Google Ads optimization tools are designed to make businesses and marketers maximize their Google Ads (previously known as AdWords) results. The Google Ads optimization score lets you see your overall AdWords Google account health at a glance and gauge how successful your Google Ads management is, based on Google’s standards.
Together with your score are specific recommendations to improve your optimization score – like viewing a summary of things you can do to improve your account. But here’s a question every Google AdWords specialist loves to answer: Should you apply all Google AdWords optimization recommendations? Not quite.
People who don’t have the time to assess individual ad campaigns or study the impact of the suggested changes can rely on the Google AdWords optimization algorithm. But a Google AdWords management expert can tell you why this is not the best approach.
“Blindly applying recommendations can damage and inhibit results. While they can help an account perform better, smart marketers back themselves up with the knowledge and experience to decipher which recommendations to implement or not,” said John Powell, Google AdWords consultant and pay-per-click (PPC) senior manager at Thrive Internet Marketing Agency.
This blog post helps you broaden your understanding of Google Ads and the value of Google AdWords management services. Read on to discover how to view your optimization score Google Ads recommendations, leverage recommendations to improve your account and why partnering with a Google Ads agency for professional Google Ads services is your best move.
What Is the Google Ads Optimization Score?
The Google Ads optimization score ranges from zero percent to 100 percent and comes with specific recommendations to improve your optimization score. Getting 100 percent means you have reached your AdWords Google account’s full potential – based on all currently available recommendations – while zero percent means your account is in dire need of fixing through Google Ads services. How to view optimization score Google Ads recommendations is similar whether viewing from the manager account, account or individual campaign level.
How to view optimization score on Google Ads dashboard is as simple as opening your account and clicking on Recommendations:
Source: Google Ads YouTube Channel
How the Optimization Score Is Calculated
Your optimization score is an estimation using Google AdWords optimization data and machine learning. Your general Google Optimization score changes based on where you’re looking and as the algorithm learns more about your account through real-time data – like how your search engine optimization (SEO) position fluctuates. Your optimization score is based on Google AdWords SEO best practices, your AdWords Google account settings and account performance history.
Your optimization score starts at 100 percent and decreases based on the AdWords optimization recommendations, which are weighted with an equivalent increase in your optimization score. The higher the impact, the higher the recommendation score equivalent.
Google Ads Quality Score vs. Optimization Score
The Google Ads Quality Score is a diagnostic tool that provides insight into your ad quality compared to other advertisers’. This topic always comes up when discussing optimization and Google Ads optimization in general – questions like: How is the optimization score related to the Quality Score Google Ads tool? Is it a way to increase Quality Score? And how to improve Quality Score with it?
First things first, Google says optimization score is not used by your Quality Score or Ad Rank. Instead, it’s a “more holistic view of your account’s health.” Still, the optimization score and Google Ads Quality Score share a common goal: to provide action steps that can improve your campaign results. A Google AdWords company would help you with Quality Score Google Ads optimization and how to improve Quality Score alongside your optimization score.
Why Your Score and Google AdWords SEO Matter
Google AdWords SEO professionals ensure your ad campaigns utilize best practices from both organic and paid search campaigns. While Google Ads and SEO techniques are executed differently, Google Ads optimization is at the center. Your optimization score is one of many tools you can use to maximize your Google Ads account and results.
Why your optimization score matters:
• It’s based on your unique account setup
• Helps you identify opportunities to optimize your Google Ads account
• Categorizes recommendations for more straightforward analysis
• Suggests the most critical changes to prioritize
• Helps achieve your goals more efficiently
5 Ways To Leverage Your Google Ads Optimization Score
Your optimization score provides many benefits, but digging deeper into your recommendations before applying or dismissing them is necessary to use them the right way. Consulting with a Google AdWords agency is vital to leverage your Google Ads optimization score.
Here are 5 expert-approved tips on how to leverage your optimization score:
1. See The Bigger Picture
Many recommendations will probably drive your ad spend up for two reasons. Firstly, the Google Ads platform earns from increased ad spend. Secondly, ad words optimization is essentially an investment that improves your returns – but only if your campaign budget increase is handled correctly by a Google Ads specialist.
Entrusting your campaign management to a Google Ads company can make you more confident about getting a good return on ad spend (RoAS). They’ll be able to tell you if Google’s recommendation will be worth the increase in ad spend.
2. Understand What Your Score Is Not
Your optimization score is account-specific – it’s not a good comparative measure because there is no benchmark for a good optimization score. What matters is the gap between your score and 100 percent. For instance, if your score is at 80 percent, there is about 20 percent worth of Google Ads optimization opportunities you’re missing out on.
Your score reflects areas for improvement and suggested changes based on Google data and predictions. It doesn’t say how well your campaigns perform, and increasing your optimization score doesn’t guarantee improved results.
3. Choose To Apply or Dismiss Recommendations Carefully
Lauren Holland, Google AdWords consultant and AdWords optimization expert at Thrive, gave a detailed explanation of this. She advised against applying all recommendations and emphasized Google recommendations are helpful for “high-level campaign management.” Still, an experienced Google Ads specialist should confirm that they “align with a specific strategy and will not unnecessarily inflate Google Ads spend.”
Holland added, “For example, almost every account will have a recommendation for adding broad match keywords – usually hundreds at a time. Google software recommends this optimization so that ads will serve for long-tailed searches. Optimization score recommendations will only apply in bulk, but a strategist needs to analyze them individually as many will be irrelevant, overlap with existing keywords, or result in high cost with no or few leads.”
She also shared that adding Search partners and Display Networks is a recommendation added to almost all accounts, even if those networks have performed poorly in the past or do not match up with a campaign’s set goal. “For instance, if the setting is Leads, then the Display Network is likely inappropriate to include within a Search campaign,” said Holland.
This only emphasizes the vital role of Google AdWords services to manage your optimization score recommendations according to your unique business goals.
4. Prioritize the Recommendations With the Highest Impact
The optimization score assigns a score to every recommendation based on how much they should improve your performance over time. The recommendation that will increase your score the most is the action with the highest projected impact (without guarantees). This could be Google spotting obvious errors you need to fix or the data telling you where your biggest growth opportunity is.
Generally, newer accounts would apply recommendations more freely because they’re still settling in. A more established account requires a thorough analysis by a Google AdWords specialist because even if a recommendation has the highest project impact, it still might not be suitable for your business. A Google AdWords agency is used to handling more complex accounts with a lot more money on the line.
5. Analyze Every Recommendation and Save for Later
Most of the time, you’ll be in the middle – you aren’t ready to apply or dismiss a recommendation, but there’s still something you can take out of it. A good Google AdWords agency would say the optimization score’s best use is hinting towards actions you should take and giving out-of-the-box suggestions. So, keep some notes about the most crucial and relevant information you find in your recommendations before applying or dismissing them.
Why You Need Professional Google Ads Management
Remember that your optimization score and recommended changes are based on your account performance and real-world data, and as the Google Ads platform evolves. Even if they are based on predictions and have no guarantees, they point you in the right direction. Your Google AdWords company takes these insights to deliver cost-effective Google Ads services.
More reasons you should get the help of professional Google Ads management:
#1 Adapts To Your Unique Needs
“We leverage the optimization score on an as-needed basis. For example, some of our long-term accounts have performed perfectly on manual bidding and without automation. Applying recommendations on these accounts could cost months of hard work by the Google AdWords management team and potentially squander the results they’ve been getting from their Google Ads services,” said Powell.
#2 Makes Data-Driven Decisions
Powell also shared that for other accounts, they’ve been able to use recommendations to bolster lead generation or eCommerce sales to all-time highs. But, he added, “It truly comes down to the long-term experience of a Google AdWords specialist to decide whether recommendations will benefit accounts or potentially hurt you, based on your campaign performance and industry data.”
#3 Even Google Says You’re In Charge
Google says, “you’re in the driver’s seat.” Dismissing recommendations can still increase your optimization score. Every Google AdWords company emphasizes that recommendations are in no way definite and only represent room to take action.
With Google AdWords services on your side, you can make the best decisions for your ad campaigns. A reliable Google Ads company applies the recommendations that benefit your business and dismiss those that won’t, based on always-updated campaign information.
Hiring professional Google AdWords management services fills the gap between your recommendations and actually getting the results you want to see. Your optimization score is never black-and-white, and a Google AdWords agency would have the expertise to determine what’s necessary from what’s not. What’s more, because your score is ever-changing, it requires continuous monitoring to reach its full potential – and stay there.
Work With an Experienced Google Ads Agency
Thrive Internet Marketing Agency is a Google Ads agency and Google Premier Partner offering end-to-end search engine marketing services for businesses of all sizes since 2005. Our Google Ads company creates a Google Ads strategy customized to your specific business objectives, ad budget and long-term goals. With our Google AdWords management team on your side, you have a dedicated Google Ads specialist managing your account and aiming for maximum return on investment (ROI) for your business.
Our Google AdWords services include:
• Checking recommendations individually
• Taking advantage of new audiences for observation when recommended
• Adding headlines to responsive search ads (RSA) based on RSA score
• Receiving signals when beta functions like image extensions are available
• Adding dynamic search ad groups and ads
• Completing budget recommendations
• Identifying redundant keywords and conflicting negative keywords
As a full-service digital marketing agency, we also help you with:
• Accurate data tracking using Google Analytics
• Continuous conversion rate optimization
• Exploring other platforms, such as Amazon advertising
• Leveraging social media advertising for a holistic ad strategy
Contact us today to speak with a Google AdWords consultant about how customized Google AdWords management services bolster your business.
