ads.
Maximising ad performance in auctions
Advertisers want their most relevant and effective ads put forward in each auction within an ad group.
To maximise the probability of selection, we recommend you:
- Create three distinct ad variations – Tailor copy, structure, calls to action and value propositions around nuances in searcher motivation. These tightly themed options give algorithms more high-quality choices.
- Optimise ads for maximum relevance – Use keywords within ad copy and structure messaging around exactly matching searcher intent within that niche. Increased relevance signals better performance potential.
- Understand user contexts – Research target audience behaviours, needs and buying cycles to build ads that speak directly to those motivations. Align to their stage within the buying journey.
- Accurately portray offering benefits – Clearly demonstrate within copy how the key value propositions satisfy searcher wants and needs. Under-delivering erodes trust after clicks occur.
The more tuned that messaging, relevance and value propositions are within ads to searcher goals, the more likely Google will interpret engagement potential as high.
When ad groups contain multiple well-optimised variations, the probability of strong CTR and more conversions improve.
Analysing and responding to ad performance data
Ongoing analysis of metrics for each ad provides the evidence needed to refine strategies over time. Key datapoints to analyse weekly include:
- Impressions
- Clicks
- Click-through rate
- Conversions
- Conversion rate
- Cost per conversion
Study trends around best performing headlines, calls to action, ad lengths and key themes to incorporate within new variations. Eliminate consistently under-performing ads to redistribute budget to front runners.
Leverage Google Ads reporting tools and create custom dashboards to monitor metrics efficiently across devices. Seek insights around performance by location, day of week and times of day.
Uncovering why some ads continually beat out other tightly themed variations, even when all are highly relevant, can reveal strategic advantages to exploit more aggressively.
Consistently evaluating and responding to learnings will maximise the probability of Google selecting your ads in those critical auctions.
Keyword inclusion in headlines
Importance of keywords in headlines
Incorporating highly relevant keywords within Google Ads headlines represents a vital best practice for improving three key areas of performance:
Visibility – Headlines containing closely matched keywords signal strong alignment to searcher intent. Google rewards this relevancy with better ad positioning and more prominent display within search results.
Click-appeal – Keyword-rich headlines that directly address niche searcher motivations see significant improvements in click-through rate. Aligning to unique needs captured in queries primes that click impulse.
Quality Score – As covered in earlier sections, headline keywords boost the ad relevance component of Quality Score for both search terms and associated ad groups. This can lead to lower costs-per-click over time.
Together these visibility, relevancy and quality signals combine to make keyword-focused headlines a top priority.
Even minor headline tweaks to add synonymous phrases or more direct antonyms can move the relevancy needle to gain conversions at lower costs.
Balancing keywords with creative copy
While keyword inclusion provides a performance boost, skilled PPC advertisers understand that effective blending remains essential to appeal to searchers.
Stuffy, overtly keyword-heavy headlines appear unnatural and fail to engage the way more “human” messages do.
The ideal blending calls for:
- 2-3 dispersed keywords – Pepper these across headlines for relevance without crowding copy.
- Page 1 placement – Push keywords nearer to the front of headlines to amplify signals.
- Supporting emotive copy – Surround keywords with compelling messaging that builds intrigue.
- Numbers and specificity – Inject specific statistics, sums or savings amounts relative to keywords to heighten appeal.
- Bracket key phases – Use punctuation like parentheses, commas or colons to emphasise urgency around keywords.
This fusion of relevance and intrigue helps headlines stand out while still signalling searchers that their unique needs sit at the centre of presented offerings.
Keyword research and selection
Choosing which precise keywords to embed within ad headlines requires both science and art:
Laser target core themes – Ad group targeting should already focus tightly around core products, categories or services. Feature those primary keywords prominently within headlines.
Lean on historical analytics – Past search query data reveals winning phrases with higher click and conversion rates to showcase more aggressively across headlines.
Brainstorm engaging combinations – Creative brainstorming around search themes helps identify appealing keyword variants. These get interwoven fluidly within copy.
Test new phrases iteratively – Add fresh keyword combinations to headlines over time while eliminating lower performers through routine iteration.
Review monthly for new trends – Searcher needs and terminology shifts over time. Monitoring tools like Google Trends help spot rising keyword opportunities.
Match to landing pages – Ensure that every headline keyword aligns seamlessly with the terminology and messaging on associated landing pages.
Routinely applying these practices ensures the embedded keywords that become exposed continue attracting high relevancy and clicks over time. Savvy advertisers learn to master this fusion of art and science across ads.
Highlighting different aspects of offerings
Catering to diverse customer needs
Leveraging multiple ads within an ad group provides advertisers with an effective way of tailoring messaging precisely to the diverse needs of each target subset.
Even seemingly straightforward offerings like running shoes appeal to various searcher motivations around elements like comfort, stability, lightweight designs, and durability.
The strategic advertiser understands that highlighting specific dimensions within tailored ad copy and context proves essential to improving relevance and engagement.
This precision is only possible when ad groups move beyond a single generic ad to incorporate tailored variations.
Executing this strategy successfully hinges on advertisers dedicating upfront effort to segmenting their audience into subgroups driven by common motivations.
Typical frameworks include grouping based on:
- Demographics like gender, age brackets and location
- Psychographics such as personality traits, values and lifestyles
- Behaviours like past purchases, browsing history and frequency of interactions
Isolating key subgroups makes apparent the unique appeals most likely to motivate engagement for each.
Aligning precise ad messaging to each priority segment accelerates the move from clicks to conversions.
Showcasing product or service versatility
In addition to boosting relevancy, housing multiple tightly themed ads also provides useful mechanisms for demonstrating the versatility across key offerings in an engaging manner.
Even complex products likely deliver value across many dimensions for customers.
For example, popular CRM software solutions may variously enable teams to:
- Manage contacts seamlessly
- Track interactions automatically
- Forecast sales more accurately
- Speed up productivity
- Monitor campaign effectiveness
- Improve customer satisfaction
Rather than attempting to cram those diverse benefits into a single ad, smart advertisers will divide value dimensions across properly coordinated ads and landing pages.
This approach showcases versatility while sustaining relevance to precise searcher needs.
Best practices suggest focusing each ad on no more than three key benefits at a time.
Rotating exposure across tailored variations leaves website visitors with lasting impressions of just how multifaceted certain offerings can be.
Increasing engagement and conversions
When executed effectively, showcasing product and service versatility through tailored ad groups leads visitors to engage more deeply with brands in ways that spark conversion over time through:
Enhanced confidence
Seeing diverse yet consistent representations of an offering helps cement perceptions of quality and versatility for potential customers. Their aim shifts from lingering doubts regarding exaggerated claims to simply identifying the variation best matching unique needs.
Improved relevance
Serving up tailored messaging and language familiar to niche subgroups smooths the path from initial impression to ultimate transaction. Sustained feelings of personal relevance remain core drivers behind online conversions.
Expanded consideration
Rotating exposure to the wide range of capabilities around an offering encourages consideration across more nuanced sets of features.
Visitors gain a fuller understanding of potential applications to their unique situation.
Through persistent testing and optimisation of tailored variations highlighting specialisation, advertisers take full advantage of showcasing their product and service versatility in the most clickable and relevant ways possible.
These best practice principles lay the foundation for sustained conversions over time.
Common mistakes to avoid
Ad strength misunderstanding
While Google does provide an “Ad Strength” rating to reflect overall quality and expected performance.
Avoid putting too much stock in this rating alone when evaluating ads.
Even duplicating an existing high-performing ad with an “Excellent” rating can initially show just an “Average” strength score.
Savvy PPC practitioners instead diligently test new ad variations side-by-side with current leaders to make decisions based on real conversion data.
They understand that relevance, creative messaging and emotional resonance hold greater influence over performance.
Monitoring metrics like clicks, conversions and cost per acquisition over at least a two week period tends to provide clearer guidance on actual ad effectiveness.
So while the Ad Strength report offers useful directional insights for improvement, basing strategic calls purely on this subjective rating often leads advertisers astray.
Rely instead on regular A/B testing of new ad variations based on actual response and engagement data from searchers.
Misalignment with landing pages
One of the fastest ways to suppress conversions from new ad variations is failing to ensure strategic consistency with their designated landing pages.
Any noticeable misalignment between ad messaging and subsequent page experience triggers skepticism and abandonment rapidly.
Ensure every headline word, value proposition and benefit claim seamlessly carries through onto corresponding landing pages.
Analyse details like:
- Terminology consistency
- Benefit and features alignment
- Value proposition accuracy
- Calls-to-action relevance
Ongoing exhaustive vetting for cohesiveness across these elements helps sustain positive click journeys.
Allowing disjointed misfires between ads and pages erodes trust and tank conversions.
Test yourself
- How does housing multiple ad variations in an ad group increase the visibility and impressions for your search campaigns?
- Why does tailoring each of the three ads to subtle differences in searcher intent tend to lift click-through rates for ad groups?
- What core benefit does having at least three ads per group provide when it comes to optimising messaging and layout elements over time?
- How can using the maximum of three ads per group improve the relevance between ads, keywords and landing pages?
- What types of metrics for each ad should be analysed weekly to determine optimal elements to improve performance?
