Over the years I’ve read hundreds of articles on Quality Score from the likes of Perry Marshall to AdGooroo, as well as obscure blogs by new start-up agencies in Dublin (who are clearly ex-Google guys sailing close to the inside track).
Despite all the information out there, it’s surprising how little of it is actually useful.
We know there over a hundred factors used by Google. We’ve all watched the Hal Varian YouTube video on how the AdWords auction works, read up about the latest trends in tank tops, how CTR is of vital importance, etc., so how is it that we follow these modern-day gospels and the results don’t play out as we expect?
Too often I’ve seen Quality Scores that don’t add up and whilst they are very pleasant, Google Ireland are peddling smoke and mirrors to us all with regards Quality Score. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve called them to be told that it’s not an exact science: maybe it’s smoke and mirrors, then? Well, Google, here’s the thing: It is an exact science; the AdWords system is a computer program that follows a set of rules – they haven’t developed an artificial intelligence auction where some emotional judgement is made about how cuddly an advertiser is.
A client of mine, an exceptional Oxford computer science graduate and now responsible for the largest AdWords budget in his industry, spends hours drilling Google for answers and yet he’s convinced they can simply ‘flip a switch’ to adjust the score. Some days I can see his logic.
To my mind, the publicly available guidance from Google and data from accounts don’t add up. For example, let’s examine geo-targeting. Too often I’ve seen Quality Score tumble when geo-targeting is used. The Google response is that “It’s the increased competition that causes Quality Score to go south”. What? Why would your Quality Score increase due to competition? Yes, your CPC might increase as you are competing with the local and national market willing to bid for a higher Ad Rank, but I’ve seen local markets with no regional competition, so how can this hold true when the local Ad Rank is higher than the national market?
To be more specific, why would competition affect your Quality Score? It can’t, is the Google answer, but the reality is that it does!
What often amazes me is the inconsistency with Google help-desk staff. Many a response from Google will contradict the advice given to another client a few days earlier. The response to our queries may be a little more elaborate the more you spend but it’s always the same; too vague to be of any use. When you push hard, you really do sense that Google Ireland doesn’t know the answers. It may be the European head office, but unfortunately, I don’t feel the overseas guy have been let into the inner circle of how Quality Score works. You can understand why – anyone who genuinely had all the answer to Quality Score would have a licence to print money – so we have put up with the “I think we have covered this issue” aka “Please just go away with these difficult questions”.
What the help-desk are good at is luring in new advertisers and peddling account setups that cost businesses millions in wasted spend. I’ve personally tackled the AdWords team about this, but I am told “Your methods are too advanced for most people”. Preventing you from wasting money is considered an advanced method? Interestingly, the number of my clients that Google ring as soon as they start saving money to offer advice is alarming. As soon as they realise our client understands AdWords, they depart the scene. No more blood to be had here.
Enough of the Google help-desk (or lack of it). I do believe the example of poor Quality Score and geo-targeting shows that Quality Score might be reduced for other reasons. I believe that the reason is profit. We all know that a search term auction has a minimum Ad Rank, but on local search terms, that Ad Ranks seem to increase dramatically. Couple this to the lower Quality Score found for geo-targeted terms and you have a recipe for a nice little earner.
It does appear that Google is intent on exploiting small, local business advertisers. My advice is: don’t believe the fuzzy, warm mission statement from Google that states “Don’t be evil”. The advice you seek from Google is technically correct, but you’ll wait a long time for advice on how to compete effectively and even beat your competitors, and that’s where we come in.
Google will not provide you with ‘secrets’ to improve your account, and that said, I really don’t like the term ‘secrets’ and prefer ‘techniques and methods that have been proven in the past to deliver improvements’. We at PPC Rescue are here to help small business owners and marketing managers achieve online success with AdWords.
Just call us for a free review of how much you’re wasting with AdWords, but please, don’t go running off to Google after we’ve shown how much money you’ve wasted; they’re in business to make money, not help you to disperse your funds in a more efficient manner, and they’re not going to stop the bleed.
