ROAS masterclass: How to minimize waste and maximize conversions in Google Ads [webinar]

Tight budgets, continually rising CPCs, and ambitious ROAS targets are creating challenges for performance marketers. So in an efficiency-focused era, what steps can you take to maximize conversions while minimizing waste in Google Ads?

In a conversation with Google Ads expert Tomasz Abbott-Wieczorek, we discussed the key strategies performance marketers must know if they wish to achieve greater ROAS.

Tomasz is one of the most influential voices in the PPC community. Founder of the PPC Profit Lab, Tomasz has over $250M in profitable ad spend on Google Ads, leading high-performance PPC campaigns for top global brands – including Huel, Domino’s, Stitch Fix, and more.

In our webinar, we discussed:

How to build bulletproof conversion tracking
Proven tips for enhancing ad copy and creatives at scale
How to apply learnings from Meta to Google Ads (& vice versa)
Design tips to create strong, conversion-focused landing pages
Why exclusion targeting is vital for minimizing waste (+ free tools)
How to minimize PMax cannibalisation to improve efficiency

Watch the full webinar on demand here.

TL;DR – Key takeaways

Don’t have time to watch the webinar in full? Don’t worry – we’ve compiled some of the key takeaways and actionable tips from the session below.

However, for full context and value, we recommend checking out the full video above.

Building bulletproof conversion tracking

The future of PPC is clearly in automation and AI – meaning the quality of the data you’re feeding into ad platforms is more important than ever.
Taking scale into account is important. With such a varied range of accounts and ad spend, scale must be taken into account. Whether your conversion goal is to reduce CPA by a couple of percent, or add 5% more conversions, you’ll need to think about the impact it’s going to have on your account based on ad spend.
Take the time to define all primary and secondary conversions.
Don’t blindly listen to your Google Account Rep. They’ll often recommend page views and other ‘soft’ conversions as primary conversions, which aren’t particularly helpful. Analyze the account you’re working on, discuss specific end goals, and set your primary conversions based on true account goals.
You should aim to use the Google Ads Tag to track all primary conversions. This lets you track view-through conversions, track engaged-view conversions, and track cross-device conversions.
This chrome extension helps with setting up enhanced conversions (see 17:06 in the VOD for more information on enhanced conversions!)

Ad copy optimization

Always pull up the funnel, your results, social proof, etc – a lot of accounts save this for the landing page, however people won’t see this. Social proof/results is more important than ever, so show it off if you’ve got it.
It can be dangerous to use AI ad copy, as it can miss context and make your ad copy sound weak.
If you’re running ads in a different country, always run your ad copy by someone local first. You can miss cultural references, and pick language choices that might not sound quite right in other regions.
There is no secret formula for writing great ad copy – it’s a continuous process of writing, testing, and refining.
More information about the 10 ad copy commandments can be found here.

Optimizing static image ads

‘Show what you get’ – if you’re selling a 24 bottle pack, show 24 bottles.
Spacegoods spark curiosity and create hype around the product through their image ads. It ticks multiple boxes and specifically targets customer pain points.
Check out the Facebook Ad Library for image ad inspiration – easily see what’s worked (and what hasn’t worked) for competitors.

Landing page optimization

Even the best ad in the world can’t save a bad landing page.
It’s easy to get caught up in the Google Ads side of things – many marketers leave their landing pages as an afterthought
This script from Marc Cornelius can be used to monitor landing pages, significant changes in conversion rates, and spot/fix any issues as soon as they arise.

This landing page from Rheal is a great example.
Everything you need is above the fold (immediately visible before scrolling). This gives consumers everything they need straight away.
Offers, social proof, and key benefits are made clear and are immediately visible.
It’s a perfect blend of informative and simple.

Acquisition.com is a great example of a landing page for B2B brands.
Quiz-style landing pages are super powerful for B2B brands, as they’re giving you data about your customers straight away. You’re immediately getting first-party data with landing pages like this.
The quiz also lets you know whether your ads are providing you with the right customers, with the right search intent.
The simple layout gives B2B customers a clear path without any unnecessary distractions.

Minimizing waste through exclusions

Exclusions are one of the quickest, simplest wins you can get in PPC.
If you’re wasting money on locations that don’t convert, just exclude them. Location exclusions could mean different US states, different countries in the EU, or even cities in your country.
This lets you focus more ad spend on the locations that give you higher conversion rates.
The same goes for audience exclusions – learn more about those here.
Tomasz’s full list of Google Ads tips, strategies, and cheat sheets can be found in the PPC Profit Lab community.

Additional Insights For more insights from the webinar – including video ad optimization, building effective negative keyword lists, free junk exclusion lists, more information about the PPC Profit Lab, and a live Q&A with questions from live viewers – check out the full VOD at the top of the page. You can find Tomasz on LinkedIn here – and make sure you’re in the PPC Profit Lab community for more top-level insights and strategy on all things Google Ads.